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About lessons with J – contact
J's been teaching lessons for 28 years.
His education has been a mixture of self teaching, hard won practical experience and private instruction...
J's first guitar, a three quarter sized Lyle classical, was bought for him by his father Robert Shelby when he was 5 years old. According to J, "It made no impression other than it hurt my fingers when I tried to hold chords." Still, he played melodies by ear all through childhood till the age of 15 when he was influenced and enchanted by his high school chemistry teacher Doug Houser whose playing and singing truly amazed. (And still does!)
During his last years of high school he studied with Tony Kolarik. Immediately after High school J studied music theory in college. During that time he became involved in intense martial arts training and began working as a teacher. J was awarded three black belts over the years. In 1987 J was a member of the first place winning team at a world championship competition in Taipei, Taiwan. "In those days, my guitar playing idled but through the karate schools, I received intense training in the art of positive teaching." Which continues to influence him to this day.
He'd been a Martial Arts instructor for 7 years when he finally decided to return to his musical dreams. "One of the assertions of a certain chinese philosopher is that ...a person who doesn't play a musical instrument or at least sing, can never express their soul...." true or not, this statement was a springboard for J's ultimate commitment to musical art.
While studying music at local community colleges Solano and Diablo Valley, J also studied privately two and a half years with master guitarist Steve Sage. He also attended workshops and clinics with various nationally known guitarists like Jennifer Batten (road player for Michael Jackson), Robben Ford and author/teacher "Jazz Great" Warren Nunes, et.al... After three six-week intensive master classes with Mr. Nunes in 1991, Nunes offered J a slot on his schedule.
Books by Warren Nunes include, "The Jazz Chord Bible," "Warren Nunes Jazz Guitar Series: Rhythm and Background Chords," "Jazz Guitar Series : Solo Patterns" and many others.
J studied with Mr. Nunes for four years and found himself teaching and playing as a lifestyle. Warren Nunes Died a few years ago. It was a tremendous loss for those whose lives he touched.
J began live performance in various local Jazz and Blues groups in and around the San Francisco bay area in 1989 and has fronted his own bands "Three Of A Kind," "Acme Blues" and most recently a rock blues band called "Out Of The Blue!" featuring Bassist Glade Rasmussen and drummers Adam Goodhue, and Mark Macario.
During 1999, he toured the greater Southwest and California with Lori Davidson and the Intruders whose members were back up musicians for American Blues icon John Lee Hookfer during the last several years of Hooker's career.
Regarding life's choices as to which path to follow J has summed it this way, "I've always aspired to growth as a musician and tried to make choices in life based on growing personally and broadening my experience."
–"I agree with Mr. Tuck Andress that playing music can be a path to self-realization."
Most recently in October 2004, J was accepted as a personal student of W.A. Mathieu, one of the world's most renowned and influential composers, teachers and authors living today. "I consider it a profound blessing to have him as a teacher."
Titles Mathieu has authored include: "The Listening Book," "The Musical Life," "Harmonic Experience: Tonal Harmony from Its Natural Origins to Its Modern Expression."
As for teaching method, J has an organized approach to fundamental skills and knowledge of music, but it is always the student's level of interest and commitment that guides the interaction. In J's words, "I match the pace of my teaching with the pace of a student's learning whether one are just seeking to increase general knowledge of the instrument or has hopes to tour the world." J has always believed that virtuosity stems from love not coercion.
"I aim to share my love of music first, inform second, and coach third.
Lessons with J encompass private and group instruction, computer learning and occasional field trips to local performances courtesy of association with Red Dragonfly Productions.
In lessons Students play songs, riffs, rhythm parts, bass lines, melodies, and while at it sneak in how to read all forms of notation and strive to understand harmony as it relates to a broad range popular musical styles including Jazz, Blues, Rock, Funk, Country, Folk and more...
One of J's favorite teaching avenues is to start student bands. Currently there are three student bands developing. The student's ages range from 10 to 22 years-old. One of the bands is a Beatles tribute band called Pepperland.
