I can't say enough wonderful things about Jesse Wallace as a teacher and mentor. When I first started working with him, I knew virtually nothing about jazz drumming and had almost no understanding of music theory. I was intimidated, unsure of myself, and honestly not very confident in my abilities. But Jesse saw potential in me long before I could see it in myself. Over the years, he has patiently and skillfully guided me from those very first uncertain steps to a place I once only dreamed of reaching. Today, I can proficiently read music notation and even perform jazz drum solos -- something that always felt far out of reach. Thanks to Jesse, I can also play a pretty mean swing mambo! That growth didn't happen by accident; it happened because Jesse is not only deeply knowledgeable, but also incredibly dedicated and thoughtful in the way he teaches. What truly sets Jesse apart is his patience. No matter how many times I struggled or needed something explained again, he never rushed me or made me feel inadequate. He creates a supportive, encouraging environment where learning feels safe and progress feels possible. His calm demeanor and steady belief in his students make all the difference. Studying with Jesse has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my musical journey. I'm beyond grateful for his guidance, his expertise, and his unwavering encouragement. If you're looking for a teacher who combines deep musical knowledge for any style of playing (Jazz, Rock, Metal, etc) with extraordinary patience and genuine care for his students, Jesse Wallace is truly exceptional. read more

Jesse has been our son's drum teacher for 3 years now and we feel SO lucky to have found such an incredible mentor. Our son has fully blossomed into an accomplished drummer and is eager to keep pushing himself to level up his skills. Jesse has instilled so much confidence in his abilities and expanded his musical horizons. Jesse is brimming with talent, enthusiasm and dedication to growing his students into consummate musicians. Highly recommend!! read more

Jesse is a fantastic drum teacher and overall wonderful instructor! He is incredibly organized and I particularly appreciate the structure of the lessons. He not only teaches you about playing and improving on drums but also general music theory, which I find to be extremely useful. I'm so grateful to have found an amazing teacher, especially right in the neighborhood! Highly recommend to anyone who is remotely interested in learning! read more

Jesse is a great drummer and an amazing teacher! I advanced so much faster and consistently because of his mentoring and encouragement. Tell him your goals and music passions, and he will help you make it happen!!! Definitely recommend Jesse's lessons! read more

This guy is the Ideal Music Teacher. He's so awesome, in fact, that after I started taking lessons, I hired him to teach my 11 year old daughter. If I had a pet I'd have Jesse teach the pet to play drums. He could do it. I can't imagine there's ANYthing about music theory he doesn't know which is amazing if you're on the nerdy side. I started at 50, I've been a musician all my life but never let myself play my dream instrument - drums. I was really worried that I was just too old. Jesse didn't bat an eye, he was so encouraging, supportive and clever. He had me playing prog within a month, breaking it down and showing me that you can learn anything if you know how to approach it in digestible chunks. I'll study with Jesse until I keel right over onto the snare. Don't hesitate, book a lesson with him. You won't regret it. read more

Jesse is one of the best teachers I've had (not just for drums, but in general). His passion for the instrument is infectious and to watch him play is inspiring. He has all the answers to your drum questions! He is great at trouble-shooting problems with technique. It's hard to overstate how important my weekly drum lessons with Jesse are in maintaining my well-being. I rate them a notch above therapy even. read more

Jesse has taught my daughter remotely for 3 years and it's by far one of the most important and enriching hours of our week. It's been a wonderful collaboration as Jesse is fun, funny, enthusiastic, patient, encouraging and very structured in his teaching style. Plus, his systematic method really produces as my daughter is doing stuff on drums way beyond my wildest expectations. He has accommodated our living remotely and somehow miraculously overcome whatever technical complications come with engineering sound over zoom. Jesse is one of those people you just want to have your child surrounded by. He feels like an extended member of our family and I can't recommend him more highly. read more

I took lessons with Jesse over the course of a few months, and it's worth every penny. So many musicians view teaching as an alternate method of making money, but aren't really teachers. Jesse's approach is to understand the student's goals, and develop a practice routine based on that. He has a wealth of knowledge, and had a good answer for any question I threw at him. I improved drastically - 10/10!! read more

Jesse is fantastic. he started with a free initial lesson, just to get the feel of things. I was eager to sign up formally and come back for more. Jesse does a really nice job of balancing teaching the fundamentals and technique vs. actually playing and having some fun. it's clear he loves beaching and it shows in how he describes concepts and encourages me throughout the lesson. absolutely recommend Jesse to any " professional air drummers" out there that want to make it come to life!! read more

Jesse is such a fabulous teacher, and I'm so glad I decided to work with him. I took up drums few years back and wanted to get back into it, and Jesse helped me get back into the groove. He's a super supportive and undyingly patient instructor, and will really tailor lessons to the things you want to work on. Great balance of structured learning to build fundamentals, while still getting to jam along and learn the songs you wanna play. Highly recommend Jesse to everyone--he's the best!! read more

You are in the best hands with Jesse, he's an amazing drum teacher. I grew up playing piano and have always wanted to try the drums, in a mere 8 months I've been able to play some of my favorite songs I wouldn't have dreamt I'd be able to learn. He's patient and the progression of technique he teaches you sticks (no pun intended). Can't recommend him highly enough! read more

Jesse is an amazing teacher with great energy, and his passion is contagious. I thought that learning an instrument in my late 30s would be intimidating, but Jesse has made it an amazing experience thus far. His lessons are a nice balance between technique and building vocabulary, and he is incredibly paient. Highly recommend!! read more

Jesse is great! I am learning to play drums as an adult, and he has been the perfect balance of supportive and challenging throughout the last 9 months. He understands if I haven't been able to practice that week because work or life gets in the way, and I always leave my lessons feeling better and happier than when I entered the room (or now, the Zoom call). As an adult, it's great to have another hobby, but even better to have one that doesn't stress you out or seem like a chore. That said, he still encourages me to continue to push beyond what I can currently do, and always sets the bar of expectations just-high-enough to continue to improve my technique and competencies. He has gone above and beyond to make sure our online lessons are effective by adding new technology and better mics & cameras to his studio, and he also went out of his way to advise me on a purchase of an at-home electronic kit. I would definitely feel like I was getting my money's worth even if I needed to pursue lessons online indefinitely. If you're considering picking up drumming, Jesse is your guy! I would absolutely recommend him to all my friends. read more

I started taking drum lessons with Jesse April 2021. I had no drumming experience or knowledge on how to even play the instrument. A year later, I now know how to play eleven songs from memory. Jesse taught me the fundamentals of drumming and the techniques on how to play. He's very patient and teaches with such great enthusiasm. He makes you excited to learn to play drums. He's taught me how to play everything from the White Stripes to "Stacey's Mom" by Fountains of Wayne. I'd highly recommend him if you're ever interested in learning to play the drums. read more

I cant recommend these lessons enough. If you're a new drummer, or a seasoned one looking to shapen skills, Jesse is the person to get you there. Being a fan of music, he naturally expresses his love for the art through the enthusiasm in his teaching. A very compassionate, patient and detailed teacher who pushes you to be the best you can be, every lesson. Not only will you walk away a better drummer but you'll be a better musician. Thanks Jesse! read more

If you are in New York area and want a drum instructor then Jesse is the one. I went to his consulting session and was impressed by his teaching method and class plans. I had zero experience in drums before I met him but was playing most part of the beginners songs within weeks with his classes and some practice. I would highly recommend Jesse to anyone doubting about joining a drum class. Go for it.....you wont regret it... read more

I've been taking lessons with Jesse for the past couple of months and could not ask for a better instructor. As someone without much of a musical background or drumming experience, Jesse has taught me the fundamentals required to become a proficient drummer. He has accommodated the lessons to match my skill level and knowledge while guiding me in a comfortable pace. He also tailors the lessons to match your musical interests and styles His studio space is comfortable and houses two drum sets. Jesse often plays alongside while teaching and isn't shy about showing you his skills. He is able to play many different styles of music from traditional Rock and Roll to Blues and Afro- Caribbean. He has a thorough knowledge of the history, varieties and technicalities of the drums. The studio is conveniently located near the N,W,7, G and R train lines and is very easy to get to. I would recommend Jesse to anyone who wants to learn the drums or is looking to expand their skillset and/or styles. read more

Love the new space! Access is a plus with so many trains all over the place. If you want to reach that level of becoming a true professional drummer, book some lessons with this guy. A true thunderfoot pro! read more

My 8 y/o daughter has been taking lessons with Jesse since Sept 2019. She is not a typical learner but she loves drums. Jesse has been remarkably patient and nice with her and he adjusted to her learning style and personality. Even through COVID where we did weekly zoom sessions , he totally adapted to her challenges and managed to teach her efficiently and keep her interested. I don't know anything about music but I know that my daughter is thriving with Jesse and genuinely enjoys his teaching. I definitely recommend him!! read more

Jesse is a seasoned, experienced drummer whose passion and enthusiasm transfers into his teaching! He is very encouraging and makes sure that through the whole lesson, you are having fun :). read more

Can't recommend Jesse enough! I was a complete and total beginner when I showed up to his studio and he knew exactly how to ease me into it/keep me from getting overwhelmed, while also building in some fun to get me hooked! His encouraging and easy going nature helped me feel less terrible about being terrible/such a noob--very important for me, a naturally nervous/easily embarrassed person. I regrettably was only able to see Jesse a couple of times before moving to a new city, but he was great about giving me tons of work I could do on my own and graciously referred me to someone else to continue with after my move. read more

Jesse is an excellent teacher -- very patient, very hands-on, and very encouraging. He took the time to get to know my style and what I was looking to improve, and immediately put together a customized plan for me, which we've been executing every week. The results were clear after just a few lessons. Also, his space is very conveniently located, and his equipment is in great shape. Definitely recommend Jesse for players of any skill level who are looking to gone their craft. read more

Jesse teaches my two sons (ages 12 and 8), and he's an excellent teacher. He is endlessly enthusiastic, encouraging, and supportive. My sons needed to strengthen their note-reading skills, and he has been great at encouraging them towards excellence. He balances each lesson between note-reading, technique, and working on songs my kids choose. I'm so thrilled to have found Jesse; my boys are developing so much as drummers and musicians. read more

I've been taking lessons with Jesse for a couple years and it's been great. I've taught myself other instruments in the past, but wanted to learn drums with lessons from the start and I think Jesse has been an ideal teacher for that. He shows you the fundamentals of good technique and makes sure that you don't slip from them as you play faster and more advanced parts. Once you get past the basics, he's flexible on what you'd like to learn -- whether it's trying to perfect timing or limb independence or listening and learning a part from a song. Overall, highly recommended! read more

I have been playing drums for the past 14 years (on and off). Decided to start studying again after 3 years of a break. Jesse has helped me to rediscover my sound and actually start fixing my "bad habits" that I have developed over the year in order to improve both my technique but also my sound. Very detail oriented and well-educated, which helps simplify advanced techniques into easy to follow practice routines. Also, very good with transcription, which helped me to understand and play portions of complicated fusion/rock songs like #41 (Dave Mathews Band/Carter Beauford) and East Coast Racer (Big Big Train/Nick D'Virgilio). Highly recommended, especially for intermediate/advanced drummers! read more

Jesse has been my son's drum instructor for almost a year and we are so happy we found him. He is super patient, very encouraging and effective at teaching drums. If you're looking for a great drum teacher, who has his own studio, for your elementary school child, Jesse is your guy! read more

Jesse has been teaching my son for the past few months. He is a very patient and effective teacher. You can tell he really enjoys teaching and it comes naturally to him. My son looks forward to learning new things each and every week and being challenged. read more