• Undergrad:

  California Institute of the Arts

• Grad 1:

  Masters, California Institute of the Arts

• Tutors Out Of:

  New York, NY

• Travel Radius:

  20 miles

• Tutoring Certifications:

  drums - music history

• Tutor's Fee Per Hour:

  $45.00 * with a 10% discount after purchasing $360

I have over a decade of performance and teaching experience!
I currently live and work in New York City.
I teach out of my rehearsal studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, or at YOUR HOUSE!

I've performed and/or recorded with: Terrence Howard (actor/singer/songwriter), George Clinton (funk icon), Angelo Moore (lead singer of Fishbone), Eldar Djangirov (jazz pianist on Sony Records), Taylor Eigsti (jazz pianist on Concord Records), Christian Scott (trumpeter on Concord Records), amongst many, many others.

I was recently featured on Terrence Howard's album, "Shine Through It" (Sony/BMG), which debuted at #31 on Billboard's top 200; and on Taylor Eigsti's album, "Let It Come To You" (Concord), which has received critical acclaim in the jazz world.

I recently appeared with Terrence Howard on several nationally televised programs, including LATE NIGHT with DAVID LETTERMAN.



As I look back to my own musical education, I realize how lucky I was to have such gifted and dedicated teachers in my life. Today, as a working professional, it is my goal and my esteemed honor to give that knowledge back to today's aspiring drummers. I teach each student as an individual, and my instruction caters to that student's needs and interests. My lessons are focused, interactive, and fun! Music is a language, and each style is a dialect. I give each student the tools to speak it!

Email this tutor in New York, NY!

• drums

  I have been playing drums for 15 years. I began at the age of thirteen and quickly progressed to a professional level, due to the aid of two extraordinary teachers. I began performing, playing gigs, etc., at the age of sixteen. I was teaching lessons by the age of eighteen. (And just to save you the time from doing the math...) I've been teaching drums professionally for over ten years now! In that time, I've taught young children, young adults, old adults, nice kids, mean kids, nice adults, (spent half the lesson on the cell phone) adults, etc... Basically just about every kind of person one could find (who's interested in drums). During my early years, I completed the following drum books (in chronological order): "Syncopation", by Ted Reed; "Stick Control", by George Lawrence Stone; "Progressive Independence: Rock", by Ron Spagnardi; "A Funky Primer for the Rock Drummer", by Charles Dowd; "Drum Concepts and Techniques", by Peter Erskine; "The Art of Bop Drumming", by John Riley; "Future Sounds", by David Garibaldi; "Beyond Bop Drumming", by John Riley; "The Essence of Brazilian Percussion & Drumset", by Ed Uribe; "Portraits In Rhythm", by Anthony J. Cirone; "The Essence of Afro-Cuban Percussion & Drumset", by Ed Uribe; and "Drum Wisdom", by Bob Moses, amongst others. I also learned music by listening to recordings of all styles and eras. I received a graduate degree from California Institute of the Arts, a nationally accredited and prestigious art school. My official degree was an MFA in Jazz Drums/West African Percussion. I teach and am a confident performer in a vast array of styles, including: Rock (all eras), Jazz (all eras), Hip-Hop, R&B, Pop, Reggae, Country, Blues, Gospel, Electronica, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, West-African Percussion, Western Classical percussion, free-improvisation, etc... My process of learning on the drums has been very methodical and conscious. Because I am aware of those processes that lead me to my current ability, I can just as easily disseminate that information to others. The age and skill-level of the student determines the method I use to give information. In other words, I know what tools got me here, therefore, I can give my students those same tools in which to express themselves.