East Bay (CA.) teachers?

[aiko73]

hey there -
looking for a teacher in the berkeley/oakland vicinity. anyone have any suggestions. someone a bit left of traditional ideally. thanks!

aiko

[mad dawg]

I took lessons from Robin Flower. (http://flowerandmclaren.com/index.htm) She seems to be pretty rooted in folk and trad (she has an entry in the Folkhound directory), but she is a very good and patient teacher, and hosts a once-a-month string band for her students that sometimes plays at The Freight.

[Michael H Geimer]

I don't know the guy's name, but I once spoke to a teacher who works out of The 5th. String in Berkeley. You might give them a call.

- Benig

[Jim M.]

Robin is a great picker and teacher but she is more Irish-oriented. If you are looking for a bluegrass/blues kind of guy, Eric Thompson would be at the top of my list:

http://www.ericandsuzy.com/eric.htm

[Mteresko]

I've been with Eric Thompson for a few years now, and he's been great for me!

[Daniel Nestlerode]

Dix Bruce.
http://www.musixnow.com/
It doesn't say so on his web page, but he does give lessons, or at least he did a couple of years ago.

Contact him. If he doesn't do it anymore, he'll have a very good recommendation.

Daniel, ex-EastBay denizen

[aiko73]

thanks for the responses. got a few bay area folks on here!

[SternART]

Eric Thompson has consistantly showed me things that later proved more valuable than I realized at the time.
Sometimes you just aren't quite ready to understand things without going home & working on it.
He is a pretty traditional player, but knows all the branches of the tree. Helped me quite a bit when I
was interested in learning some Monroe style, and another time when I needed to learn a few Irish tunes in
a new to me time signature. Helped me with understanding tremelo too. Nice fella!!! Teaches guitar too.