School Of Groove

I am a beginner bass player and have been playing in a band for almost two years. We practice twice a week at School of Groove and since the beginning we have been taking lessons with Gabe and he is a truly gifted teacher. Gabe has lots of energy, is detail oriented, very patient, and is passionate about teaching students the theory behind music but making it fun.\r \r Gabe plays drums, guitar, bass, piano and I'm sure many other instruments and I highly recommend him if you're interested in learning about music. more

Join us for an Saturday afternoon of musical exploration! \r \r Children and parents will get up close and personal with the instruments they hear on the radio and see played on stage. Faculty from the School of Groove will perform and demonstrate several different instruments. Then students will get a chance to touch, blow, pluck, bow, and strike as much as they want, and get a free trial lesson on their instrument of choice.\r \r November 10, 2012 @1pm Pros: Great music, good fun, and free! Cons: None! more

School of Groove has provided a tremendous jumpstart to my teen son's musical talents and skill development. I'm amazed at his newfound enthusiasm which carries over at home in working on his own compositions. He can't wait to share his ideas and creative explorations with his instructor Gabriel Cruser, who has inspired much of this creativity and, more importantly, the self-confidence he needed to pursue his interests in more depth. An added bonus has been School of Groove's recent transformation into a new facility complete with it's own recital hall and expanded studio spaces. As a parent, I can't say enough about the positive impact School of Groove has had on my son and me. more

I signed my teenager up for their music camp this summer. Not so good. My child said the teacher wasn't helpful and there was hardly any actual instruction. The bands were too large (6 kids to a band) with too many big young egos and hardly any guidance. As a consequence, those who were newer to their instruments got a raw deal because the more advanced students in the band felt the right to take over. A few changes could make this camp better: A) School of Groove may want to consider musical taste and personalities when putting the bands together rather than just musical abilities, this way, those who are less proficient might still enjoy themselves in some way. B) They also need to get more staff or space or both so there can be smaller bands. 3 bands with 4 members each makes a lot more sense then 2 bands of 6. This way, there can be more time for instruction and an opportunity for each child to shine a bit the day of the performance. I mean, isn't that the whole point of a camp like this one-- to make your child feel like an integral part of an actual rock band? A friend sent her child last year and he had a great time but there were less kids, the session lasted for two weeks and though he was just a beginner, he had more opportunities. This year, School of Groove really seems to be pushing enrollment-- offering discounts galore-- but they don't seem prepared for the bigger numbers or they simply don't care and just need the money. It's hard to tell. Aside: don't go with their meal plan. $10/day for lunch. I thought for that price they would get some good sandwiches or decent pizza, but it was just cheap-chain-fast-food. Not worth it. more

The Vuk School of Groove has been for me the best new addition to East Cambridge since I moved here in 2004. It is conveniently located on Cambridge Street, across the street from the King Open public elementary school, making it especially easy for parents like me to enroll our children in afternoon or early evening music lessons. And there are plenty of cafes and restaurants nearby to grab a bite before or after your lesson. The instructors at the school are all excellent musicians who live to teach their craft to students. They will take all comers, and despite my obvious lack of talent they have been consistently enthusiastic, supportive and helpful as I try to learn percussion, both hand drums and drum set, and beef up my classical guitar skills. They taught my daughter how to play the flute and my son will soon be a far better drummer than I am. My favorite innovation at the school is the ""ensemble"" concept, which allows amateurs like me to play in a student band lead by an instructor and put on performances for our friends and family in local venues. This is both tremendously rewarding and endlessly entertaining and undoubtedly extremely helpful in teaching us how to perform music for an audience. My only complaint is the infrastructure. The space and the instruments are so popular that it is difficult to keep them in top notch shape. The best cure for that however is to run, don't walk, and sign up for lessons so that the school can afford the upkeep. Your first lesson is free, so it costs you nothing to try it out for yourself. The Vuk School of Groove is a true gem in our city, teaching music to all who want to learn, and doing so in the most generous and welcoming way possible. Even if you have no interest in learning how to make music you should support this establishment because it is making the world a better place, one happy amateur musician at a time! more

What a great place for kids and adults to participate in music lessons and ensembles, and actually get the opportunity to perform in real rock venues throughout the city. Great job guys! Pros: teachers, shows, community more

School of Groove is a friendly community music school, easily accessible from Cambridge St, that offers students of all ages affordable music education. My daughter just started taking lessons, and her teacher is so inspiring to her, and she is really excited to practice. The school itself is a comfortable, and clean place for parents to wait and talk with other parents. I highly recommend School of Groove to music lovers of all ages. Pros: High Quality Instruction more

My son has been enrolled at School of Groove for nearly one year, and has performed at Ryles Jazz Club, Johnny D's, Pickman Hall, and other great music venues throughout the city. Great job to the teachers and staff for putting together such a stellar program with excellent opportunities for students. Thank you! Pros: student performances at real rock clubs throughout Boston more

Very disappointing, we drove from Dedham for our first lesson, the teacher never showed up, he knew we were there because an employee called him and gave him my cell number, he never called. I waited until Tuesday, I never heard from anyone so I called Mr Vuk, I told him what had happened.You all may be good musicians, but there are better than you out there,and they are now getting my and my friends business. more