Dan Margolis
I've played guitar for over 30 years, since I was 13 years old. My early
teachers were jazz guitarists Bob Shaw, Bob Rider, and Nick Sencio. Later
I studied under Ted Dunlop at the UMass Jazz in July program. I enjoy many
musical types, primarily roots-oriented styles. Over the years I have played
rock, jazz, folk, blues, country, swing, and bluegrass music. Currently
I'm leading my own jazz group, The Dan Margolis Trio, and I recently joined
the doo-wop vocal group The Memories. I began teaching guitar in the early
1970's, and I still feel that I learn something every time I teach. When
I perform jazz, my main guitar is a Guild Artist Award. When I'm playing
blues-rock-country, I prefer a Fender Telecaster. I use Fender amplifiers.
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Keith Levreault
Keith Levreault has a BA in music from Westfield State
College, and studied privately with Alan Dawson. He has over fifteen years
playing experience, and is well versed in many different styles, including
rock, jazz and Latin. He has played and recorded with many artists, including
Freedy Johnston, Kevin Salem, Patty Smythe, Eric Ambel, Ware River Club,
Robert Holmes' Love Bomb, Klezamir,
Settie, Blood Oranges, Square One, and many other groups. He has been teaching
at Downtown Sounds for ten years, specializing in developing drumset technique
and reading skills. All levels are welcome.
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Jeff Nissenbaum
Jeff Nissenbaum has been a professional drummer for over 15 years. After
studying classical music for ten years, he began drum study with David
Barrett. He has also studied with Keith Copeland and Max Roach. He has
performed and recorded with numerous groups in various styles, including
Paris, Ben Demerath Band, Quetzal,
and Steel Wave.
Jeff has been teaching drums at Downtown Sounds for six years.
In his teaching he stresses fundamentals and versatility, focusing on each
student's individual needs.
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Chet Pasek
Chet Pasek grew up in Holyoke, MA and studied drums with
Joe Sefcik and Alan Dawson, and went to school at HCC and U-MASS. He has
been playing professionally since the age of 14, both locally and around
the US with Larry Chesky, Ray Mason,
Michael Gregory, Ed Vadas, Peter Newland and many others. He also toured
with Stella Parton in "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" and Jennifer Flowers
in "Oh! Calcutta". He has also played on many recording sessions.
Chet teaches technique, rudiments and fundamentals
on the drums through reading and listening. He teaches the basic dance
rhythms of rock, blues, jazz and ethnic music.
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Kate has been teaching music and performing in pop/rock,
folk, and jazz/blues bands for eighteen years. This wealth of experience,
combined with formal training in classical, jazz and rock, performance
and theory, provides students with the best knowledge and insights from
both the academic and working musician worlds. |
| Kate helps vocalists learn to sing with
ease, power and increased range and expression. She guides students through
exercises to master all the basic singing techniques and apply them to
singing many vocal styles and textures from folk to pop to jazz.
Kate assists the beginning or continuing keyboardist
to learn or improve their rhythm, sight reading, ear training, musical
expression and theory. Songs are chosen by students from their own musical
interests, and from popular and classical repertoires as appropriate. She
can teach students by sight reading or by a combination of chart reading
and learning by ear. |
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