Kenny Lavitz, West Linn

For nearly 20 years, guitarist Kenny Lavitz has masterfully blended jazz, rock, and blues into his own distinct sound. When he's not recording critically acclaimed LPs or performing solo and group gigs, he nurtures budding guitarists during one-on-one lessons. Kenny trains beginners in rudimentary techniques, such as strumming basic chord progressions and mastering simple riffs. From there, he helps students refine more complex skills, such as sweep-picking, where you replace your strumming hand with a broom. Besides helping pupils conquer the fretboard, Kenny teaches them to read and transcribe notation, as well as play with fellow musicians during jams with Kenny's other students and also enjoy helping people learn how to play their favorite songs.