Patrick Bradley

Patrick began playing guitar at age 12. Upon graduating with honors from Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, he began his professional career as a studio musician and session player in Malibu, CA. Patrick has recorded with Nona Gaye (daughter of Marvin Gaye), and performed on the Warp Tour '02 with SycBois as well as the Power 106 P3 show with Snoop Dog, Westside Connection, Xibit, and Dave Shack.

He formed an original band, "Blonde and Loaded," featuring Leah Felder, released an LP, "Another One Falls," which is featured on the motion picture sound track, "Joe Killionare" (Millennium Films) and appeared in the movie. Since its formation "Blonde and Loaded" has been awarded the Top Unsigned Band at the LA Music Awards. Some of his other work includes producing and playing with "Finkbinder", recipient of the "Young American Music Award (YAMA) for Top Unsigned Punk Band." He is also the lead guitarist of "Curtis Mayfield & Superfly Band" featuring Dwayne Wiggins of "Tony Tone Toni" and the bass player for Freex Band signed to Indie Label "Liquid Kitten Music." He plays at high scale events at the Mirage in Las Vegas and has opened for Cirque du Soleil. Despite his ever growing music career, he decided to open his own school in order to pass on his love of music to others. He is the owner and teacher for the Bradley Schoolof Music located in Concord, CA.

Orestes Vilato

Born in Camagüey, Cuba in 1944, multi-percussionist Orestes Vilató is one of the most influential figures in the world of Latin percussion. His unique style on the Cuban timbales is one of the most emulated in the genre, and his artistry has graced the stage and recording studios with a Who’s Who of musical legends, from Aretha Franklin to Carlos Santana.

As a pioneer of the East Coast Salsa phenomenon, Vilató played a seminal role with such musical institutions and artists as the Fania All Stars, Ray Barretto, Rubén Blades, Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco and many others. After 25 years in New York, Orestes found new musical opportunities in Northern California as a member of the Santana band, forging a road into the Latin Rock genre, and as a result, his virtuoso percussion work would become a main fixture with numerous national and international artists, covering a range of styles from authentic Cuban music to Latin jazz, Salsa, Rock and beyond.

In 1995, Orestes earned a Grammy nomination for the groundbreaking album Ritmo y Candela alongside fellow Cuban percussion legends Carlos “Patato” Valdez and José Luis Quintana “Changuito,” and has graced the Grammy-winning albums of Cuban bassist/composer and original Mambo King Israel “Cachao” López. Since relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1981, Orestes maintains his place as one of the most in-demand percussionists on the planet. In addition, Orestes continues to share his musical talent as a clinician for several prestigious music institutions such as Stanford University, UCLA, The Berklee College of Music and the University of Anchorage. He has also recorded on the soundtracks for several highly acclaimed films, including The Mambo Kings, Our Latin Thing and Dance With Me.

Considered one of the most influential timbales players north of Cuba, Orestes Vilató maintains one foot in the rich tradition of his homeland and the other in the vast exploration of musical fusion in North America and beyond. www.orestesvilato.com
Click here to watch Orestes in action.

Steve Sage

Steve is best known for creating and sustaining the 'Rock, Rhythm & Blues' program at Diablo Valley College, a program that has helped groom many professional players over the past 20 years. He has taught at Diablo Valley College, the Musicians Institute (GIT), Skyline College, the Guitar Institute of London, Guitar Activity Center and San Francisco State University.

Steve has degrees from Musicians Institute (GIT), and Cal State State East Bay (Theory/Composition). He has studied with some of the best guitarists and music educators in the world (Howard Roberts, Tommy Tedesco, Joe Pass, Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, Warren Nunes and Dave Creamer).

Steve is endorsed by Melancon Guitars of Louisiana, and has played with many legendary musicians. He has performed as a Coaster, a Drifter and an Imperial with Little Anthony. Other performances include playing with and or members of Kathi McDonald, Quicksilver, Tower of Power, Cold Blood, Journey, Starship, Malo, Huey Lewis, Steve Miller, Joe Satriani, Spyro Gyra, Boz Scaggs, Carlos Reyes, Tommy Tune, the Tongue 'n' Chic Orchestra, Chick Corea and Carlos Reyes. Recently recorded tracks for Fred Ross on the Oakland Stroke label, which was produced by Jeff Tamalier (Tower of Power, Starship).

Jason Heninger

Jason started taking lessons at age 17 with Patrick at Bradley School of Music and trained with Patrick Bradley to become a teacher. He has taught students in Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon, Walnut Creek, Concord, Bay Point, and Discovery Bay for the Bradley School of Music home study program.

Jason, auditioned in Boston for Berklee College of Music in 2008, was accepted for the 2009 spring semester with a scholarship and tested into upper semester classes and ensembles. Jason is currently a Music Business and Management major at Berklee College of Music and teaches Bradley School of Music improvisation classes.

Nick Montes

Son of Legendary Drummer Robert Montes (Hues Corporation, Country Modern, Rich Price, Down Home Country, the Tune Buckets and Hard Living),Nick Montes started studying classical violin at age 7 and performed in many Orchestral performances for the next several years. At age 15, he switched to guitar and began studying with local blues artist Randy Verardi. Nick has also studied under Steve Sage and Patrick Bradley of Bradley School of Music. At age 17, Nick played his first professional gig with the Deja Blues band. He has recorded with local rock band Go-kart Mozart and Roots artist Jack O’Neal.

Nick has performed in over 400 live performances.

Monika Pittman

Monika has performed in musical theatre shows such as Grease (Sandy), Damn Yankees (Meg), and Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey) at the Dean Lesher and Del Valle theatres in Walnut Creek, CA. She has taken private voice lessons for 14 years with local instructors (Lucia Scardigno & Loree Capper). Studies include jazz, classical, musical theatre, quartet and octet group singing, harmony, tone, improv, and site singing. Monika studied music at Las Positas College and Cal State University Fullerton in Fullerton, CA.

Rick Cittar

Rick combines over 20 years of  professional experience as a performer, band leader, and guitar and bass instructor with a  strong academic background  - Cal State Teaching Credential, AA, Merritt College, Music (candidate);     Rick has played guitar most of his life, and is dedicated to sharing his many insights about music with his students.  The subtle aspects of playing, such as intonation, dynamics, tone, phrasing, and interpretation are the difference between sounding notes and making music. 

www.rickcittar.com

Chris Hansen

Originally from Walnut Creek, Ca, Chris is a Home-study and studio-substitute teacher for Bradley School of Music. Thanks to Bradley School of Music, Chris was a Scholarship Recipient of the Berklee College of Music. He is currently on the dean's list and will graduate in the Spring of 2010.

Check out Chris on MySpace:  Chris Hansen Guitar
                             The Ax Effect  
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