Guitar, bass, drum and keyboard lessons at The Music Playce!

Jack Brooks graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston with a Bachelor of Music in Composition in 1975. After years of playing professionally and composing for numerous situations, Jack found his most proficient and rewarding vocation in teaching. Upon moving to San Diego in 1989, Jack started teaching music through adult enrichment programs in Poway, Vista, Grossmont and Escondido. At Fairbanks Country Day School, Jack was the department head for seven years where he developed a music curriculum that began in kindergarten and continued through to the 12th grade. In May of 2000 he founded the North County Contemporary Music School (NCCMS) which is now The Music Playce.

A genuine innovator in music education, Jack’s methods yield quick results while keeping practice FUN and making complex musical concepts approachable and understandable. Click here to read what people are saying about Jack!

Dave Royal has been teaching guitar and drums at this location since Rich Hunt opened it 20 years ago and has helped many down the road to guitar mastery. Dave has been playing guitar now for 40 years and specializes in classic rock ’n roll and blues.

Dave currently teaches both the Kid Guitar class at The Music Playce and a sixth grade exploratory guitar class at Del Dios Middle School.

An accomplished lead/rhythm player, (often referred to as the “King of 3-Fingered Licks”) this patient instructor can help you discover the joy of music.

Warren LaPlante has been playing guitar for over 25 years and studied at Hollywood’s Guitar Institute of Technology. As a teenager, he gravitated to the hard rock/heavy metal style that pushed the guitar to its limits.

After a near-fatal car wreck forced him to relearn most everything, he bounced back, playing in metal bands and studying classical guitar. Warren teaches numerous styles, including classical, metal, rock, jazz, fingerstyle and eclectic tunings. He has distilled these wide-ranging influences into a truly unique, avant garde style that must be seen to be believed!

Warren can be found performing at A Taste of Florence on most Saturday nights from 6-9 PM. Click here for Warren’s MySpace page.

Gino Meregillano has had over 20 years of practical experience playing the guitar. “I always wished that I had started the instrument earlier in life, so I take great pride and joy in teaching children and teens how to have fun with the guitar.” In addition to an intermediate class and a blues class at The Music Playce, Gino teaches the adult guitar class through the city of Escondido’s Parks and Recreation department. He is also happy to create custom lessons and specializes in blues, rockabilly, classic and hard rock and country.

Gino also keeps up a busy schedule of performing and recording with various bands including rockabilly artists The Hayriders, Mo’ Wasabi, and the stateside lineup of the legendary psychobilly band Guana Batz. Click here for Gino’s MySpace page.

Originally from the Bronx, New York, drummer Paul Kimbarow now lives in San Diego where he is one of the most sought-after musicians in the area. With his diverse musical background he has performed with a myriad of artists including A.J. Croce, the Ventures, Angela Bofill, Willie Colon, Robin Henkel, Chuck Berry, Ashford and Simpson, the Platters and now Sha Na Na. His television appearances include “The Tonight Show”, “The Today Show” and “Rock Concert”.

Paul enjoys imparting the knowledge he has acquired from over 30 years of recording, live performance and study to young drummers and is dedicated to providing a solid foundation on the instrument in a fun and interactive way always emphasizing the ultimate goal of making music with people!

Drummer, percussionist, and composer Toby Ahrens was inspired in his early years to play guitar and piano and then later found that the drums were a better way to release all that youthful energy. Gary Ross, a neighbor who played drums, introduced Toby to the traditional grip which translated nicely to playing on the old-school marching snare, the kind with a strap around the shoulder and metal leg brace. He marched in the middle school band circa 1975. His drum set learning consisted of listening to vinyl recordings on his Kenwood turntable and mimicking drummers from bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Doobie Brothers, Grand Funk Railroad, Average White Band, Tower of Power and many pop recordings. It was in his late teens that he got introduced to all the great jazz recordings and found a new wealth of music to explore. Jazz led him to discover the deep rhythm of world music, specifically music from Cuba and Brazil. He now uses in-ear monitors and an iPod to listen to and learn music. Cool how technology made it easier to rewind the music and replay those difficult passages a 1,000 times.

Check out Toby Ahrens at http://www.tobyahrens.com or shoot him an email at tobyahrens@cox.net

Sam's teacher bio will be coming soon!

Todd Morr has been teaching guitar for over fourteen years and playing for over a quarter of a century. He has played lead guitar in a variety of bands over the years, and is currently the guitarist in the band "Mark of the Blues". He offers instruction in both rhythm and lead in most styles, including rock, metal, and blues. His philosophy toward instruction is to teach his students what they want to learn while at the same time giving them a solid base of musical knowledge.

Piano teacher Elizabeth Meeker has been a professional musician since 2000, and has taught piano, music theory and ear training at schools including Yale University, the Educational Center for the Arts high school in New Haven, CT and Southwestern College in Chula Vista. She graduated from Yale University in 2002 with a Master of Music degree, and her students have gone on to attend such prestigious schools as Berklee School of Music, the New England Conservatory, and the Hartt School of Music. Elizabeth has experience teaching group piano, music theory, ear training and music history classes, and is a very enthusiastic teacher with a commitment to the propagation of musical knowledge. You can view Elizabeth's website at http://www.elizabethmeeker.com and see one of her bands at http://www.lunallenamusic.com

Nathan Nathan is a local professional player, who brings his 30+ years of performing experience into his approach to teaching. A product of the vibrant North County music education scene in the 1970’s, he went on to tour the US as lead trumpet for the U.S. Marine Corps band based in New Orleans. After his tour of duty, Nathan continued his “in the trenches” education in New Orleans and New York, before returning to California. He has also continued his education through conversations with virtuoso players such as Don Ellis, Freddie Hubbard, Mike Vax and Arturo Sandoval. Also an accomplished writer and arranger, Nathan’s music has been heard on television and radio, and his skills have been used in many local recording projects. His teaching approach combines the discipline of classical material with his experiences in popular styles, and his love of Jazz and improvised music. Nathan has always been interested in the mechanics of brass playing. His vast knowledge of instruments and mouthpieces of all the various manufacturers allow him to recommend the equipment that best suits the developing player.

Gary

Guitar instructor Gary Stewart (Also called Mr. Wonderful and the Zen of Shred) is a Canadian-born rocker who was classically trained on the piano from the ages of 4 to 11 and graduated from the Guitar Institute of Technology at age 19. He has over 18 years of teaching experience, and has been playing guitar professionally since the age of 16, even opening for such acts as Blue Oyster Cult, Jason Bonham, members of Guns n' Roses, and countless others. In his band Gudamunkas he toured the US, playing with acts like The B52's and CCR and performing in the Tempe Music Festival. He has been showcased dozens of times on Fox TV and other national television shows to over 2 million people, and has been endorsed by instrument manufacturers Fender and Carvin. Additionally, he has recorded at the Record Plant in Hollywood with Eric Cadieux (Joe Satriani's producer and keyboard player), Guns n' Roses, and Queen Latifa. Gary is well-versed in nearly all styles of music, and is a very motivating, inspirational teacher.