Paul Trunko - Guitar, Electric Bass, Harmonica

Paul has been teaching basic beginner to advanced private and group lessons full-time in Denver since 1998. Specializing in rhythm and lead guitar mainly in the styles of rock, blues, bluegrass, folk, and country, as well as adding ideas of improvising, songwriting and singing. He also offers beginning to intermediate lessons on harmonica and electric bass. Performing regionally for years on the front range with bluegrass band Quickdraw, jam band Shakedown Street, and now a current member of folk/blues trio Trunko, Kirkland & Briggs. Paul also has recorded two acoustic kid/family albums in the Jammy Man series, playing children’s concerts and assemblies at libraries, schools, festivals and Swallow Hill Music Association.

Kimberly Bird - Electric/Upright Bass, Guitar

Kim has over a decade of experience teaching bass and guitar from the beginner level through more advanced students.  From rock to pop to jazz to classical, her musical background and training is extremely versatile which is reflected in her approach to teaching.  She holds a Master's Degree in Double Bass Jazz Performance from the Lamont School of Music, and maintains an active performing schedule. 

Jim Venis – Ukulele 

["Venis" rhymes with "Dennis"]:

Jim has a special sensitivity to adult learners, to people who do not read music, and to people with little musical background—or none at all. He considers it his mission to help people unlock the music in themselves, and ukulele is the key.

Jim played with his mother's ukulele at the age of 4...until the strings broke! He played trumpet in bands from elementary school into college, and he studied piano, music theory, and composition. Over the years, Jim tinkered with a lot of instruments (harmonica, lap dulcimer, fife, Cajun accordion, and so on), but he re-discovered ukulele while on Kauai in 2003.

In 2004, Jim became the founding leader of the Denver Ukulele Community. An unanticipated consequence of this was that he had to learn to sing. That organization is still going strong and still meeting at Swallow Hill, where 50 or more ukulele players assemble to share their enthusiasm every month. In 2012, Jim helped to found the Rocky Mountain Ukulele Orchestra (RMUO), and he served as both concert master and board member. He also composed and arranged music in as many as eight parts for the Orchestra. His ukulele quartet performed with the Orchestra.

 Find Jim on Facebook as @UkuleleLaboratory.

Also See Joe Riedel for Guitar.