Jazz Piano Lessons with Alec

I took a few lessons with Alec and really enjoyed them. He really knows his craft and is patient and encouraging in his approach with his students. He really goes above and beyond to help you with new concepts and songs and is also open to teaching all styles of music which was really important to me. Highly recommend Alec!

I found Alec on Craiglist as many people on here are writing. He is an excellent and patient teacher who really listens to what you want from your lessons and works hard to provide it.
I highly recommend him to anyone who wants to hone their skills further. He is very knowledgeable.

I found Alec on Craigslist, he was close to my neighborhood and his rates were very reasonable, so I gave it a shot. I have really enjoyed studying piano with him. He is very laid-​back and patient (I may have forgotten to practice one or two times, so that patience has come in handy!). I chose to study jazz piano, because I think it encompasses all the elements that I want for my songwriting and arranging, but Alec is always willing to adapt the lesson to the pop side of my brain. Any theory question you have can be answered by him, and his style of teaching is flexible. I think I got lucky. And bonus, you can actually park in his neighborhood without driving around in circles!

I’ve been taking jazz piano lessons from Alec for a few months, and I feel like I’ve made a lot of progress in that short period of time. Alec is very patient, and the relaxed atmosphere of the lessons is very enjoyable. He is also very knowledgeable, and does a great job of tailoring his lessons to what I want to learn.

I can say with absolute confidence that Alec is one of the most talented musicians I have ever encountered…
Alec recently relocated to Los Angeles from here in Oakland, and it was indeed a sad day for us all (at least here)… his exceptional knowledge, skill, and attitude are infectious and continue to inspire me to this day.
A little background… Alec and I studied music together at UC Santa Cruz and played in various ensembles together during that time. It was Alec who initially encouraged me to become a jazz musician, and pursue music more seriously in the first place. Years later, I am teaching and performing music professionally full time. Enough about me…
Essentially everything i know about Jazz piano I learned from Alec; anyone would be lucky to have him as a teacher, or in their band! His playing style is a flawless mixture of technical skill and pure soul… one of the funkiest men alive, to be sure.
As a teacher, he has a way of relating otherwise challenging material in an easygoing, fun, and straightforward way that I’ve always been impressed with. Jazz, Funk, Soul, Rock, Latin, Gospel… you name it, he can teach it, and do it. Do yourself a favor and take some lessons from Alec, you’ll thank me (and him) later!

Alec is a wonderful and very competent teacher. He is helping me improve my basic playing technique, develop a practice regimen to improve my weaknesses and is informative and helpful explaining the fundamentals of chord theory, melody and harmony that are difficult to grasp through self-​study alone.
My lessons move at my own pace, but Alec is never afraid to challenge me and pushes me weekly to achieve my goals and learn new tunes. As a student of classical piano for some five years, Alec is providing me with a great introduction to jazz theory, history and styles. I am definitely learning a lot, and have a lot farther to go under his capable instruction. Alec is patient, an excellent pianist and a very good teacher. I highly recommend taking lessons with him!