Easy Music Center

Lessons

Instructors are not employees of Easy Music Center. They are independent contractors.

Easy Music Center is now offering Vocal, Ukulele, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drum and Keyboard lessons. We have a great teaching staff! These guys are pros! Read about them below.

Please do not hesitate to call us for pricing and details! (808)591-0999 for the King St. store and (808)484-1360 for the Pearl City store. (Locations)

Also check out the new lessons rooms at the King Street store. Each lesson room is equipped with its own recording station. At the end of a lesson, each and every student gets a free CD recording of their lesson. It is the perfect practice tool. Imagine going home and knowing you won’t forget what the instructor was telling you. This makes your lesson that much more productive! Just one of the many benefits of taking lessons at Easy Music Center.

Some of the other benefits available only to students of Easy Music Center:
10% off our lowest sales price on any educational products. This discount is available to you from the start – a great example of this category is the Tascam Guitar trainer.

Other Student Benefits:
Take another 5% off all sales tags and bulk discounts around the store
Also 10% off our lowest price on HOSA cables and accessories

Interested in lessons? Email us at Admin@EasyMusicCenter.com

Our Instructors

Walter (Keoni) Carvalho	Recognized Slack Key Guitar Master by the State of Hawaii on the Culture and the Arts, and the Hawaii State Legislature for his Perpetuation of Hawaiian slack Key for 20 yrs for Hawaii’s Department of Education. Keoni graduated from Kailua High School and University of Hawaii and went on to play with the U.S. Army Band and later played with the former Windward Symphony Orchestra. He performs professionally, both solo and with his group Ho’omanalo. Keoni has recorded with several Hawaiian Groups and appeared with the late Raymond Kane on his instructional guitar DVD. He performed throughout the Hawaiian Islands with the State Cultural Expansion Program for the Univerisity of Hawaii and held solo performances in Auckland, New Zealand. Keoni offers instruction for Acoustic and Electric Guitar, Ukulele and Electric Bass, specializing in Music Theory, Slack Key, Jazz and the Blues. Keoni mostly teaches out at the Pearl City store.
Darryl Pellegrini	Ohio native Darryl Pellegrini earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and jazz from Youngstown State University and his Masters Degree in Music Performance from Manhattan School of Music. Throughout his career in New York City, Darryl has toured and performed with numerous jazz greats such as the Woody Herman Orchestra, Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, John Faddis, Larry Corryell, Don Grusin, the Village Vanguard Orchestra, Milt Jackson, Clark Terry, Frank Foster, Joe Lovano, Lew Tabackin, Toshiko Akiyoshi, John and Bucky Pizzarelli and Harold Danko to name a few. He has also toured and recorded with Chuck Mangione, Mike Longo and the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble, and Scott Whitfield Big Band East. Currently, Darryl is recording and performing with The Matt Catingub Orchestra of Hawaii and tours and records with Amy Hanaiali’i. After 20 years of freelance performing, subbing and touring for Broadway in such hits as The Lion King, Fosse, Swing, Kiss of the Spider woman, 42nd Street, West Side Story, City of Angels and recording for numerous Commercials, Television, Movies, and Cartoons, Darryl now happily teaches, performs and resides in Hawaii with his wife and child.
Steve Jones	Acoustic and Electric Bassist / Composer / Arranger / Recording Engineer Stephen Jones has been in a life long resident of Hawaii. Stephen has over 37 years of experience as a professional musician and over 17 years as a professional recording engineer. He has performed and recorded with Hawaiian stars such as Jimmy Borges, Betty Loo Taylor, Jake Shimabukuro, Na Leo Pilimehana, Kapono Beamer, Kealii Reichel, Raiatea Helm, Aaron Sala, Gabe Baltazar, The Matt Catingub Orchestra of Hawaii, and Amy Hanaiali’i Gilliom. He has also performed with Jazz greats such as Freddie Hubbard, Bobbie Hutcherson, Tiger Okoshi, Gene Harris, Ernie Watts, Bud Shank, Terumasa Hino and Monica Mancini. Currently he is performing with the Honolulu Symphony Pops, The Matt Catingub Orchestra of Hawaii, Amy Hanaiali’i Gilliom and as a freelance bassist. In 1991 he branched out and began working as a producer / recording engineer. He is currently working with Bryan Kessler at Wire & Wood Music, a recording studio and music production company founded 1999. In 2004 he released his first solo recording “The Steve Jones Collective, Vol. 1.”
Josh Kaye	A message from Josh:My name is Josh Kaye and I am excited to be the new keyboard teacher at Easy Music Center. I moved here from San Francisco less than two years ago and have really enjoyed settling into the music scene here in Honolulu. After growing up in the Baltimore area and receiving my B.A. in piano, I worked as a jazz pianist/keyboardist in the Bay Area for twelve years and released a latin jazz CDs. Since moving here, I’ve been gigging pretty much nonstop and even produced/arranged another cd featuring a local songwriter and a number of great local musicians. I enjoy playing and teaching music of all styles – jazz, classical, pop, rock, funk, reggae, Hawaiian, Latin, r&b, blues, etc. (music really is the universal language!) and invite students of all levels (the journey is great from the beginning on…). Whether you want to play keyboards in a band, write songs, or play solo piano (why not do all three?) I am here to help you develop your craft and help you get where you want to go with the keyboard.
Jason Rathyen	Jason Rathyen has been teaching guitar for ten years. He plays in various bands around the island, performing rock, blues, funk, country, reggae, and folk. He has had several television appearances and recently co-composed and engineered the theme music on the television show Entertain Me. Having studied advanced music analysis at the University of Hawaii, he teaches music theory while teaching guitar, and applies it to various styles to suit the student’s needs.
Landon Mattox	Landon has over 15 years experience in professional music and teaching. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Music from University of North Carolina at Asheville, two Master’s degrees in Jazz Studies and Music Education from University of North Texas and plans to begin work on a PhD in Ethnomusicology at University of Hawaii soon. Landon’s music background is extensive and throughout his career in music, he has studied jazz, blues, pop, reggae, heavy metal, rock, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, classical, folk, contemporary, funk, soul, bluegrass, etc… He also has extensive experience teaching guitar students of all ages and levels and has taught at elementary schools, middle schools, high schools and at the university and conservatory level. Recently, Landon spent four years in China teaching English and music, including Jazz Improvisation, Jazz History, Jazz Guitar, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Theory, etc…Most recently, Landon has performed at the University of Hawaii and lectured there on the topic of early African-American music as an honorary guest lecturer for a graduate level course in World Music. Over the past few years, Landon has performed or recorded with and/or taught with some influential musicians and teachers such as BBC Heart of Jazz Award winner: Tommy Smith, Chair of Jazz Studies at University of North Texas: Dr. John Murphy, Juno Award winner: David Braid, Cole Porter Fellowship Finalist: Jeremy Siskind, the Lincoln Center American Music Abroad Quartet among others. His most recent recordings, Live at Xinghai Conservatory and Live in Guangzhou were recorded live at two concert halls in Guangzhou (Canton), China.
“Najee” Marie Lynne	My love affair with the piano began as a little girl, when I would venture downstairs to the basement recreation room to play on the old upright in our Detroit home. My mother noticed I played in a way that made sense and she sought a private instructor for me. I was 4-1/2 years old at the time I began lessons. For the next 12 years, I studied classical music, performing in annual piano competitions and festivals in Detroit. Later in college, I became fascinated with the spontaneity and creativity of jazz music, learning about jazz theory, improvisation and performance from some of the city’s top jazz artists and instructors. I also taught children, ages 5-13, to play piano. Here on Oahu, I continue to play the piano in private and public venues, teach children and adults and pursue my lifelong study of the instrument.