Neil Nicastro Music Instruction

Introduction: As a professional, I've played over 2,500 gigs in every possible situation. For the most part, my success has come while in three bands and although I have moved around a bit, these three bands were all based out of the Scranton/Wilkes Barre area. Dick Fawcett gained national interest by selling almost 2,000 CDs within a year of the release. The Pontiac Grille and The Grape St. Pub in Philadelphia along with The Bitter End and Webster Hall in New York City were mainstays for this band. I went on to The Collective. In less than a year, this hip-hop band went from backroom practices to consistent national openers. The Wailers, The Roots, Busta Rhymes, and Ja Rule are just some of the sold out shows we played at venues like The Montage Mountain Amphitheater and The Kirby Center. At our peak, we drew more than 1,100 fans. During this time, I also released The Dharma Bums, a collection of my songs with 15 of the best musicians in the area. That led me to The Five Percent. With the release of our fourth CD, we surpassed 10,000 units sold. A dream come true, we toured the entire country. Highlights include working with a Grammy nominated producer and recording and consistently sharing the stage with Pete Francis from Dispatch. Currently, I share the stage with Leighann Molinaro in LMN Duo. I also give private lessons. I'm teaching guitar, bass, ukulele, banjo, mandolin, and piano. I currently have students of all abilities and ages. I have been teaching for over 15 years, and I have had several students become college graduates and working professionals. I'm also putting the finishing touches on my own guitar method book. I have played in front of 10,000 people, inmates at a jail, record executives, kids at a prom, live TV cameras, and five people in Boise, Idaho. I have approached and still approach every gig with a grateful passion better described in several of the 250 songs I have written. Come out to a gig, and I'll play one for you.