I was introduced to music early on by my parents. Being classically trained on the piano I started playing and writing songs at the tender age of seven. My early piano influences are Mozart, Beethoven and Gershwin amongst others. Growing up, I became even more influenced by Pop, R&B, Funk, and Rock artists from the likes of  Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and Prince. As a teenager in high school, I performed recitals and played in rock bands, and picked up the guitar and drums to broaden my music repertoire.

Michael is a unique self-taught guitarist, playing since his teenage years in Cleveland, Ohio. His musical studies led him from rock to classical, and eventually Jazz. He was a Protégé of legendary bebop guitarist Bill DeArango, and counts among his younger major influences artist as varied as Ornette Coleman Lenny Tristano, DeArango and Julian Bream, to mention a few. In a class of Cleveland musicians that included, Joe Lovano, Bill DeArango, Skip Hadden. Jamey Haddad, and Jim Emery, he honed his improvising skills and subsequently moved to New York with Lovano in 1974.Donates time performing for patients at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Stuart has been part of the New York music scene for over twenty-five years. His musical experience is broad, from performing on the classical guitar at various restaurants to recording alternative rock with a major label. He is an ASCAP writer with song placements in major movies and television shows.

I'm a NYC-based musician, music transcriber, music prep guy, writer, bass and guitar teacher, and dad.

Passionate about sharing my love of the guitar with students of all ages, I’ve been teaching for more than 30 years. A trained Flamenco guitarist, I found, at the tender age of 7, my passion when I heard the world-renowned Flamenco guitarist Sabicas. Studying Flamenco since then, I began, during my teens, performing professionally and have had the honor of performing with such nationally known musicians as Billy Bang (legendary fiddle player), Willy Calhoun (Living Colour), Vassar Clements Band, Tom Chapin, Stanley Jordan, Buddy Miles, and Michael Powers. In high school, I enrolled in an Honors Musicianship class at the RiverDell, NJ, Senior High where I learned to read scores, conduct and identify multiple instruments, sight read, orchestrate scores and compose music. Following my true passion, I enrolled in the American Institute of Guitar (AIG), studying under the most sought after Flamenco guitar teacher for the past 20 years, Dennis Koster (author of Keys to Flamenco Guitar) and met the legendary Sabicas in person. At the same time, I began training in the Blues, educating myself on various styles and from various teachers, eventually going all the way to the tracks.