

keylab teachers

Administrative Coordinator, Electric and Double Bass, Guitar, Piano, Songwriting/Production, Voice
Aaron is a musician, producer and teacher based in Brooklyn, NY who has performed and taught around the world at festivals, concert halls, jazz clubs and conservatories in China, Australia, Europe and the Americas. Aaron is a graduate of Berklee’s Global Jazz Institute and the University of North Texas, where he was honored by the faculty as the single “Outstanding Undergraduate in Jazz Studies,” and was awarded full scholarship at both schools. He loves sharing and making music with people of all ages.

Adrian Cohen
Piano, Drums, Songwriting, Production, Music Theory, Performance Coaching
Adrian is a pianist specializing in rock, jazz, and beginning classical piano, and is the founder and director of Keylab. He has opened for or performed with legendary artists such as Terence Blanchard, Larry Coryell, K.D.Lang and the Charles Neville Quartet, and has written music for PBS and NPR. Adrian has recorded two albums under his own name, and has been teaching piano and music related subjects for over 25 years.

Drums, Piano, Songwriting, Music Production, Songlab Teacher
Avery Logan is a Brooklyn-based artist and educator originally hailing from Chapel Hill, NC. Along with a jazz studies degree from the New England Conservatory of Music, Avery has a decade of performance experience under his belt spanning cutting edge late night jazz jam sessions, high energy funk groups, and contemporary dance troupe productions to international appearances backing standup comic Rob Schneider. As a teacher, he’s passionate about the benefits of music education as a tool to build self-esteem, discipline, community, and a deeper appreciation for life.

Bob Bruya
Electric and Upright Bass, Piano, Guitar, Drums, Ukulele, Voice, Music Production, Songwriting, Songlab Teacher
Bob is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter from Ellensburg, Washington, a desert town in the American West. Growing up he heard country music every day on the school bus, had a father who is a jazz trumpet player, and started playing in youth orchestras at the age of 8. After high school he moved to Miami to attend the Frost School of Music on full scholarship, graduating in 2017 with a degree in Studio Music and Jazz. Since then he has been living in New York City, maintaining an active and eclectic schedule performing, recording, and teaching.

Piano, Guitar, Ukulele, Voice, Songwriting, Music Theory
Eliza is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and educator based in Brooklyn. A finalist in the renowned Kerrville Folk Festival songwriting competition, Eliza studied music at Colorado College and is fluent in songwriting, music theory, fingerstyle guitar, and beginning piano and ukulele. Eliza brings passion, patience, and humor to her students – tailoring lessons to students’ needs with a goal of instilling a life-long love of music.

Grant Braider
Piano, Voice, Guitar, Electric Bass, Ukulele, Drums, Music Production, Songwriting
Grant Braider is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, and teacher from Long Island. Starting from a classical background, Grant studied vocal performance, receiving his Bachelor’s from Carnegie Mellon University and his Master’s from the New England Conservatory. He found himself branching out after returning to New York; channeling some jazz roots singing with big bands and combos of all sizes, and playing bass with alt-rock and funk bands. He is currently working on his debut EP, a melange of all the styles he loves. Grant believes in classical training and technique as a foundation for creative freedom and inspiration, meeting students where they are, and ultimately, in music as a source of joy.
%20-%20Jonathan%20Starks.jpeg)
Jonathan Starks
Drums, Piano, Songwriting, Music Production
Jonathan Starks is a drummer, producer, and pianist originally from Phoenix, AZ. He received his Master’s degree from New England Conservatory in 2020, and now lives in New York City. He stays busy playing drums in several bands, producing records, DJ’ing, and teaching music lessons. Jonathan is a passionate educator, with an adaptable approach tailored to the individual goals and needs of any student.

Joe Asprea
Guitar, Piano, Electric Bass, Drums
Joe is a passionate and versatile musician with over 20 years of experience playing a variety of instruments. He is an expert guitarist, but also plays piano/keys, bass guitar, trumpet, mellophone, and percussion. Joe has been a part of a wide array of musical projects, playing both live and in the studio with ensembles and bands, both large and small, and has written, recorded and released his own original music. Joe's stylistic interests are also wide ranging, from bossa nova and R&B, to folk and hard rock.

Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, Beginning Piano, Songwriting
Before coming to Brooklyn, guitarist/composer Luis Salcedo graduated from the California Jazz Conservatory and was an active performer on the west coast and internationally, including tours of Spain, Canada, and Colombia. Luis is also an avid educator, specializing in working creatively with learners of all ages towards developing a strong music theory foundation. Luis loves working with younger students from ages 3 and up, but he also works with teens and adults on guitar and bass technique, advanced theory, composition/songwriting, and improvisation. Luis is a kind and supportive teacher who strives to make his lessons fun, creative, and rewarding for students young and old.

Piano, Voice, Songwriting, Music Production, Songlab Teacher
Forest is a singer, songwriter, and performer with a Bachelor's degree in Music and a Master's degree in Composition. When he's not working on his own queer indie-pop songs, he loves to teach! Forest has an upbeat, playful approach to teaching that centers joy, creative self-expression, and embodiment. He particularly enjoys teaching folks to sing and play their favorite songs (self-accompaniment); he also loves to nerd out about music theory. He is trans and is interested in working with other trans and gender-nonconforming folks of all ages.

Guitar, Songwriting, Electronic Music, Music Production, Songlab Lead Teacher & Curriculum Designer
Matthew Ryals is an electronic musician, guitarist, and instructor based in New York City, and has a Masters in Guitar Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Last year he released his first full-length album "Machine Memory" on Oxtail Records, which was followed by a 20-date tour across the East Coast and Midwest. Matthew has been teaching for over 10 years and works with students of all ages and skill levels.

Jay Yin
Piano, Guitar, Ukulele, Songwriting
Jay Yin is a musician and music teacher in New York. Jay graduated Berklee College of Music in 2022 with a double-major, earning degrees in Professional Music and Songwriting. He is currently attending New York University Steinhardt pursuing a Master's Degree in songwriting and is also active as a performer in and around the NYC area. Jay's experience teaching a diverse range of styles (he teaches classical, rock, pop, country, and blues) and ages makes him a great choice for students young and old. Jay's primary goal as a teacher is to give students a firm musical foundation while having fun in the process.

Zak Walker-Kahne
Piano, Guitar, Ukulele, Songwriting
Zak Walker-Kahne began playing jazz and rock guitar as a kid before focusing his studies on the piano. He graduated from Bard College, where he studied Jazz composition and performance under the direction of John Esposito. Zak is also a singer-songwriter. He released his debut album "Passenger Side" in November 2021 and is currently enrolled in a master's program in songwriting at NYU. He has taught music lessons for the past 4 years to students ranging in age from five to eighty four, and loves sharing his passion for music with students of all skill levels.