Chuck Leavell
irocku founder
irocku was conceived by Chuck to teach the fundamentals of rock. Chuck is excited to share his passion for rock with you all.
Chuck is one of the greatest keyboard players in rock history. Chuck has shared the stage and recorded with some of the most influential players in rock and roll including, The Allman Brothers, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, The Black Crowes, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Cliff, John Mayer, Gov’t Mule, Indigo Girls, Aretha Franklin, Keith Urban, Train, The Marshall Tucker Band, Charlie Daniels, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Linda Rondstadt and The Rolling Stones.
chuck.leavell@irocku.com
Howard Citron
irocku co-founder
The concept of teaching music through rock’n roll came to Howard when he first heard Chuck’s legendary leads on the Allman Brothers’ song “Jessica”. Howard is a musician, entrepreneur, and a founder of IcniVad, a company founded on the principal of harnessing innovation within corporations. He has 20+ years of experience in product and business creation ranging from internet startups to inventing products and processes for Fortune 500 corporations. Howard has received numerous design awards and has been awarded well over a dozen patents for his innovations. Howard is an avid student of irocku.
howard@irocku.com
Cary Brown
irocku creative director
Cary is our creative director. Cary is a versatile pianist, having performed worldwide with many diverse performers ranging from The Band’s Levon Helm to jazz legend John Scofield. Cary is a classically trained pianist and earned a double-degree from the Eastman School of Music and the University of Rochester. Cary is a fanatic about rock rhythms and syncopation, an obsession he developed while playing keyboards for the Jamaican-jazz pioneers, The Skatalites. Cary is the musical director of the Purchase College Conservatory of Dance as well as the Director of the Rock’nRoll Camp at the Harvey School in Katonah.
cary@irocku.com
Allen Kay
irocku marketing director
Allen is an American advertising executive and entrepreneur. He holds 22 Clio awards. Advertising Age named Allen one of the most influential high-tech marketing professionals of the 20th Century. He created the iconic Xerox advertisement which aired during the 1976 Super Bowl and is still one of the top ten Super Bowl ads of all time. Allen is also known for his “See Something Say Something” advertising campaign for The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Allen is currently the CEO of Korey Kay & Partners in New York.
allen@irocku.com
Lawrence Kamenetsky, Esq.
irocku business development
Larry has over 25 years of Information Technology and Business Development experience. As a music industry counsel, Larry has brokered licensing arrangements with dozens of artists ranging from the Doors to the Rolling Stones. Larry nearly has as many degrees as there are notes in a musical scale. He has a B.E. from SUNY at Stony Brook, an M.S. from Cornell University, an M.B.A. from the New York University and a J.D. degree from Pace Law School. Larry listens to an eclectic mix of rock performers including, the Goo Goo Dolls, Bruce Springsteen, Chris Cornell, 3 Doors Down and the Wallflowers. His favorite album is from a little known (and now defunct) Southwestern band called “The Refreshments” (check out Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy).
larry@irocku.com
Collin DeJoseph
irocku piano instructor
Collin is a keyboardist, arranger, and composer and a graduate of the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. As a child in Syracuse, New York, Collin got his musical start playing songs on piano by ear and later studied classical music extensively, before moving to New York City to study jazz. His influences include Frank Zappa, Dr. John, Richard Tee, Bill Evans, and James Booker. He currently works playing jazz, blues, R&B, and rock’n roll with a number of distinct groups, as well as teaching privately.
collin@irocku.com
Matthew Watanabe
irocku piano instructor
Currently based in NYC, Matthew is a pianist and composer, who can be heard playing in pop and jazz groups when not rocking out on his own. Matthew gigs at the esteemed Soho house every week. Having found his musical beginnings in Japan with pop and rock music, Matthew set off to New York to study jazz at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, from which he graduated in early 2012. Matthew’s musical influences are Jamie Cullum, Elvis Presley, and Herbie Hancock.
matthew@irocku.com
Jacob Bergson
irocku piano instructor
Jacob Bergson is a pianist, keyboardist, producer, and composer currently residing in Brooklyn, New York. He received his formal musical training in jazz piano performance at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, and at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. He is interested in hearing, writing, and performing all kinds of music, and is a member of Jojo Mayer’s band, Nerve. Jacob finds constant inspiration in the music of Miles Davis, Igor Stravinsky, Samuel Barber, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Jimi Hendrix.
jacob@irocku.com
Jake Sherman
irocku piano instructor
Jake is one of the top young jazz artists in the country. As well as an accomplished jazz musician, Jake is a gospel keyboardist, playing organ every Sunday at the Greater Antioch Temple Baptist Church in Brooklyn. Jake has performed at the Grammy Awards and the International Jazz Festival in Bern, Switzerland and at renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Regattabar, Cachaca, the Berklee Performance Center, and the Lily Pad. He has studied with acclaimed jazz musicians such as Sam Yahel, Ari Hoenig, Marc Copland, Gerard D’angelo, Dave Zoffer, Doug Johnson, Dan Loschen, and Dr. Lonnie Smith.
jake@irocku.com
Conun Pappas
irocku piano instructor
Conun has been playing music since the age of seven. Conun attended the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, majoring in Jazz Piano. Conun has performed as soloist, ensemble member and currently performs with The Bridge Trio, rooted in New Orleans Jazz. He has appeared with jazz figures Donald Harrison, Alvin Batiste, Chico Hamilton, Barry Harris and Branford Marsalis, among others. He has performed at the Jazz and Heritage Festival for the past six years and at the Satchmo Music Festival for four years.
conun@irocku.com
Ben Fink
irocku guitar instructor
Ben started playing guitar at age 11 and has never stopped playing. Ben attended the Berklee College of Music and has recorded with Richie Goods (Manhattan Transfer, Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston) and Peter O’Brien (Orleans, Edgar Winter, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells). He currently leads The Ben Fink Trio and is also Lead Guitarist for the Boston-based rock group Some Say Fire. When not performing, Ben provides guitar accompaniments for modern dance classes throughout New England and teaches at the Bedford Youth Performing Company music program.
ben@irocku.com
Gabe Gordon
irocku piano instructor
Gabe Gordon is a keyboardist, pianist, arranger and songwriter living in New York City. A graduate of Wesleyan University, Gabe performs and records across the northeast with a variety of acts (most notably as a founding member of NYC Indie-Soul sextet, The Rooks). Gabe also coordinates the Distance Learning program at the Manhattan School of Music. His work spans a vast array of genres, including Rock, Jazz, R&B and Soul, and his influences include Stevie Wonder, Steve Winwood, Billy Preston, Herbie Hancock, John Medeski and many more.
gabe@irocku.com
Jon Williams
irocku historian
Jon is a High School History teacher and a native of Southern California. A former professional musician with band credits including; Vertical Slot, Band X, The Blind, Lost Cause and Monkey Stu, Jon has a lifelong love of music that encompasses the entire history of American music. From the early days of Jazz and Folk Blues, to Rock, R&B, Soul, Grunge, Punk , Metal or the current ‘Screamo’ scene, he has a passion for music that is undeniable: his student’s call him, “Rock and Roll.” He has compiled a healthy list of favorites ranging from Muddy Waters, Miles Davis, and Led Zeppelin, to Social Distortion, Rammstein, Muse, Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, Greenday and a lot of different stuff. Jon’s mantra is, “there is a lot of great music past and present waiting to be heard, the more you explore the greater your musical adventure will be.”
jon@irocku.com
Yang Nie
irocku web developer
Yang is a web developer extraordinaire. He has over twenty years of IT experience and is highly proficient in large-scale web application design, development and support. Yang’s career includes complex system and web development for companies such as Verizon and Priceline and we are thrilled that he decided to help out with irocku. Yang is a classical music fan but we’re slowly turning him into a rocker.
yang@irocku.com
Lainey Fink
irocku web designer
Lainey was born and raised in the woods in New York State where she was immersed in art (and great classic rock) from an early age. After earning a BFA in Graphic Design from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Lainey began her career working with iconic designer, Milton Glaser. She continues to create with some of the best designers in the field. Lainey develops branding, identity, packaging, print, interactive, and advertising for a broad range of clients. When not designing, she can be found playing tennis, hiking, snowboarding and listening to Fleet Foxes and the Beatles.
lainey@irocku.com
Dylan Citron
irocku performer
Dylan plays the drums and keyboards and has played in bands with his friends throughout high school and is currently a Music Industry major at Northeastern. Dylan’s musical influences include Waxahatchee, Sufjan Stevens, Radiohead, and Modest Mouse. As an irocku student he’s learning to dig the rock legends!
dylan@irocku.com
Jagger
irocku performer
Jagger plays the piano and the clarinet. Jagger has been humming Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker since he was 4 years old. His affinity for music has led him to irocku. He started playing the piano at age 11. His progress and his enthusiasm have skyrocketed since he became a member of irocku.
jagger@irocku.com
Shawn Pfaffman
IROCKU PIANO INSTRUCTOR
Shawn is a soulful Jazz and Blues Pianist from Jacksonville, FL. His signature style, “Southern Jazz” is a flavorful gumbo loaded with Blues, Soul, Gospel and Funk. He has performed throughout the world as a solo artist, band leader and sideman. Shawn has recorded 6 solo albums including his latest release, “Southern Jazz Piano”. His piano and Hammond B3 playing has been recorded in studios for artists in genres including: Pop, Rock, Country, Hip-hop, Jazz, Blues, and Reggae. Shawn studied Music (Jazz Studies) at Auburn University and has taught and performed professionally for over 20 years.
Ben Appel
IROCKU Piano Instructor
Benjamin is a NYC pianist, composer and arranger. He began studying piano at 5 years old making his first professional debut at 12. He began studying jazz in high school, receiving the Luis Armstrong Award, and continued his studies at Berklee College of Music. Ben currently studies piano, composition and arranging at New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music . The Benjamin Appel Sextet debut album “Setting Sail” was released July 1st, 2018. Ben draws inspiration and techniques from both the rock and jazz giants.
Baden Goyo
irocku piano instructor
In 2017, Baden received 2 Latin Grammy Awards for Best Latin Album of the Year and Best Album of Salsa and 1 Grammy Award for Best Latin Tropical Album for his collaboration as composer with Ruben Blades in the album “Salsa Big Band”. Baden tours both nationally and internationally and frequently appears throughout the New York City scene performing Jazz, Blues and Rock in iconic venues such as: Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, BB King’s, Groove and The Bitter End. Baden’s musical influences include artists like- Bill Evans, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Michel Camilo among others.
baden@irocku.com