Any Grove School of Music alumni here?

[Bucktunes]

This morning I was reminded of some fond memories I have for this school in Van Nuys, CA. Sadly, it closed in `91 or `92 when Dick retired. It was an incredible learning experience, and there's not a time I lay my hands on a keyboard without applying something I learned there.

 

Unfortunately, I've lost contact with all my former classmates. I was in the Keyboard Instruction Program from June `88 through June `89 - Well before we had internet or email to keep in contact. Just thought I'd give a shout out to anybody who wanted to refresh old memories or tell some good stories. Steve LeBlanc, I know you're out there!

 

BTW, I'm aware there's a forum for GSM alumni, but it's pretty dry - Nobody's posted there for a while...

[Bobadohshe]

Steve Weingart was a student there I think, then later an instructor. When I studied with him he gave me some cool exercise photocopies that said 'Grove school of music' in the corner.

[Steve LeBlanc]

Yes, I studied Piano, Composition and a bit of Synthesis there

 

Dick Grove was an absolute genius, his approach to modern harmony was revolutionary and extremely useful for any pro musician, IMHO. That and he was a truly wonderful man.

 

I'll try to tell a fun story or 2 if I have time later.

 

 

[steadyb]

Keyboard program and Synth program '86 & '87 ...in the original building at Ventura and Coldwater.

 

Two of the best years of my life...great times.

[KenElevenShadows]

I never went there, but I just wanna say that when we auditioned musicians for our bands, almost always anyone who came from Dick Grove School of Music was considerably better than the others. Whatever they had going, it worked.

 

I called up there once, saying that I was interested in their recording program. The guy said quietly, presumably so he would not be overheard, "it costs $4000. For $4000 dollars, you could buy your own recording equipment, and in just a few weeks, you'd get more recording experience than you would in a year long course. AND you'd have recording equipment."

 

I thanked him, and ultimately, that's exactly what I ended up doing. Only I started out with more like $400.

[Bucktunes]

Keyboard program and Synth program '86 & '87 ...in the original building at Ventura and Coldwater.

I spent a quarter in General Musicianship from March to June `88 to "qualify" for the Keyboard program. They were moving from this facility to the one in Van Nuys during this time. So I got to spend some time in each place.

[Bucktunes]

Dick Grove was an absolute genius, his approach to modern harmony was revolutionary and extremely useful for any pro musician, IMHO. That and he was a truly wonderful man.

All true! Dick was probably the ideal music teacher - Challenging but encouraging, demanding but patient, critical but complimentary once you got it. And he had a great sense of humor! I still remember some "Groveisms" - "A perfect fourth with a friend", "Some of my best friends are diatonic", "diarrhea of the fingers" etc. He once described playing left hand bass and singing - "It's like patting your head and rubbing your stomach, and tie a broom to your a$$ and sweep the floor!"

 

I believe I learned more in one year there than I could have taught myself in ten. And again, I can clearly hear his influence in most everything I do with music. When I started there I dug jazz, but had no idea how to play it. By the time I graduated I had a pretty good grip on it...Or at least enough to know how to explore it intelligently!

 

[LALontoc]

Hi guys, wasn't sure if you knew about the Grove alumni page on FB. We have over 500 alumni and teachers. Come say hello. We just had a mini reunion last night and planning the main one for June 2014.

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/37185704818/

 

Lee

[Bucktunes]

Thanks for the link, Lee. Just got signed up!

[LX88]

I took some classes in drum set from David Garibaldi and Peter Donald around 1983 and 1984 there. I was really not playing keyboards per se at the time, though I did play vibes.

 

Speaking of vibes , it's interesting to hear Dave Ferris speak of Charlie Shoemake. He seemed to be the go to improv guy in L.A.duing the time I was there ( 80's and 90's). As I recall he had a collection of solos that he would teach and then have the students transpose.He was pretty into Charlie Parker, as I am.

 

I inherited a bunch of the Grove books from a guy named Michael Cavanaugh, who played Rhodes and Clavinet on Ronnie Laws classic cut "Always There" from his PRESSURE SENSITIVE album. Micheal died a tragic death, and his mother gave me his old books.

[Sparky2]

I have a couple of books/videos and have been looking for more on the used market. Can't afford to buy them "new" from Dirk. Something about Dick's presentation that sinks in....

 

Mark

[moj]

I first met Dick at my college jazz ensemble and he was the clinician/friend of our music director. We read through one of his charts while he conducted. He was quite direct with his critique and he knew his "sh*t". Later, I call the Grove School and Dick answered. I wanted to get the intro course they offered and he said he'll send it to me if I passed the audition question, which was... "What's the first chord you play for Happy Birthday?" I answered correctly and he said you pass!

A few years later I was at a jam session and Dick's son Dana sat in and tore it up on guitar.

[steadyb]

We had a great reunion party Saturday night at Sportsman's Lodge.

 

Right across the street from the old school. (now a dry cleaner)

[Docbop]

I was searching for something Dick Grove Music Workshops later Grove School of Music and found this old thread. I was a student there in the early days and later worked at the school from about 1975 to 1984, I left right before the move to Van Nuys. It was a great school and turned out a lot of excellent musicians. Also a number people that went from students to instructors eventually. I wish I still had my old copy of Modern Harmonic Relationships great book.

 

Hello to any old Grove students.

[Baldwin Funster]

Not an grove alumni but I used to see the Dick Grove Music sign when I was a kid riding the bus through the valley on my way to my guitar lesson at Valley Arts on laurel canyon. Ahh good times.

[Docbop]

Not an grove alumni but I used to see the Dick Grove Music sign when I was a kid riding the bus through the valley on my way to my guitar lesson at Valley Arts on laurel canyon. Ahh good times.

 

That was a cool area Valley Arts was just down the street and I used to hang out there on my lunch breaks. Some of the teachers from Valley Arts also taught at Grove. Then further down the blvd the Baked Potato and Donte's over on Lankershim, so many nights after I closed Grove's I head out to hear some great music. Definitely good times.

[Baldwin Funster]

For extra points who remembers that burger stand with the sign *you can beat our prices but you can't beat our meat*.