CARL RESTIVO Music Director
Vocal Instructor, Guitar Instructor,
Bass Instructor, Drum Instructor
Carl Restivo's unique ability as a singer, multi-instrumentalist, performer, writer, producer and arranger has opened ears and eyes everywhere. Recently it has landed him a spot in Perry Farrell's Satellite Party.
Carl has recorded, produced and/or written songs with Wyclef Jean, Jerry Wonder, Perry Farrell, Mick Mars, Nuno Bettencourt, Gary Cherone, Dug Pinnick, Salt (Salt N Pepa), Dilana, Sully Enra (Godsmack), Criss Angel, Steve Perry, Patti LaBelle, Buju Banton, Big Pun, Peter Gunz & Lord Tariq, Corey Gunz, Kurupt, Xzibit, J Ocean, Ed Palermo, Monkeyboyz, Patricia Bernetti, Meleni Smith, Barry Beama, Guy Boogie, DJKnS, Joey Heredia, Shut Up Stella, and Lorenzo Owens.
As a guest artist, Carl has contributed as lead guitarist and vocalist with numerous performances with Wyclef Jean, lead vocalist and guitarist with The Ed Palermo Big Band, bassist and vocalist with Extreme, and drummer and vocalist for Wrong. Also, Carl has performed such great and diverse artists as Robbie Krieger, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, Slash, Tom Morello, Ben Harper, Jerry Cantrell, Mick Mars, Cypress Hill, Wayne Kramer, Jill Sobule, Shooter Jennings, Napoleon Murphy Brock, and Mike Keneally.
In 2007, Carl toured the UK and Europe as the bassist and the US as musical director for Perry Farrell's Satellite Party.
KATY ROTH Branch Manager
Katy has spent many years in the music industry, in both Chicago and Baltimore promoting bands in record stores, clubs and radio stations. She is most proud of having worked with such bands as Radiohead, the Smashing Pumpkins, and Ben Harper. Upon returning to her home town of Los Angeles, Katy focused on strategic marketing initiatives at both Rhino Entertainment and Universal Home Video. Most recently Katy has been managing events and has helped to raise one million dollars to fund music in public schools. She is pleased that she has found a place to bring together her management skills, love of children, and rock n' roll.
kroth@schoolofrock.comNATHAN SIEGEL Guitar Instructor
Nathan Siegel (Guitar/Vocals) attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston and graduated with a dual major in performance and music education. After relocating to California gained instant success doing four tours with guitar legend Dave Davies (The Kinks) supporting The Kink’s Kronicles record. He's also been teaching guitar for over 15 years in Southern California.
Jody Della Santi
Growing up in Wayne, New Jersey, JODY DELLI SANTI studied classical and jazz piano from the age of eight, which eventually earned him a scholarship to Five Towns College in Long Island. Along the way, he taught himself guitar, bass, drums and vocals, which helped immensely when he cut his first record, and literally played every instrument on it.
In 2003, he partnered with Grammy Award winning producer Warren Riker and worked for two years on songs that became his SUPERCREEP album. Warren became a mentor, friend and collaborator, and Jody credits him with getting him signed to PRC/Universal in 2004, which is Pat Magnarella’s label (manager of GREENDAY, ALL AMERICAN REJECTS, GOO GOO DOLLS), and for the quality of the album. Contributors include Riker (drum programming, guitar, key producing), Marc Shelton (guitar), Rob Grosso (drums), and Robin Diaz (drums).
In 2006, Jody moved to Los Angeles where he randomly stumbled across the players that would help him form the most complete incarnation of SUPERCREEP. With the classically trained keyboard virtuosities of Lauren Pardini, Bass maestro Matt Maroulakos and the rapid fire drumming of Johnny Dinu, Jody found a musical kinship like never before. This four piece band of self professed 'supercreeps' have rapidly gained a reputation for their tight and entertaining shows within the jaded folded arm movement ever present on the west coast. From teen centers to hipster hang-outs, the band is fast becoming a vital part of the burgeoning underground music scene.
Demian Arriaga Drum Teacher
Drummer and Percussionist Demian Arriaga was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela in 1982. He has been playing drums for most of his life, listing bands such as Megadeth, Mr. Big, Extreme and Dream Theater as the guilty parties in his obsession with music.
Fast forward 20 years and Demian decided to make music his life. In 2001 he was accepted at the prestigious Berklee College of Music where he graduated in 2004 with a Degree in Professional Music. In this respected institute he studied drums with Dave Dicenso (John Petrucci), and personal childhood idol Mike Mangini (Steve Vai). His percussion studies were under Eguie Castrillo (Tito Puente), Ernesto Diaz (Mango Blue) and Jamey Haddad (Paul Simon).
He's played drums for artists such as the legendary rock singer Gary Cherone (Extreme, Van Halen), Flamenco guitar virtuoso Mario Reyes and the multi-Grammy winning Salsa legend Ruben Blades. His percussion work has been as varied, playing with numerous Hip Hop, Reggae and Rock bands in Boston, New York and Venezuela. His percussion work has been recently featured in Buick commercials all over the country. He's been part of supporting acts for artists such as Busta Rhymes, Ozomatli, Talib Kweli and N.E.R.D among others.
In addition Demian has been very active in his home country of Venezuela, having led numerous drum clinics and workshops.
Al Pahanish Drum Teacher
Multi platinum recording artist, drummer/vocalist, music composer/producer and multi instrumentalist...AL (AL3) Pahanish, Jr. is widely known as co founder and drummer for DreamWorks SKG recording artist Powerman 5000 (1990-02). His rock solid beats are the original foundation of the PM5K style and are deeply rooted in the long history of the art of drumming. He has performed around the world, appeared on numerous tv shows (Conan O'Brien, B.H. 90210), film soundtracks(Scream 3, Little Nicky, Zoolander) and was involved in some of music's most important tours such as Ozzfest 96-97 (Black Sabbath reunion), Metallica's Summer Sanitarium and the 1997 Kiss reunion tour. Al has performed or recorded with John Zorn/ Naked City, Cypress Hill, Soul Assassins, Martin Sexton, The Lunch Factor, Vixtrola, Eminem, 50 Cent, Mobb Deep, Obie Trice, Lloyd Banks, Avenged Sevenfold, Zora Young, Everlast, MC Rai, Screaming Headless Torsos and Zayra Alvarez(Rockstar:Supernova). Al received his BM in Percussion Performance from Boston's Berklee College of Music and studied theory, piano and composition under master bassoonist/ pianist Maxine Shimer at the Trinity College of Music, London (Pgh. centre) where he was also a candidate instructor of music theory and percussion. Now residing in Los Angeles, Al has been working with renowned Tunisian Rai artist MC Rai, teaching, doing sessions dates and composing music for film and television at his studio. Recently, the Gorilla Pictures release "The Lengend of Sasquatch" starring William Hurt and John Rhys Davies has won best animated feature at the 2007 International Family Film Festival in Los Angeles. Al was original music composer, arranger and producer for the film.
Lisa Harriton
Lisa Harriton is the keyboardist and back-up vocalist with the Grammy-award winning alternative rock band, The Smashing Pumpkins. She is also a singer/songwriter serving up a soulful blend of rock infused with jazz and world influences. Her music ranges from introspective ballads to infectious grooves, which she leads from the keyboard. Harriton began working as a studio singer at age 8 on dates for Disney, Integrity Media and Word Records. She sang the preproduction duet vocals on Rod Stewart's “Great American Songbook.”
Lisa graduated with distinction from the Royal Schools of London with a degree in classical piano. Lisa received a degree in Jazz Piano from University of Southern California in May 2004, where she studied privately with Alan Pasqua, one of the premier jazz pianists in the world today.
For several years, Harriton played the Los Angeles jazz club scene, drawing a growing following with eclectic sets interspersing jazz with her own original songs influenced by role models like Shawn Colvin, Patti Griffin and Alison Krauss.
During this time, Harriton also performed as a jazz pianist, playing or recording with veteran jazz musicians such as Ernie Watts, Joe LaBarbara, Darek Oles, Ingrid Jensen and Larry Koonse.
Music runs in her family. Her mother Terry Harriton is a prominent Los Angeles studio singer, father Michael Harriton is a composer and musician, and older brother Steven is also a musician.
On May 22, 2007, in Le Grand Rex club in Paris, she was unveiled as touring keyboardist and backing vocalist for the reformed Smashing Pumpkins. Harriton appears in the videos for "Tarantula" and "That's the Way (My Love Is)".
Neil Rambaldi
The lyrical and unique voice of Neil Rambaldi’s guitar, and his passion for melody, rhythm, and harmony have brought and continue to bring his music to many new fans on an international level. Fans of Rock and far beyond are experiencing Neil’s epic and eclectic brand of heavy Rock Fusion with his global influences bursting at the seams.
His acclaimed all-instrumental solo debut album “Perpetual Horizon” has been heard on FM radio waves in 13 countries to date since its release in 2002. His music has also been licensed in countless projects, including commercials for AMC TV, the feature film “199 Lives,” the extreme sport DVD “ThrillBillies,” Carmichael Training Systems’ audio workouts, a video game trailer for XGen Studios, and many others.
Neil’s guitar talents along with his skills as a composer, arranger, producer, and multi-instrumentalist have been used as well by other artists both live and in the studio. This includes former Universal Records recording artist Lilian Garcia, Kenny Simmons, former member of the three-time Grammy award-winning group The Commodores, Mausoleum Records (Belgium) recording artist Rivera Bomma, and singer/songwriter John Taglieri among others. Aside from regional touring with various artists, Neil has also performed on national and regional television with Lilian Garcia, and served as musical director for John Taglieri’s live band in addition to his lead guitar duties.
Very diverse in his taste of music, Neil’s influences range from various forms of Rock, especially progressive, along with Blues, Metal, Classical, Jazz, Latin Jazz, Flamenco, Funk, New Age, and even some of the mainstream Pop through the decades among others. He holds a B.A. in Music from William Paterson University in New Jersey, and has also attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. Neil enjoys bringing his knowledge, skills, and experience to the table at School of Rock.
www.neilrambaldi.com
JORDAN PLOSKY Drummer
Jordan has been playing drums for 18 years. While touring as the drummer for Ryan Cabrera, Jordan played live at many renowned venues including Madison Square Garden and Angels Stadium. He has also performed on many notable television programs including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Total Request Live, Good Morning America, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and many more! Jordan is currently touring with Perry Farrells band Satellite Party.
Wendy Winks Regional Director, Southern California
Wendy Winks started taking piano lessons at the age of 7, and by 14 was playing Rachmaninoff's Op.3 No.2, and Beethoven's Sonate Pathetique Op. 13. But what she really loved to play was The Beatles. Unfortunately, the School Of Rock didn't exist then! She has built her career by working with creative people to help them achieve their dreams - artists, writers, directors, and now at the Paul Green School Of Rock Music, the most rewarding of all - kids who want to learn to play music.
Prior to joining the school, Winks was a film producer and literary manager. Her company developed and co-produced the perennial holiday film, "Santa Jr." for the Hallmark Channel. She also produced "Diamond Dog Caper," a family comedy starring French Stewart, Luke Benward and Kevin Farley. As a literary manager, she repped clients Paul Brown, who wrote "Camp Rock" starring The Jonas Brothers for The Disney Channel, and Mark Stouffer, whose life story was told in the Warner Brothers Film, "Wild America." Winks is still a co-producer on a couple of film projects being shepherded by her producing partners: a true story about Bruce Lee being produced by Terence Chang and John Woo to be shot in China in 2009, and a romantic comedy being shot in the UK with Italian producer, Pete Maggi.
Prior to starting her own production company, Winks was Sr. Director of Corporate Partnerships at Universal Studios, and managed the studio's relationship with Kodak, and with Discover Financial Services. She also spent three years as Director of Marketing in the Home Video Group.
Winks received her MBA from Notre Dame de Namur University, and her undergrad degree from the University of North Texas.