Instructors at SixStringCentral

Robbie Laws

Robbie Laws

The principal instructor and founder of SixStringCentral, Robbie has been a professional guitar performer and instructor for over 20 years. He teaches Blues, Jazz, Rock, Theory, Composition, and Performance Enhancement for all levels of players.

Robbie Laws was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He began learning guitar at the age of 22 and soon began playing in top-40 bands, traveling up and down the Pacific West Coast. He had an insatiable appetite for music and learned every rock and roll lick he heard, talked to other guitar players, studied every music book he could get his hands on and taught himself music theory. Robbie quickly moved into the category of guitar virtuoso and by 1984, won runner-up in Portland's "Blazing Guitar Contest" for copping Yngwie Malmsteen leads note for note, nuance for nuance. After awhile Robbie found himself drawn more and more into the blues.

The most significant event in his life marking the transition from rock to blues happened on one fortunate occasion when Robbie found himself rooming in the same motel as the late great blues master, Albert Collins. They ended up hanging out together for a couple of weeks, swapping guitar licks and stories and Collins was so impressed with Robbie's enthusiasm that he took the time to teach him the "ins and outs" of his distinctive guitar techniques. He also regarded Laws as a kindred spirit.

Shortly after, Robbie joined the Portland-based band Delta Haze and later the Margo Tufo Band, which took him on a tour through England. He was an instant hit with his impressive stage presence, likable personality and terrifying chops. In 1993, Robbie formed his own band, the Urban All Stars. It was with this band that Robbie recorded his first CD "Midnight Rain" under his own label. The CD gained international airplay with a large and devoted following. He began touring the United States and Canada in 1996 and has continued to win awards and recognition throughout his career.

From the Cascade Blues Association in Portland, which is one of the largest and most prestigious blues organizations in North America, Robbie has been inducted into the CBA Muddy Awards Hall of Fame after winning 18 Muddy Awards for Best Electric Guitar and Best Blues Recording, among others.

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Robert Carson

Robert Carson

Robert started playing guitar in 1963, and by 1965 he was playing professionally in California. He has lived and played in Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle and finally Portland since 1995.

Robert was signed to Phillips Records in 1969 in San Francisco and Music City Records in Oakland, CA in 1973. He also played the bass steadily from 1984 until 2001, when he turned his focus to jazz guitar.

Locally, Robert has played with Drawback Slim, Grooveline, LynnAnn Hyde, Duffy Bishop, Billy Hagen, Actual Size and many more. He currently leads the Robert Carson Jazz Quartet, and is the co-host of jams on Tuesdays at Rosco's (blues), Wednesdays at the Twilight Cafe (blues, jazz and R&B) and Monty's Tavern (blues).

Robert's musical interests run to blues, jazz, rock and R&B, and anything that is done well. His approach in teaching guitar is to re-bridge the gap between the blues and jazz. In other words, he enjoys teaching jazz players to use the blues, and teaching blues guitarists to use jazz ideas in their blues.

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Kevin Cason

Kevin Cason

Kevin started playing guitar as a kid, growing up in the eighties. Having lived overseas in the Middle East, he was exposed to many varieties of Arabic music. When his family moved back to California, he immediately gravitated toward rock guitar. He would learn entire albums by ear, from players like Randy Rhoads and Eddie Van Halen. He started playing in various rock and heavy metal bands. While this was his main interest at the time, he was also beginning to teach himself classical guitar from some old books he found at a used book store.

    During college Kevin took formal classical lessons, and broadened his horizons by learning jazz theory and composition from Ray Brown. Kevin was also reacquainted with world music through teacher Lou Harrison. After attending Cabrillo College in Aptos, California, Kevin decided to pursue a degree in classical guitar, and moved to San Francisco where he attended SFSU. While completing his degree, he studied with master guitarists such as Manuel Barrueco and Saul Gropeman, both students of Andres Segovia. At the other end of the spectrum, he was playing jazz in ensembles with Kirk Hammett of Metallica.

    After college, Kevin started learning new styles of guitar such as flamenco and reggae. "Before I learned guitar, I was playing drums in the school band. This is why I like percussive guitar styles like flamenco and reggae," Kevin says. During the mid to late 90's he started teaching privately. About his teaching style, Kevin says, "At the end of each lesson, I want the student to feel like he or she got something great out of it; something they can really sink their teeth into." Kevin enjoys performing solo classical/flamenco guitar, as well as occasionally recording and touring in rock bands.

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Joe Marquand

Joe Marquand

Joe Marquand was born in California and began studying guitar in 1975. In 1979, he decided that he would be the next major jazz-fusion guitarist and enrolled in Guitar Institute of Technology (then in its third year of operation). There he met two hundred other young men and women who had made an identical decision, all of whom were much better players.

At GIT, he benefited greatly from instruction by renowned guitarists Howard Roberts, Tommy Tedesco, Pat Martino and Howard Alden as well as visitors like Pat Metheny, Joe Pass, Phil Upchurch and Herb Ellis. This is the tradition of instruction that he passes on to his students today.

On graduating, he became obsessed with blues music and slide guitar, which he practiced day and night. Gradually gaining confidence, he began leaving his bedroom and performing; first as a soloist and later with various bands. Along the way, he took up the mandolin and explored the small but fascinating role of this instrument in blues and ragtime styles.

The early 1990's were significant for Joe. He married the woman of his dreams, broke up the band and moved to the mountains of North Carolina. There he found a rich and supportive music environment with many venues, excellent players and radio support. While living in the south, he composed and produced two recordings, the second receiving considerable airplay on WNCW (a regional PBS affiliate). Joe taught hundreds of students during those years at Celestial Mountain Music in Brevard, NC, as well as at workshops at several major music festivals. He has performed at the Black Mountain Music Festival, Flat Rock Festival, Loud and Clear and many regional venues. Two radio performances by Joe have been culled and released on premium discs by WNCW-FM.

In 1997, Joe taught workshops and performed at the National Slide Guitar Championship. He also placed third overall in the contest. Subsequently, he has retired from competing and has served as a contest judge.

An interest in Hawaiian slack key guitar styles initiated a relocation to the island of Hawaii in 2001. Joe spent the next 6 years teaching at Hilo Guitars in downtown Hilo and gigging in the Hawaiian music scene. He performed at the major slack key festivals in Maui and Hawaii, played many private gigs and benefits of every description, as well as some that resist description.

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Gerald LeRoy

Gerald LeRoy

Highly knowledgeable, creative and resourceful musician with 35 years of playing experience. Extensive knowledge of music theory, history, and practical performance skills.

Let me help you to become an excellent upright or electric bass player! Individualized instruction to help you get wherever you want to go and have tons of fun along the way!

I started studying music in 1973 at age 9 when I began taking drums lessons and playing in school bands, orchestras and dixieland bands until the age of 16.

I started playing guitar in 1978 and in 1983 entered San Jose State University as a music major with a performance concentration in classical guitar. While studying at SJSU I had the opportunity to study under many excellent professors including Barohme Behroozi (classical guitar instructor), Matt Brubeck (jazz cello player, son of Dave Brubeck) and Robert Szabo (music theory professor, principle trombonist for The San Jose Symphony).

In the mid 1980’s through the 1990’s I studied jazz guitar with legendary jazz music educator Warren Nunes, took clarinet lessons, 5-string banjo lessons and played whatever I could get my hands on.

I began playing upright bass in 2001, fell in love with it immediately and knew that I’d found my instrument.

I have played in dozens and dozens (and dozens) of bands non-stop for the past 35 years, have recorded a handful of CDs with various bands, have engineered recording projects and have toured with various bands around the United States.

I spent the last 15 years playing music in San Francisco in various groups including The Billy Nayer Show, The Dead Hensons, The Ghosts, The Copper Tones and many other groups. For the past few years I have been playing primarily upright bass in vintage jazz groups in both San Francisco and Portland including The Golden Gate Hot Club, Emily Anne and Her Hot Nuts, The Vince Guaraldi Project and The Gypsy Queens.

What I have to offer you as a teacher
**Genuine excitement and passion for music.
**Genuine enthusiasm and enjoyment of teaching and passing on my knowledge and experience to others.
**Strong knowledge of the theory and techniques required to play upright and electric bass.
**Patient with excellent communication skills to help motivate different students with different needs.
**Strong ability to try new directions and be flexible.
**Excellent ability to communicate musical concepts and instructions clearly so others will understand.

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Don Shultz

Don Shultz

Don Shultz began his musical endeavors at age 12, joining the school band after a near-disastrous two weeks of football. The first words he heard after switching electives: "Okay, you're a drummer." As it turned out, this phrase was to foretell the future for Don. After staying with school band and drum corps throughout high school, Don went on to study music theory, percussion and voice at Monterey Peninsula College.

Don has performed in over 100 bands, including The Monterey Jazz Quintet, J.J. White (opening act for Sawyer Brown’s "Buick" tour), The Robbie Laws Band, The Duffy Bishop Band, Fiona Boyes and the Fortune Tellers, and Geoff Achison and the Souldiggers. In addition, he has performed with Reggie Houston, Paul deLay, Janice Scroggins, Lloyd Jones, Jim Mesi, Terry Evans, Curtis Salgado, Dub DeBrie, Rod Price (Foghat), Jerry Miller (Moby Grape), Richard Peddicord (Quicksilver Messenger Service), Lee Oskar, The Texas Horns, and Mitch Woods.

Among the awards Don has received are four Muddy Awards presented by the Cascade Blues Association for Best Contemporary Blues Act (Robbie Laws Band, 1997), Best Northwest Recording ("Takin' The Night Train," Robbie Laws, 1998), Best Contemporary Blues Act (Duffy Bishop Band, 2003), and Best New Act (Rick Welter Band, 2005). Don was also nominated for the Best Blues Drummer Muddy Award in 1998.

Don has logged many recording credits over his career, including "Doin' The Backseat Boogie" (Mick Martin), "Gettin' Evil" (Geoff Achison), "Wail" (Stevie Zee), "Takin' The Night Train" (Robbie Laws), "In Good Hands" (Jesse Samsel Band), "Country Singer" (Christopher Lloyd), J.R. Sims, and a soon-to-be-released album by Kevin Selfe and the Tornadoes.

Don is currently freelancing and performing with Kevin Selfe and the Tornadoes out of the Portland, Oregon area, owns and operates the Portland Drum Company, and has been giving private drum lessons since 1993.

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Jolie Clausen

Jolie Clausen

Jolie Clausen has been a professional musician for over fifteen years. While growing up in Walla Walla, WA she was a percussionist with the Walla Walla Symphony at age fourteen, played in the orchestra pit for various musical productions and local jazz, rock, and big band groups. She studied rudimental and jazz drumming at Whitman College with John Melcher and attended drum and percussion workshops there as well as at Eastern Washington University . After graduating high school she moved to Portland and studied music performance and theory at Mt. Hood Community College while studying with local legend Mel Brown. She currently performs with Robbie Laws, The Norman Sylvester Band, Sonny Hess, and various local groups. You can see her performing in and around the Portland area every week in blues, rock, alternative, and latin groups.

Playing the drums can be a lot of fun when you understand basic concepts of rudiments and coordination. Understanding how to apply these concepts to different musical styles and group performance is the key to becoming a successful drummer. Anyone can be a drummer! Learning a musical instrument takes dedication but it should also be fun. Having a music instructor to guide you through the learning process will help you to attain your goals so that you can perform in any musical situation.

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Louis Pain

Louis Pain

The music of Portland-based organist & pianist Louis Pain (aka "King Louie") has always crossed the supposed boundaries between musical styles. This is reflected in the diverse list of musicians he's worked with. Before moving north from San Francisco in 1986, Louis gigged with Bruce Conte (of Tower of Power fame), Jules Broussard (Ray Charles, Santana), Bobby Forte (B.B. King), Barry Finnerty (Miles Davis), Tricky Lofton (Duke Ellington), and Cornelius Bumpus (Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan). Louis also accompanied gospel-oriented singers including Dorothy Morrison ("Oh Happy Day") and the Grammy-nominated Helen Baylor. Plus, he worked with bluesmen like Luther Tucker (Muddy Waters) and with East Bay funk legends such as Johnny Talbert and Marvin Holmes.

Since relocating to Portland, Louis has continued the trend. He's performed and/or recorded with noted blues & soul artists Solomon Burke, Howard Tate, Robben Ford, Bo Diddley, and, from the Northwest, Curtis Salgado, Linda Hornbuckle, and Paul deLay. And he's gigged and recorded with top jazz musicians Mel Brown, Thara Memory, Dan Faehnle, Tom Grant, Jerry Hahn, and Dan Balmer. Louis also co-leads his own group with legendary Portland vocalist "Sweet Baby James." The Oregonian's review of that group's debut CD, "King Louie & Baby James Live At the Waterfront Festival," was headlined simply, "Come and get it!"

This & That: Louis is a charter member of one of the most successful jazz bands in Portland history: the Mel Brown B-3 Organ Group. Dubbed "Jimmy Mak's signature band" by The Oregonian, this exciting group has been performing to packed houses on Thursday nights for over ten years now...In November, 2002, Louis played on and co-produced a live CD with drumming legend Bernard Purdie, "Purdie Good Cookin'"...On that project, as on many of Louis' gigs and recordings, he "kicks bass" on the organ. As John Foyston, music critic for The Oregonian wrote, "A real Hammond guy--and Pain is one of those--isn't happy unless he's using more appendages than a helicopter pilot trying to hold a high hover over Manhattan"...Louis' brother, Duncan, has written hit songs for Robbie Nevil ("C'est La Vie"), Paula Abdul, etc...Tracy Pain, Louis' wife and manager, not only tolerates his collection of Hammond B-3 organs (Bertha, Beulah, & Belinda), but also cooks up a mean fried rice for Louis' rehearsals.

TEACHING METHOD
I didn't start out with traditional piano lessons. I started relatively late--at age 16--studying with a blues organist in San Francisco. I couldn't even get thru "Chopsticks" at the time, yet from Day One my teacher had me actually improvising the blues. I teach my own students the same way.

Blues-based music is a language, and I believe it's best taught the same way we learn to speak: by doing. As children, we didn't learn reading, writing, and the rules of grammar first: we just started talking! Reading, theory, scales-all those elements of music have their place, and I do incorporate them. But at the heart of my method is playing by ear, and you'd be amazed how fun and easy it is to do.

I specialize in teaching on a Hammond B-3 organ-my primary instrument. Few keyboardists really know their way around a Hammond these days, and I know and teach all the tricks. But I also have a grand piano and can teach interested students on that. The key is learning the language of blues improvisation. Once you have that foundation, you can apply it to different instruments as well as to different genres of music.

Whether you're young or old, a complete beginner or a (non-blues) music pro, I can show you how to have the time of your life playing blues & jazz keyboards.

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Sarah Kelly

Sarah Kelly

Sarah started studying piano at age 6 years in Portland, Oregon. At the age of 12 she began playing the French Horn. In 1993 Sarah had the great priveladge of going on tour to germany as the principle horn player for the portland youth philharmonic.

While attending the University of Oregon Sarah wanted to extend her musical knowledge beyond classical. She attended classes such as Ethnomusicology, Instruments of the World, African Drumming, Javanese Gamelan, and East European Folk Ensemble. Upon graduating, Sarah recieved a Bachelor of Arts in international Studies focusing on Culture and Art with a music minor. A few years later Sarah began teaching piano while attending Marylhust University. There she finished the second year of college music theory, ear training and took classes in music therapy.

Over the past ten years Sarah has also enjoyed working with young children in a variety of venues. In high school she acted in the Ladybug children's theater, after college she worked at Ainsworth after care where she helped six through ten year olds write and perform their own musical. Sarah is currently the phonics, music and spanish tutorial instructor at a Children's Creative Learning Center, as well as a Board Member for Young Musicians and Artists Camp.

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