Welcome to West Brothers Music
Brothers Sharing Their Passion for Music
For years, the West Brothers have been dedicated to performing and teaching music throughout New England. Though each of us has pursued different paths and specialties, our bond as a family remains strong. We continue to collaborate, sharing teaching methods, musical ideas, and technical expertise to inspire the next generation of musicians.
This website serves as a central hub for The West Brothers to share updates on our individual musical journeys, performances, and teaching endeavors — all in one place.
David West
Piano, Guitar, Voice, Hand Percussion
David West is the driving force behind westbrothersmusic.com, blending decades of performance and music education experience. His diverse background spans live performances, studio recordings, and personalized instruction across multiple instruments. David’s full biography, highlighting his journey as a performer and educator, is featured here—along with videos and updates showcasing his ongoing musical projects.
A Musical Journey Through Teaching and Performance
David West has been involved in music study and performance for over 40 years and has been an instructor for over 25 years. His dedication to teaching began with many years at Tewksbury Music Center, followed by two years at the Music Workshop in Salem, NH. David later returned to Tewksbury Music Center for several more years, continuing to guide and inspire students. He also taught for many years at West Brothers Music in Londonderry, Nashua and Amherst, NH, where his students regularly performed in recitals at the historic Methuen Memorial Music Hall.
As a performer, David has been part of various music ensembles spanning genres from country to jazz. He spent many years performing with the Alphonso Thomas Jazz Quintet, blending creativity and rhythm in live performances.
Celebrating a Student’s Success
Throughout his teaching career, David has been proud to see his students thrive. One notable example is Matt Pavolaitis, a former student from the Music Workshop in Salem, NH. Matt recently shared how the jazz theory foundations David taught him helped him prepare and succeed in college, and launch his music career. In a recent conversation about an interview with Methuen Life, Matt reflected:
I had to mention to the reporter what an impact you had on prepping me for college and handing over those jazz theory roots. Without which I probably wouldn’t have made it through!
Other uplifting thoughts by Matt were:
I can’t believe you remember (during some in-home college prep lessons) that HUGE 30ft bar my parents had in the basement how crazy is that. Also I’ll never forget when you came to see my rock band play at Methuen high. Those are such impactful moments in life.
Another thing you said that I’ll never forget in addition drilling those altered ii V i’s, was that as we get older we become more critical of other players and to watch out and be aware of yourself doing that. Such a deep concept.
Today, Matt is making music in Hollywood and was recently featured in the article Making Beautiful Music from Methuen High to Hollywood. He even worked on a Coca-Cola Zero Sugar holiday commercial—watch it here!
Continuing the Musical Journey
David remains dedicated to sharing his knowledge and passion for music with musicians of all levels. He is currently writing and recording music while performing as a percussionist at his local church. He also runs and performs at a Coffehouse in Merrimack, NH.
Piano Studies
New England Conservatory of Music Extension Division: Four years of private Jazz Piano and Improvisation study with Professor Bruce Torff of the New England Conservatory of Music ED.
New England Conservatory Jazz Ensemble: Intensive jazz music performance study at the New England Conservatory with Professor Michael Taylor under the tutelage of Professor Bruce Torff.
Voice Studies
Music is Art Agency: Studied Voice Pedagogy with New England Conservatory graduate and instructor Barbara Morash for six years.
Vocal performance in the Classical, Jazz, and Popular music generes.
David has also performed solo performances, shows, and recitals representing Barbara and the Music is Art Agency.
Guitar Studies
Berklee College of Music Extension School: Specialist Certificate in Guitar Skills.
Scale Studies with Professor Larry Baione
David studied guitar scales with Berklee Professor and New England Conservatory graduate Larry Baione, who was also the head of the Berklee College of Music Guitar Department.
"David, very enjoyable listening to you. Nice paraphrasing of some melody of the bossa. Excellent sound. The G piece sounded excellent."
"David—the scales are right on—legato and very in tune with the tempo. Good job on the melody."
"David—you did exactly what I was looking for... very, very nice!! Your solo really reflected the tunes."
"Excellent playing, David... the melody is not easy... very well played. You solo as if you have been playing the tunes for some time."
"David—you nailed the melody. I really like your solo starting with those repeated... and restating that phrase... not all of your solo is blues scale... very enjoyable and strong soloing."
Chord Studies with Professor Rick Peckham
David studied guitar chord techniques with world-renowned Berklee Professor Rick Peckham.
"David's been a real contributor to the success of the class, which, I must say, has been one of the most vibrant sections I've ever had."
"Dave, you are a natural teacher... patient, methodical and, most importantly, you can back it up!"
"David, thank you for this handy addition—the first PDF posted by a Chords 101 participant in the course's two-year history. I'm sure that it will help a lot of people to get these shapes under control."
Improvisation Studies with Professor Ed Tomassi
David studied guitar improvisation with Berklee Graduate and Professor Ed Tomassi.
"Very good musical solo on assignment 1.2. Great use of phrasing! Most of the time you used repetition and that gives the solo unity... Nice guitar sound!... Good work."
"Wow!!!! Fantastic job with the challenge assignment trombone transcription!!!!!!!... You sounded great! All of your pitches and rhythms were accurate!... I really liked this solo on guitar... Keep up the fantastic job."
"Very good AAA riff and AAB lyric melody!!! Great use of repetition on your solos and good contrasting rhythms... Nice guitar sound too."
"I really enjoyed your Harmonic Riff melody and solo. You sound very musical and organized. Nice use of rhythmic displacement—syncopation!... Great job!"
"Excellent job with assignment 7!!! You know the chord tones and very good job with voice leading... Fantastic! I am enjoying your new level of musicianship!!!"
"Great work on the challenge assignment!!! Excellent job going to different chord tones and scale notes. Your written chart is great!... Excellent job, good legato playing."
"Excellent job with assignment 10 chromatic approaches to chord tone motives!!!!!!! You did a really good job following directions and sticking to the concepts. Good discipline!"
"Fantastic job throughout this course. I have really enjoyed working with you. My best to you with all of your musical ambitions!"
Jimmy Bruno Guitar Institute
David also studied for two years at his mentor's "Jimmy Bruno Guitar Institute", learning jazz guitar theory and improvisation using Jimmy Bruno's renowned teaching approach.
Private Guitar Studies
David completed three years of private jazz guitar study, including:
- One year of jazz guitar and guitar theory with Andrew Martin of Berklee College of Music.
- Two years of jazz guitar with Don Pendleton of Saugus, Massachusetts, focusing on jazz chord melodies.
Web Design, Video Production, and Digital Marketing
In addition to his extensive musical background, David brings years of experience in web design, video production, graphic design, and digital marketing. His creative skills extend beyond music, helping artists and businesses build their online presence and grow their brands.
Explore David's web and marketing work at West Web Pages — a hub for digital marketing solutions, affiliate marketing ventures, and online business development.
Original Composition: Written, Arranged, and Performed by David West
Contact David
If you’re interested in music lessons, live performances, collaborations, or have any questions, feel free to reach out!
📞 Phone: 603-438-1903
📍 Location: Merrimack, NH
📧 Email: davidwest316@gmail.com
🌐 Website: www.westbrothersmusic.com
Looking forward to connecting with you!
Bill West
Bass, Guitar, Educator, and Music Innovator
Bill West has been deeply immersed in the study, performance, and instruction of bass for over forty years. Early in his musical journey, Bill honed his craft through private studies with renowned instructors, including Bruce Gertz of the Berklee College of Music, and Bill Urmsom of the New England Conservatory. He also expanded his classical guitar knowledge under the guidance of guitar instuctors Steve Lin of the New England Conservatory of Music, and and Olav Chris Henricksen of Boston Conservatory. These experiences have helped him develop a distinctive approach to mastering and understanding stringed instruments.
Throughout his extensive career, Bill has performed professionally across a wide variety of musical styles, including jazz, gospel, funk, rock, country, and R&B. He has collaborated with notable original acts such as the Alphonso Thomas Quintet, Voices of Hope, and an array of wedding and function bands. His experience spans the recording field as well, where he gained proficiency in bass and guitar studio session work, musical arrangement, composition, and scoring. In addition to his freelance and studio work, Bill frequently performs with the West Brothers and other Contemporary Christian Music groups.
In 2024, Bill founded Basspedia, a visionary platform dedicated to everything bass. This endeavor reflects his lifelong commitment to sharing knowledge and inspiring others in the world of bass performance and education. Beyond performance, Bill continues to provide musical arrangements for numerous songs and albums, solidifying his role as a versatile and influential figure in the music industry.
Today, Bill West combines his entrepreneurial spirit with his passion for music, owning his own business while continuing to work as a freelance musician. His contributions as a performer, teacher, and innovator make him a respected and enduring presence in the music community.
Bill is a dedicated music educator, teaching at various schools and sharing his expertise through his online platform, basspedia.com. His passion for the bass guitar drives his mission to build a supportive learning community for musicians of all levels.
Jazz/Rock Fusion Excerpt by Bill West
Contact Bill
Get in touch with Bill West for all your bass-related needs! Whether you’re interested in booking live performances, scheduling lessons, or inquiring about session work, Bill is here to help.
📞 Phone: 978-408-4066
📍 Location: Chelmsford, MA
📧 Email: basspedia123@gmail.com
🌐 Website: www.basspedia.com
Reach out today to start your musical journey or discuss how Bill can bring his expertise to your next project!
Jim West
Piano, Guitar, Voice, Drums and Percussion
Jim has been performing and producing music for a span of 40 years. From as early as 10 years old, he was introduced to a broad variety of musical genres. He was influenced by the writing styles of his parents, who wrote their own musicals. Jim spent many of his early years performing in country, pop, jazz and rock genres. He and his brothers owned and operated a recording studio and music lesson studio for many years in Southern New Hampshire. He has continued producing music, and has created arrangements for artists in various styles of music and also performed the vocal tracks along with them.
Jim has been a worship leader for 25 years and currently leads worship at his church in Crossville, Tennessee. One of Jim's primary goals is to train others and help them achieve their musical goals. Jim has been a music instructor at Village Music School in Cary, NC teaching piano, voice, drums and guitar since 2015 and now continues to teach lessons for VMS online via Skype from Sparta, Tennessee. He also teaches private online lessons, desiring to reach out to his local communities here in Tennessee.
Jim offers remote music lessons from his professional studio in Tennessee. With years of experience in performance and teaching, Jim brings a personalized approach to music education. Explore his work and get in touch through his website: Jim’s Studio.
Jim West Performing Lullabye
Contact Jim
If you’re interested in music lessons, live performances, collaborations, or have any questions, feel free to reach out!
📞 Phone: 603-438-6193
📍 Location: Sparta, TN
📧 Email: jimjammin2003@yahoo.com
🌐 Website: Jim’s Studio
Looking forward to connecting with you!
Bob West
Drums, Percussion, Guitar, Vocals, and Bass
Bob West is an active performer in the New England music scene, showcasing his talent on guitar, vocals, and drums with various groups. With over 45 years of experience studying, performing, and teaching drums and percussion, Bob’s musical career began as a bass guitarist, laying a strong foundation for his diverse musical abilities.
Continuing the Musical Journey
As Bob embarks on full-time retirement, he plans to focus his efforts on recording in his home studio and continuing local performances throughout New England. His current projects include performing with the D-Street Band, a group that highlights his versatile musicianship and love for live music.
In addition to his musical pursuits, Bob built an impressive 45-year career as a technical illustrator, graphic designer, and photographer, blending creativity and precision in his professional work.
Drum Studies
New England Conservatory Graduate/Instructor Chuck Stanton: Four years of study focused on the fundamentals and advanced concepts of drumming, including teaching methods passed down by the legendary Alan Dawson.
University of Massachusetts Music Performance Graduate/Instructor Jamie Manning: Four years of study furthering Bob’s expertise in reading and coordination.
Guitar and Bass
In addition to his percussion expertise, Bob has studied, performed and taught guitar and bass for over 40 years.