About The Teacher

Jay has been working as a guitar instructor for over 25 years. He has worked for numerous music schools and stores such as Long & McQuade, Musicplex, The Guitar Shop, Peel Music School and Travelling Musician.  

Jay studied music at Humber College, one of the most reputable music performance institutions in North America. He graduated in 1997, having majored in guitar and composition. While at Humber, Jay was able to study with some of the finest guitar professors in Canada such as Ted Quinlan, Rob Bulger and Tony Zorzi. He also studied advanced improvisation with saxophonist Pat LaBarbara, and theory & composition with Tony Mergel. Jay was the recipient of the Gordon Delamont Memorial Award for outstanding achievement in composition in his graduating year.  

Jay currently performs three to five nights a week at weddings, corporate events, casinos, nightclubs, bars and pubs. He is bandleader and guitarist for the wedding/event band Switchbeat.  

Jay's past experience includes performing in working bands such as Graffiti Park and Knuckleball. He has also performed in the backup bands for tribute acts to Madonna, Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguilera; he has toured alongside country artist Chris Syrie; he has toured and performed with the progressive rock trio, Eye Rhyme; he appeared on pop/folk artist Margaret Wysman's debut album, Turns of the Century; and he performed in the eleven-piece r&b band Jive Turkeys.

During his many years as a working musician, Jay has performed in the United States, Mexico, the Middle East, and all over Canada. He has opened for well-known artists such as Big Sugar, David Wilcox, King's X, and Rusty. He also works occasionally as a composer, session guitarist, freelance musician, and voice-over announcer.  

In addition to guitar, Jay completed the grade 3 Royal Conservatory piano exam as a child, and completed his Ontario academic high school music credit, majoring in the tuba.