Poland began playing the guitar in high school in Dunkirk, New York. He later replaced a former guitar instructor, Dick "Max" Maxfield, in the Cambridge, NY based rock/jazz band Welkin. He moved to Los Angeles in 1977, where from 1977 to 1982 he was the lead guitarist in the New Yorkers, a Jazz/Rock fusion band, with Robert Pagliari on fretless bass, Gar Samuelson on drums, Stu Samuelson on guitar, and Don Roper on saxophone. He says that he learnt timing playing with Gar and also that playing with him made him a better player.[edit]