Faculty

Drums

Martin James began his musical journey at age ten, studying piano for two years with his classically trained aunt. During that time, he made remarkable progress in reading and technical proficiency—skills that would later serve him well as a composer. However, it was the guitar that captured his heart, and he soon devoted himself to unlocking the instrument's expressive potential through countless hours of dedicated practice.

While maintaining his piano skills primarily for compositional work, Martin pursued formal music education in theory and music studies at both Berklee College of Music and William Paterson University. He has been performing professionally since age seventeen, playing guitar in diverse cover and original ensembles throughout his career. Notable highlights include a live performance on WNEW FM at the Hard Rock Cafe and opening for Peter Frampton. During his most recent original project, Martin's work garnered serious interest from Bill Aucoin, the legendary manager of Kiss.

In his own words:

"I love playing music because it is a global language of expression that I feel privileged to be a part of.

I love teaching because I enjoy communicating the many positive attributes of musical expression.

Everyone comes to the table for different reasons, with varying aspirations and experience levels. I seek to be the optimal universal interface for every student so that the learning experience is always positive, engaging, and as rewarding as possible."