Guitar Teacher Bridgwater/Taunton

My interest in the guitar started when I was 14. Having little else to do other than climb trees in rural Somerset I picked up my grandfather's fine Brazilian Giannini Guitar and with some help from my mother, I learnt some basic finger picking and the first few chords.

Inspired by Mark Knopfler and other great rock guitarists I started to teach myself to play from books and magazines. The time came when I felt I'd benefit from having some tuition and after just two lessons from a great teacher I discovered a passion for improvising.

At 16 I played my first gig with two other guitarists - this was the moment I woke up to the invaluable experience that is playing with other people!

While studying a Diploma in popular music at college I joined a cover band and started gigging in and around the local area. My learning accelerated! Busy gigging most weekends, playing for college musicals and playing with and listening to classmates was the greatest foundation an aspiring musician could hope for. Playing countless gigs with the band in pubs and clubs all over the South West provided me with a solid understanding of all aspects of performance that can only be learned through experience.

During my college years I was introduced to jazz and the music of Django Reinhardt and the Quintette du Hot Club de France by a fellow classmate. Fascinated at the seemingly effortless improvising, spontaneity and beauty of his music, I formed a duo with my classmate and we studied and performed a lot of Django's music together.

My interest in Jazz grew and I began to investigate Bebop. I fell in love with guitarists like Wes Montgomery and Joe Pass. Teaming up with a double bassist and drummer, we started playing a mixture of standards and originals in venues around the area.

I enrolled on a BA Honours in Jazz Music at Middlesex University and in the first term had the luck to get into the university samba band; I discovered the vibrant rhythm and textures of Latin music. Learning to play percussion in a group was the best experience I took from the course. I became obsessed with Brazilian music, in particular Joao Gilberto the father and co-inventor of Bossa Nova. I began to study and assimilate Bossa and Samba into my repertoire, learning the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Joao Gilberto and I learnt to play and sing in Portuguese.

After university I moved back to Somerset and taught at Strings n Things Music in Bridgwater while continuing to study music in my own time. I started to take percussion seriously and bought some congas and hand percussion. Continuing to study the Latin music of Brazil, Cuba and New York, I formed my own quintet playing Salsa and Brazilian standards; leading a band taught me a great deal about arranging and rehearsing and of course the music itself.

Taking pick-up gigs with many renowned bands and musicians covering a wide variety of musical styles continues to inspire and further my knowledge. You can never know too much!

I have been lucky enough to play all over this country with my Guitar and Congas, studio sessions and all kinds of gigs including showcases, weddings, corporate events and even a summer season in Ibiza!

These days I continue to teach guitar and percussion, gig with my own trio, record and tour with recording artist Bibio (Warp Records) and Leatherette (Ninja Tunes). I also compose and study music.

Contact Me
T: 07868 850142
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