Lessons | Grand Piano Studio

The Classes

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Mike Hall

Bassist Mike Hall is a freelance bassist/composer who has been busy in the NYC area since the late 1970s. He has toured with the big bands of Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, and the Dave Mathew’s Jazz Orchestra as a jazz bassist and has toured with the Edgar Winter Band as a rock bassist. His differing styles have made him a very popular sideman on the recording scene. Mike has performed with Stan Getz, Phil Woods, Tony Bennet, Natalie Cole, Dianne Carroll, Liza Minelli, and Vic Damone.

Roger Hines

Bassist Roger Hines based in Columbus Ohio toured and recorded exclusively for legendary singer Ray Charles from 1980 to 1987, and he toured as music director for Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist & vocalist Diane Schuur from 1988 to the present. He has also performed with many other well-known artists and ensembles including Louie Bellson, Hamiet Bluiett, the Cab Calloway Orchestra, Johnny Coles, the Count Basie Orchestra, Rosemary Clooney, Eddie Daniels, Billy Eckstein, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Frank Foster, Sir Roland Hanna, Eddie Jefferson, Kidd Jordan, Hank Marr, Zoot Sims and Ernie Watts. Mr. Hines has performed at the Aspen Music Festival, Chicago Jazz Festival, Cinco de Mayo Festival in Peru, JVC Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival and at the White House for President Clinton. He has recorded with Ray Charles, Diane Shuur, Etta Jones, Ernie Krivda, Gene Walker, and with his group Nova Madruggda. Mr. Hines taught bass for 12 years at the Ohio State University School of Music and he has been on the music faculty of Capital University in Columbus for the past 10 years.

Steve Gluzband

Trumpeter Steve Gluzband joined the popular salsa band Saoco when he moved to New York in 1979. During the next few years he played numerous gigs with Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Celia Cruz, Paul Simon and Marc Anthony, and was a member of the Ray Barretto Orchestra for 20 years. He can be heard on 250 recordings, including the Mini All-Stars, the Grammy-winning Ritmo en el Corazon with Ray Barretto & Celia Cruz and Naked by the Talking Heads. Mr. Gluzband was heard on MTV's Road Rules and was staff trumpeter for Nickelodeon’s Blues Clues. Currently he is a member of The Johnny Pacheco Band and he leads his own Latin-jazz ensemble Hot House which has recorded Cuban Tribute to Charlie Parker and Hot House. www.gluzband.net

Billy Drewes

Multi reed player Billy Drewes (Right, next to Glenn Drewes) started his jazz career when he moved to Boston in 1970 where he attended the Berkley School of Music. Upon moving back to NYC in 1975 he quickly established a name for himself in the exciting scene there. He has traveled the world performing at major venues with many different ensembles and is featured on over 175 C.D.'s, several of which are Grammy winners. Mr. Drewes can be heard on movie soundtracks, music videos, documentaries and DVD's He has been a member of the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra for over 35 years, and is currently a professor at NYU's Department of Jazz. He has performed with many acclaimed artists including: Bill Frisell , Paul Motion, John Scofield, Ron Carter, Lyle Mays, Fred Hersch, Eddie Gomez, John Patitucci, Kenny Werner, Joe Lovano, Gary Burton, Herbie Hancock , Randy Brecker, John Abercrombie, Woody Herman, Eddie Palmieri, Dave Douglas, Toninho Horta and Tony Bennett. His compositions will be featured on a soon to be released recording with the international group, "Under One Sun ".

Ian Petillo

Ian Petillo, New York based drummer and bandleader keeps it swingin’ and dynamic with his Legacy Jazz Band. For twenty years he has dedicated himself to jazz and blues in its most authentic nature. His versatility and artistry amplifies what traditional American music is about. Under the tutelage of his mentor Howie Mann, Mr. Petillo has become a uniquely talented musician. As a performer, audiences can expect a thoughtful energized show- not only behind the kit, but also as a lead vocalist he raises the bar. Across the tri-state area the Legacy Jazz Band has been featured at concert venues and private events. This ensemble continues to revive the indigenous spirit of jazz and blues. http://www.ianpetillo.com/

John Ray

Bassist John Ray performs in many diverse jazz situations, from big band to small groups. He has played with: Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Haynes,Buddy Rich, Harry Connick Jr, Branford Marsalis, Michael Brecker, Woody Herman, Joe Lovano, Barry Harris, Jaki Byard, Lenny White, Warren Marsh, and many other legendary jazz musicians. Currently he is an adjunct professor of jazz bass studies at C.W. Post College. He is a graduate of NYC's H.S. of Performing Arts and the Manhattan School of Music.

Lon Ivey

Lon Ivey - Drummer/Composer/Arranger studied voice and clarinet at the Carnegie Hall Institute in New York City for five years. After graduating Carnegie, he went on to study percussion at the Berklee School of Music in Boston, where he majored in composition. Back in NY, he continued his studies under several world famous drummers who were were the most influential in his development as an artist: Walter Perkins, Bruno Carr (Herbie Mann group), Roy Brooks (Yusef Lateef) and Tony Williams (Miles Davis). Even though jazz remains his favorite style of music he loves to play funk, r&b, gospel, Latin and Brazilian music as well. Over the past 15 years he has traveled around the world, performing and recording with artist such as: Angie Bofill, Sam Rivers, Jon Lucien, and Grover Washington to name a few. Currently Lon is leading and recording with a group called “4th Millennium” plus hosting a new Internet tv show entitled “Lon Live” for the StreamRing Music Network. Mr. Ivey served in the US Military for four years.

Nathan Peck

Bassist and composer, Nathan Peck is based in New York City and has performed with Sting, Maynard Ferguson, Mark Murphy, Bonnie Tyler, Maria Muldar, Alex Skolnick and many others. He has performed in over 30 countries in his 25 year career. His 2016 debut album Top Dead Center is an electric jazz excursion featuring 27 top musicians from New York City featuring an eclectic sampling of textures and elements of dub, hip hop, soul jazz, mixed-meter funk, jazz-rock, fusion and world music. Mr. Peck is an endorsing artist for Audio Technica, Aguilar Amplification, D’Addario & Co., Sadowsky Guitars, Kala Bass and Focusrite Novation. www.nathanpeckmusic.com

Sam Dillon

Sam Dillon is a saxophonist, woodwind player, composer and teacher based in New York. In 2013 Mr. Dillon was selected as a semifinalist in the Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition. As a semifinalist, Sam performed at The Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. for Wayne Shorter, Jimmy Heath, Branford Marsalis, Bobby Watson and Jane Ira Bloom. Most notably, Sam has performed at Carnegie Hall, Jazz @ Lincoln Center, Symphony Space, Smoke Jazz Club, The Iridium, Yoshi's Jazz Club, Smalls Jazz Club, The 55 Bar, The Zinc Bar, The Kitano Hotel, Cornelia Street Cafe and live on WBGO 88.3 FM. In 2009 Sam received his Masters in Jazz Performance from SUNY Purchase College. He has had the honor of performing with The Joe Chambers “Moving Pictures” Jazz Orchestra, The Smoke Big Band, The Artie Shaw Jazz Orchestra, The Cecilia Coleman Big Band and The Paris Wight Quintet featuring David Weiss. In addition, Sam is currently composing and arranging music for his first CD. He has gained great knowledge and experience by learning, performing and/or recording with some of the worlds finest musicians including Roger Humphries, Jimmy Cobb, Randy Brecker, John Riley, Bob Mintzer, Ralph Lalama, Ray Vega, David Hazeltine, John Fedchock, Jim Snidero, and Eric Alexander.

Tom Rainey

Drummer Tom Rainey was born in Santa Barbara, CA and moved to NYC in 1979 after attending the Berkley College of Music in Boston, MA. He has appeared on eighty recordings over a career spanning over 25 years, and has performed and or recorded with John Abercrombie, Mose Allison, Julian Arguelles, Ray Anderson, Tim Berne, Jane Ira Bloom, Anthony Braxton, Nels Cline, Ted Curson, Kris Davis, Mark Ducret, Mark Feldman, Michael Formanek, Drew Gress, Mark Helias, Fred Hersch, Andy Laster, Ingrid Laubrock, David Liebman, Joe Lovano, Tony Malaby, Albert Mangelsdorff, Carmen McRae, Mike Nock, Simon Nabatov, New and Used, Anita O'Day, Andrea Parkins, Herb Robertson, Angelica Sanchez, Louis Sclavis, Brad Shepik, Ken Werner, Denny Zeitlin. Mr. Rainey released his first album, Pool School (Clean Feed) in 2010. Current activities include performing and recording music with the Tom Rainey Trio as well as his new quintet Obbligato.

Ratzo B. Harris

Ratzo B. Harris is among the world’s premier six-string upright bassists. He is also a composer, educator and journalist and has worked with some of the greatest musicians of our time. Vocalists Tom Buckner, Judi Silvano and Fay Victor; pianists Denman Maroney, Jarry Singla and Kenny Werner, trombonists Bob Brookmeyer and Ed Neumeister, and guitarists Bruce Arnold and Royce Campbell are some of the artists who have recorded his music. His career spans 45 years and includes collaborations with: Les Paul, Jon Hendricks, Joe Henderson, Cal Tjader, Bobby Hutcherson, Charles Lloyd, John Handy, Betty Carter, Joe Lovano, Jim Pepper, Betty Buckley, Andrew Hill, Jane Ira Bloom, and Steve Weisberg to name a very few. His writings on improvised music can be viewed at www.NewMusicBox.org.

Joseph Ong

Drummer Joseph Ong may be heard on jazz saxophone legend Rusty Bryant’s recording, Rusty Rides Again. This album was one of the top selling jazz recordings of 1980. Mr. Ong has also performed with many well known jazz artists, including Grover Washington Jr., Arturo Sandoval and Steve Turre. He has performed with fine pianists, including Bobby Floyd, Carmen Cavelerro, Hank Marr, Bobby Pierce and Robert Lepley. He has also performed with acclaimed Hammond B3 players, such as Groove Holmes, Jimmy McGriff and Bobby Floyd, and he toured with the Broadway production of Forty Second Street. Mr. Ong was on the jazz faculty of the Ohio Sate University from 1990 to 2006.

James Miceli

Saxophonist James Miceli (Right, next to Robert Lepley) attended Syracuse University for art and advertising but played saxophone in the jazz ensemble for four years where he was fortunate to have performed with Freddie Hubbard, Sal Salvatore, Maynard Ferguson, and other jazz players. After moving to Long Island in 2001, he started playing with the big bands that rehearse and perform in the area and smaller funk groups as well as his own trio. He has performed at the Iridium and Swing 46 with Jerry Costanzo’s octet which has included players like Joe Magnarelli, Eric Miller, Sam Dillon, Tedd Firth, Andrew Gould, Charlie Caranicas, Jennifer Vincent, Jimmy Madison and many other great players. Most recently, James has been having fun playing baritone saxophone. Mr. Miceli opened Daywood Drive Records in 2006 with a friend and released 12 commercial recordings including dates by Dan Willis, Sandro Albert, Clifton Anderson, Jerry Costanzo, and others. When he is not playing, he runs his own graphic design studio, creating logos, websites, brochures, packaging, and posters including many projects for music-related clients.

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