Instructors

One of only 30 artists featured in the book, Masters of the Harmonica, Cheryl Arena has been bringing the sound of authentic American blues music to audiences around the US and Europe for over 30 years. No one trick pony, she plays the urban electric blues of Chicago, the soulful Delta sounds of the deep…

John Doerschuk has been in the sound business for over 25 years. He was attracted to waves and electrons while playing in bands in the seventies, and somehow continues to make a living as an “audio guy.” He lives with his artist wife Bessie and daughter Sophie in Cambridge, Massachusetts. John plays piano and guitar…

Kemp Harris defies categorization. He is a singer and songwriter, a master weaver of American musical styles. He’s an actor, activist, author, and storyteller, and an award-winning educator who has taught young public school students for more than 40 years. Born in North Carolina, Kemp taught himself piano and was writing songs at age 14. Kemp has…

Hubby Jenkins is a talented multi-instrumentalist who endeavors to share his love and knowledge of old-time American music. Born and raised in Brooklyn he delved into his Southern roots, following the thread of African American history that wove itself through country blues, ragtime, fiddle and banjo, and traditional jazz. Hubby got his higher musical education…

“From extravagance to simple elegance we went, as Kerri Powers took the stage with nothing but a guitar and a tapping tambourine strapped to the toe of her boot. Reading about her I assumed she’d be a folk strummer, but she began to lay down some of the finest country blues fingerstyle guitar we’ve had…

Arthur Terembula is passionate about country blues and ragtime guitar. A time traveler who transports you into the sounds of juke joints and city streets in the 1920’s and 1930’s. He reimagines songs from those times, rewriting and interpreting the sounds of Charley Patton, Skip James, Robert Johnson, Blind Blake, Son House, and other various…

Elijah Wald started playing guitar at age 7, went to New York at age 17 to study with Dave Van Ronk, and spent much of the next twenty years hitchhiking and performing all over North America and Europe, as well as much of Asia and Africa, including several months studying with the Congolese guitar masters…