Jim Donaldson
Guitar / Bass Instruction

Experience

  • Performed Music showcases at Brownies, Mercury Lounge, Bitter End, Kenny's Castaway's.
  • Worked for EMI
  • Played with New York Band “Sinister ID”
  • Worked for Tower Records

Education

1993 -   University of South Florida, B.A., Jazz Performance.
Studied with Ron Blake, Al Hurley & Chuck Owen

Styles

Jazz, Rock, Heavy Metal, R&B, Blues, Classical

Tom Jemmott
Guitar / Bass Instructor

Musician/ Guitarist Proficient in Jazz, Classical, Rock/Top 40
Founder Music Jems Music and Audio Production Services

Education

University of South Florida, Tampa, Fl., Bachelor of Music , Jazz Guitar Specialization
Date of Matriculation 1999 (G.P.A. 3.4)
Suffolk County Community College, Seldon, New York
Associate of Science- Music , Classical Guitar Specialization

Musical Experience

Belinda Womack & Kool Reflections, Tampa, Florida, 1994 - Present

  • Voted Tampa Bay's Best Jazz Band,
  • Performed with Nat Adderly, Panama Francis, Arturo Sandoval.
  • Shared stage with The Rippingtons, Spyro Gyra, Branford Marsalis, Lou Rawles, Oleta Adams, Warren Hill, Herbie Mann, George Howard,  and others.
  • Played various clubs, concerts, festivals, weddings, social events
  • Recorded CD, 1998

Southtown Fever, Tampa, Florida, 1998 - Present

  • 12 piece Top 40/ Dance Band
  • Performs at weddings, nightclubs, social and corporate events.
  • Performed at the Jeb Bush Inauguration, 1999

Kasai, Orlando, Florida, 1999 - 2000

  • R&B/ Contemporary Jazz Band
  • Performed regularly on Disney World's Pleasure Island and Universal's Citywalk
  • Recorded CD ‘Everyword' in 2000

Tom Jemmott Band, Tampa, Florida, 2000 - Present

  • Jazz Fusion Band  
  • Performs concerts, nightclubs, private engagements
  • Headlined the Florida Aquarium's “Splash of Hot Jazz” series in 2001

National Guitar Workshop, Sarasota, Florida, 2002 - 2003

Instructor

Other Musical Experience

  • Performed with Trumpeter Red Rodney, Saxophonist Bobby Watson, and Drummer Danny Gottlieb. 
  • Participated in jazz clinics with Pianist Manfredo Fest, Bobby Watson, Ira Sullivan, and Vocalist Nneena Freelon. 
  • Various shows and studio work.

Teaching Experience

Don Banks Music , Tampa, Florida, 1994 - Present
40 - 50 private students per week
Bayshore Christian School - Substituted for Belinda Womak's class

References

Belinda Womack (813) 839- 4297, Bayshore Christian School
Don Banks Music (813) 879 – 3115, Mitchel Banks or Don Banks

Joel Lisi

Teaching Philosophy

My mission as a teacher is to convey my excitement for music and to help shape an outcome that will have the effect of making a difference in my student's lives. I believe that an education in music must be comprised of an integrated curriculum so that music is understood as a body of knowledge, a body of history, and a living part of our diverse and culturally rich world.  It is my goal, therefore, to create a learning environment in which not only do students enrich and deepen their lives through the making of music , but where they also gain an appreciation and education about music .

I believe that students need to be given the chance to explore all of the many genres of music . Beginning students need time to be beginners— to imagine and experiment. While advanced students will undoubtedly need to be pushed further, the philosophy remains. I believe in a diversity of lessons with a variety of music that is catered to the individual's needs, placing priority on maintaining their interest.

As an artist I am constantly learning and evolving, surrounding myself with musical projects, endeavors, and the talents of fellow musicians. I've found these experiences to be an integral part of my instruction .  They say “Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.”  I couldn't disagree more!  I believe real world experience is vital to truly communicate the nature of music .

Last, but not least, I am a firm believer that the teaching and learning environment must not only be stimulating and challenging, but must also be fun! Every individual is unique, therefore every approach to instruction must follow suit.  Finding that one spark to light the fire of music in the soul of my student's, is ultimately my goal.

Education

1993-1994:  University of South Florida, College of Music , Tampa, FL
1991-1993:  Hart Music Conservatory, Hartford, CT
1987-1991:  Fairfield Preparatory High School, Fairfield,
1991-1993:  Hart Music Conservatory, Hartford, CT
1993-1994:  University of South Florida, College of Music , Tampa, FL

Employment:

1990-1993: Connecticut Musical Playhouse, Guitarist Pit Performer, New Haven, CT
1991-1992: Bryan Guitars, New Haven, CT.  Private Guitar Instructor
1991-2009: Lisi Mojo Music Studios: Hartford, CT and Tampa, FL. Private Guitar Instructor
1997-2003: Beanstalk, Guitarist, Tampa, FL
2002-2003: Ghetto Love Sugar, Guitarist, Tampa, FL
2003-2004: Brothermandude, Guitarist and Musical Director, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates
2004-2009: Disco Inferno, Guitarist, Tampa, FL
2006-2009: The Breaks, Guitarist, Tampa, FL
2009-Current: The Lucky Ones, Guitarist, Tampa, FL

Professional Achievements and Awards

1999 Florida Jammy Awards:  Nomination for Best Pop/Acid Jazz Group (Beanstalk)
2000 Weekly Planet Best of the Bay: Nomination for Best Jazz Group (Beanstalk)

Special Projects in Music

“Set the Revolution”, Malique, Recorded CD, Cameron Records, 1993
“Synergy” Beanstalk, Recorded CD, Greenhouse Productions, 1997
“Hero” Michael McGlone, Recorded CD, MDM Records, 1998
Taste of Pinellas, Live Performance with Beanstalk, St. Petersburg, 1998
The Bitter End, CBGBs, Live Performance with Michael McGlone, NYC 1998
Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center Live Performance with Beanstalk, Tampa, 1999
“Trading Paint” Beanstalk, Recorded CD, Greenhouse Productions, 1999
The Rare Olive, Live Performance with Beanstalk, Tampa 1999-2001 (House Band)
City Jazz, Live Performance with Beanstalk, Orlando, 2000
“Playground” Beanstalk, Recorded CD, Greenhouse Productions, 2000
“Beanstalk: Live at Magnolia Fest” Beanstalk, Recorded CD, Greenhouse Productions, 2000
The Wetlands, Live Performance with Beanstalk, NYC, 2000
The Homegrown Hoedown Festival, Live Performance with Beanstalk, Macon, 2000
The Florida Guitar Show, Live Performance with Beanstalk, Clearwater, 2000
The University of South Florida Jazz Festival, Live Performance with Beanstalk, Tampa 2000, 2001
The Clearwater Jazz Festival, Live Performance with Beanstalk, Tampa, 2001
“Jams, Vol. 1: Don 't Call Us Jambands” Beanstalk, Recorded CD, Music Blitz Records, 2001
“The Uncertainty Principle” Ghetto Love Sugar, Recorded CD, Groovewell Records, 2002
The Florida Music and Film Harvest, Live Performance with Beanstalk, Live Oak, 2002
King Corona, Live Performance with Ghetto Love Sugar, Tampa, 2002-2003 (House Band)
The Clearwater Jazz Festival, Live Performance with Ghetto Love Sugar, 2003
“Peace Prayer” Ghetto Love Sugar, Recorded CD, Groovewell Records, 2003
“Debutante” Tracy LaBarbera, Recorded CD, Building 30 Records, 2003
“Movin On” Brothermandude, Recorded CD, Mindloop Productions, 2003
“Anevis” Anevis, Recorded CD, Anevis Music Recording, 2004
“Miami Rockers for Life, 2007” Joel Lisi, Recorded CD, Illumina Records, 2007
The Gasparilla Parade Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Float, Live Performance with The Breaks 2006-08
The Kennedy Center, Live Performance with Disco Inferno, Washington D.C. 2008
The GOP Convention Closing Ceremony, Live Performance with Disco Inferno, St. Paul, 2008

Press

“Beanstalk's music growing on fans”, Michael Dunn, The Tampa Tribune, March 20, 1999
“Heatwave Cooks a Tasty Musical Menu”, Curtis Ross, The Tampa Tribune, May 17, 1999
  “Spilling the Beans” John E. Citrone, Folio Weekly, March 28, 2000
“Beanstalk Grows in Music City”, Malcolm X Abram, The Macon Telegraph, March 3, 2000
88.5, WMNF, Live Performance, Beanstalk
“Trading Paint” Review by Tour the Mystic, Hittin' the Note Magazine, Issue 26, 2002
Friday Extra Concert Series, WUSF, Beanstalk, 2002
“In Our Own Backyard” Gina Vivenetto, St. Pete Times, February 17, 2002
“Cinco de Mayo Bash for Hannah's Buddies” Weekly Planet, May 7, 2002
“Get into the Groovewell” Gina Vivinetto, St. Pete Times, June 20, 2002
“Spin This”, Curtis Ross, The Tampa Tribune, June 21, 2002
Friday Extra Concert Series, WUSF, Ghetto Love Sugar, 2002
“Ghetto Love Sugar: Peace Prayer”, Review, Focus Magazine, Issue 175, 2002
“Ghetto Love Sugar CD Release Party” Weekly Planet, June 25, 2002
“Songs in the Key of Christmas”, Mike O'Neill, The Tampa Tribune, December 5, 2002

Per Warpe

Experience - Played With the Following

  • The Marshall Jazz Trio
  • Chuck Johnson Quintet
  • Axie
  • Brian McFadin
  • Gigs 8
  • University of South Florida Big Band
  • St Pete Junior College Jazz Band

Education

  • St. Petersburg Junior College
  • University of South Florida
  • Graduated From Musicians Institute 1990
  • Guitar Institute of Technology

Studied Privately With

  • Herman Hollingsworth @ DON BANKS MUSIC
  • Kevin A. Boon  P.H.D. @ DON BANKS MUSIC
  • Sandy Devito

Rob Page

Rob is an experienced player of 25 years playing with  various bands and opening for many top country artists such as: Lori Morgan, Shanandoah, Jerry Reed, Hank Williams III, Daryl Singletary, Jeff Carson, David Kersh, Leroy Parnell,  John Berry, Johnny Paycheck, Neil McCoy and countless others.

Rob was CCMC Instrumentalist of the year in 1994 in Charlotte County. He has been teaching for over 15 years with students of all ages in both Georgia and Florida and really enjoys working with students of all ages and styles.

Rob is classically trained, but also loves blues, rock, chicken' Pickin', b-bending, and anything from Joe Santriani. Rob is also the inventor of the Music Decoder, a slide chart he created to make learning easier to understand.