We had a pretty terrible experience at Bandworks but I didn't want to trash the program because…read morethere are some great people associated with it. That said, my kid just told me that their instructor once said to them - in front of all the kids - "I'm certain you have a learning plan." My kid denied it (they, in fact, did not) and the instructor continued to insist that they did. Who the hell talks this way to a child in this day and age, in front of their peers?! It was humiliating for my kid and extremely insensitive of the instructor. I could follow up with a list of messed up things this instructor said or did along the way, but this one put me over the edge and really just sums up why we now steer clear.

My son first attended a BandWorks summer program in 2007 (age 8). He was in the Intro class and got…read moreto play drums, guitar, sing, and generally get the full band experience. He liked it so much we signed up for the next year and he really focused in on drumming. Loved drumming so much he got a private instructor and took drumming for quite some time after that. Then life got in the way for a few years and now we've returned....and it's the daughter who's doing the workshop sessions now! Came in for the September 2012 session and was put in a band with 3 boys and had to learn how to negotiate want she wanted. Great experience in self-empowerment for a 7th grade girl. She, too, loves drumming. She played one song on drums, and the other songs on keyboards and vocals. She had kicked and screamed about not wanting to do vocals before joining (just got out of 6 years of chorus and literally did not want to open her mouth again) but the instructor convinced her to give it a try and the boys were supportive and she actually loved it. To hear my daughter sing a Red Hot Chili Peppers song and love doing it, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven LOL. Anyway, she's back for this session....decided to bring in her girlfriends.....and now is giggin' in an all-girl band as the drummer. What I've always loved about BandWorks is their ability to work with whatever your nutty schedule may be, and whatever level you are as a musician, and whatever your musical taste is, to create the right experience for you in your band.

Small, welcoming spot with a great host-Brian. He has a good variety of music and a back door…read moreleading to the saloon next door. I always find something here. love Loose Joints!

What a great interaction with the owner of this vinyl store. The owner (Brian) is a true music,…read morevinyl and audio enthusiast. What a great way to spend your time while perusing a nicely vetted collection of great music from the past in Point Reyes.

I've played guitar for a few years and recently thought it might be nice to learn some classical…read more I came across Jard through some internet searching and after a few months of lessons am really happy that I did. I'd taken a few lessons here and there from 5 or 6 different instructors in the last years, partly because I've moved around a lot, but have enjoyed working with Jard the most. He seems to be very interested in my development and is both patient and supportive. He is really helping me to focus on my technique, which has been beneficial to all aspects of my playing and is one of the things I'm most excited about. I'm also learning to read music, which I'd never thought I'd do, but I think will ultimately help me to become a better musician. Jard has also been great about accommodating my schedule, and is always willing to make sure I'm getting the most out of the lesson (which might also include helping me with an acoustic or electric piece I'm working on). I'm now taking weekly lessons and am really looking forward to seeing my playing develop. Highly recommended.

We hired Jard for our wedding reception and couldn't have been more pleased with him. He is super…read moretalented at his craft as well as versatile ih his range, professional, and flexible. He listened to our requests and eagarly assisted in giving us some wonderful suggestions for the cocktail hour. Through his seemingly effortless expertise on the guitar, he helped bring out the emotions of the day with his beautiful performance. If you're looking for a talented, professional classical guitarist for you wedding or event, I highly recommend Jard for a memorable occasion!

Whenever I'm in town, I go to Dave's. Whenever I go to Dave's I spend money on his impressive stock.read more

Too notch used record store. Dave plays records that you either remember or had not heard before…read moreand you end up buying. Terribly elaborate selection.Rock to Jazz to Hip Hop and a lot in between. Definitely a dig in the crates store.

This label is owned an operated by one of my best friends on the planet, former long hair and…read more"Drone" Guru, Mr. William C. Forbes. Fans of Labradford should check out Cristal (No, not the one Jay- Z is boycotting) and If you dig Jessica Bailiff you should check out Northern Song Dynasty. If you are a fan of anything on Kranky records you will get it.

I've been taking lessons with Kevin for a few months and feel super inspired ! He is very…read moreintentional and engaging with his lessons, providing a good balance of foundational technique with my own personal interests. I'm having so much fun! I would super recommend Kevin as a teacher for any age or experience.

Kevin was a fantastic instructor for my kid. He worked with songs they enjoyed playing as well as…read moreteaching the basics. He's friendly and patient. His studio had a nice setup with two kits to help guide my kid along. Would definitely recommend!

A beautiful little hole in the wall, my friend told me about this place and we decided to go on a…read moreSaturday afternoon. It was great. They had a band playing music in the back people shopping. They had so many different things for us to see. It's definitely a mom and pop kind of vibe. The service was great. The gentleman behind the counter gave us all the information we needed and was super friendly. The pricing was very good and fair. They had a variety selection of so much to choose from. The shop seems like a labor of love, please stop by and support small businesses!

One of best local shops for rare vinyl. Knowledgeable & helpful staff. Also very supportive of the…read morelocal folk music scene.

Well, of course I recommend them. I've gone twice and each time the owners were lovely…read more I came in looking for Sade's Love Deluxe album. Truthfully, I do think I'm just going to order it online because it has been so hard to just find it in stock in store. I've held off because I just want to buy it in store, and no not at an Urban Outfitters or some other large chain of stores. I enjoy the feeling of finding something and feeling like I scored, so, let's keep shopping in person alive as much as we can... please?? currently, I'm still holding off on this album and waiting for the day. Anyway, I ended up buying Diamond Life and People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. They didn't have a collection of Maxwell at that moment if I remember correctly, but that got me to looking through The Beatles section and each member's solo albums. Sad to say, I couldn't find a record with the single Silly Love Songs by Paul McCartney, though, I did go in blindly looking for it. So, I asked the owners about it while buying my records. They had it in the back and, not sure of the quality they tossed it in for free. It was very nice. They have a scratch free record guarantee, which I applaud, but the complimentary add in was very much appreciated. I've come again and brought a friend and we've both bought a couple to a few records. The last time I went there was an Anderson Paak collection. I wish they had Malibu, but they did have Ventura. I strongly contemplated, but ended up getting Childish Gambino's "Because the Internet." Prices - they're not even bad. Trust me. They have tapes and cds too. I like to dig, and this store satisfies that. Conveniently located near Rockridge BART, there's a second hand thrift store in the area, plenty of eateries, Trader Joe's a couple blocks up, and other mini shops along the way. It's worth stopping in and checking out especially if planning a day in this area.

Had a great stop in this awesome shop with a well curated collection of old and new. Henry was…read morefriendly, knowledgeable, and kind, offered to order records I was interested in the future as well. So glad I popped in!