"As an elder with a youthful spirit, (I began surfing in Santa Cruz, California at age 50!) I guide my students responsibly, with a light heart and an open mind. My studio provides a safe space where students are accepted and valued for who they are; a space where learning to play an instrument is fun and where that process is tailored to the needs of each individual."

Mike Bisdee
 
Mike Bisdee began teaching guitar lessons in 1980 and has always strived to make learning a fun and enriching experience. His goal is to create an individual approach for everyone by addressing each student’s unique learning style and personal musical taste, with emphasis on fret board knowledge, theory, composition, improvisation and transcription of recordings. He earned a Bachelor of Music in Composition degree, from the Berklee College of Music, in Boston, and a Master of Music in Jazz Composition and Arranging degree, from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Massachusetts. Mike’s primary, yet quite diverse musical influences include Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, James Brown, Little Feat, Steely Dan, Miles Davis, and Weather Report. He continues to learn new things about music every day.

Mike has over 40 years of experience as a professional guitarist, arranger and composer in rock, blues, jazz, folk and top-40 bands. He currently plays in several regionally touring bands, including Keith Henderson and Illusions of the King, featuring songs popularized by Elvis Presley, Spoonful of Soul, a 10-piece Soul/R&B band, Beyond Blue, a rock, jazz, blues and folk music quintet, featuring original music and Mardi Gras, a six-piece group that plays dance hits from the beach and soul music eras to the present. For 6 years, Mike played in Green River, a locally touring six-piece rock and roll band, which had the pleasure to back up sax man Clarence (The Big Man) Clemons, from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. Mike also worked as a guitarist and arranger, and co-songwriter on the debut CD of the 2003 North Carolina Songwriters Contest winner Janet Stolp, entitled “Slow Me Down”.

Mike Bisdee teaches at CMS Tuesdays and Thursdays.

email: stratman55@hotmail.com

Eric Haugen
 
Eric is the lead guitarist and co-songwriter of local retro-rockers Fake Swedish and leads another outfit "On Three". He shares his knowledge of classic rock guitar with his students five days a week. A Beatles fanatic, he encourages his students to use their instincts and creativity to develop their own style.
Always ready to hear a good joke, he believes that with a positive attitude and good work ethic, any personal goal can be accomplished. His lessons are challenging but fun at the same time.
A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Eric is fluent in a variety of styles ( rock, punk, blues, country, folk, soul, gospel, etc. ). He teaches students of all ages; from 6 to 60.
He plays lead guitar with The Strugglers, Fake Swedish, and The Physics of Meaning.

Eric Haugen teaches rock guitar and bass at CMS Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

email: ebhaugen@hotmail.com phone: 919.619.5559

Danny Gotham, M.A.

 
Originally from upstate NY, Danny Gotham has been playing guitar for more than 30 years and teaching since the mid 70’s! After receiving his bachelors degree from Saint Lawrence University, Danny went on to complete an MA at UNC. His wide range of experience includes recording sessions, pit orchestra work, jazz clubs, many miles of traveling, major folk festivals, and even NPR’s ‘Whaddya Know?’. In 1980, Danny took 2nd place at the National Fingerpicking Guitar Championship.
 
In addition to teaching guitar, Danny instructs in mandolin and banjo. He even tutored Tom Selleck on ukulele for Selleck’s role in the Broadway revival of “A Thousand Clowns.”
 
Danny Gotham teaches at Carrboro Music Studios on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Joey Phillips, B.M, B.S.B.A.
NewOrleansJoe@ hotmail.com
 
The founder of Carrboro's Rock & Roll High School, (www.rockandrollhighschool.org), Joey works with area bands, young and old, to help them refine their sound and inspire their writing. He also teaches guitar, bass, ukulele (he grew up in Hawaii), advanced music theory and song-writing. He has been playing guitar professionally for over 20 years and has performed in 48 states and 17 countries in venues ranging from underground aircraft hangers in Saudi Arabia to Carnegie Hall in NYC. Joey holds degrees in Music Performance (Jazz Studies, under the tutalage of Carroll Dashiell Jr.) and Management Information Systems from East Carolina University. He enjoys playing all types of music and specializes in teaching Rock (old and new) and Motown/Soul music as well as beginning and intermediate Classical and Jazz styles.
 
Credits include numerous Rock/Top 40 bands, Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, U.S. Air Force's Tops in Blue World Tour, JVC Jazz Fest in NYC ('96 & '03), college stage productions of 'Grease' and 'A Chorus Line', and most recently, the North Carolina Theatre's productions of 'Grease' and 'Cabaret' starring Deborah Gibson.
 
Lessons with Joey revolve around whatever music his students enjoy and always include an informative (and painless) discussion of the music theory behind each tune. He also encourages his students to write their own music using the concepts covered in the lessons.
 
Besides running the Rock and Roll High School, Joey performs with local gypsy outfit 'Europa Jazz' (www.gabrielpelli.com) and teaches between 50 and 60 students a week at Carrboro Music Studios from Sunday through Thursday.

Django Haskins, Esquire
 
Django graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in English and even worked in China before moving to NYC. He spent the better part of a decade playing professionally in NYC before moving to Chapel Hill a few years ago and he's been at the center of the local scene ever since.
 
Described variously as "a cross between Elvis Costello and Tom Petty," "a pop stylist, with a quick lyrical wit and a card shark's finesse in delivering a hook" and "Norman Rockwell with a Telecaster," Chapel Hill, NC based songwriter Django Haskins makes mongrel American music. Django has recorded with producers Don Fleming (Sonic Youth, Pete Yorn) and John Plymale (Squirrel Nut Zippers), has had his music featured on MTV's 'Real World' and WB's 'Felicity', and received rave reviews in Billboard, CMJ, and many other publications, but it's in the live shows where the music really comes alive, thanks to good old-fashioned showmanship and grit. Django is now touring both solo and with his band, The Old Ceremony.
 
Django specializes in teaching rock, blues, and funk guitar, both electric and acoustic, as well as songwriting and composition. He teaches on Mondays and Wednesdays. Learn more about him at www.djangohaskins.com

Kevin Brock
 
kevinbrockdrums@hotmail.com
 
Kevin Brock has been performing and teaching all styles of druming for 20 years. He toured though out the United States with the group Hipbone as well as owned and operated his own music teaching business in Pittsboro, NC. If you work hard he'll show you how to do this trick!
 

 

 

Stephen Coffman, B.M
 
stephencoffman@gmail.com
 
Whether noticed in a Jazz, Rock, or Latin setting, Stephen Coffman has been one of the most in-demand drummers throughout the Triangle area for almost 5 years now. After graduating from Durham School of the Arts in 2002, he earned a scholarship to join the music program at UNC-Chapel Hill. There he studied with a number of renowned faculty members including nationally acclaimed jazz educator, Jim Ketch. While studying jazz at Carolina, Stephen had the opportunity to share the stage with many heavyweights including Marcus Roberts, Barry Harris, Ray Vega, Wyclef Gordon and others. Stephen is proud to hold a Bachelor of Arts degree from UNC-CH, class of 2006.
 
Since graduation, Stephen has stayed busy performing in a number of musical projects around the area. Most recently, he has been playing drums for regional touring act, Who's Bad, as they frequent some of the most famous clubs along the East coast and Mid-western cities. Stephen is also a regular on the local club circuit, leads his own jazz quintet, and is continually exploring musical opportunities with a fresh approach and an open mind.
 
With 4 years of teaching under his belt, Stephen is always evolving a number of teaching methods that include reading, technique, and of course listening to music and discovering the role that drums play in various musical situations.
 
Stephen Coffman teaches at Carrboro Music Studios on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
You can learn more at www.stephencoffman.com
 

Jake Reed B.M., M.M.
 
ejacobreed@yahoo.com
 
Jacob Reed began drumming on his brother’s guitar case and never stopped. While studying music at the Durham School of the Arts he trained with the area’s drum guru Frank Worrell. After graduating he attended Ohio State University where he played in a myriad of ensembles and studied percussion with Susan Powell and jazz drums with Joe Ong - a true sage in art and life. With fifteen years of performing experience in various styles Jacob has toured the country with Raleigh legend the Inflicted Spoon, worked professionally as a jazz drummer and formed lasting relationships with musicians on both sides of the Atlantic.
 
Jacob holds Masters in Music Composition and Music theory and a Bachelor’s in Music Education. As a certified music teacher K-12, with training in Dalcroze Eurhythmics, Kodaly and Alexander Technique and experience teaching music to students of all ages in and outside of academia, Jacob brings a wide-ranging background in education to any teaching situation. As a drumset instructor specifically, Jacob draws on the lineage of Jim Chapin and Alan Dawson as handed to him directly by his teachers Joe Ong and Frank Worrell. His well-rounded approach to teaching engages all aspects of playing from stick control and posture through coordination and reading to dynamic styling and musicianship.
 
Jake teaches at Carrboro Music Studios Monday through Thursday.