ROSCOE JUSTICE
Director of Student Bands
Guitar/Piano/Drums/Voice/Bass/Harmonica Instructor
Roscoe Justice is a singer/songwriter from Cincinnati Ohio. He began voice lessons when he was 7 years old, and began performing on stage shortly after. By the time he was 17, he had won 2 national titles in opera, and had been the lead in such musicals as Cinderella (as the prince),Tony in West Side Story, The Velveteen Rabbit, and several others. Roscoe's high school band Vas Deferens won the Battle of The Bands at Bogart's 3 years in a row from '92-'95. After releasing his first album with his new band The Laid Law Union, Roscoe and the band went on tour all over the US, opening up for such acts as Foreigner, Dr. Hook, and Jethro Tull. As a solo artist Roscoe has played on stage with such great names as Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King, Jackson Browne, and Jimmy Buffett. Roscoe has been teaching guitar and vocals since high school, and is still playing regularly around the Dallas Ft. Worth area.
CARLO DECANINI
Assistant Director of Student Bands
Bass/Guitar & Rock Band Instructor
Carlo graduated from The University of North Texas in May 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music emphasis in Composition and Bass Performance (with a Minor in Business). He studied under Bass players, Paul Leblanc and Sergio Rodriguez. Carlo has played in numerous Rock Bands since he was a freshman in High School and his current band, “Werewolf Therewolf,” just put out their first CD.
Carlo is also multi-lingual, speaking fluent Spanish.
JERMAINE LAYTON
Piano/Drum/Saxophone Instructor
Jermaine Layton is a full time musician, instructor, arranger, writer, and producer with greater than 16 years experience as a trained musician. Jermaine most recently began graduate school at the University of North Texas in pursuit of his Graduate Degree in Music Jazz Studies
He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Music in 2004 from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). As an instrumentalist, Jermaine’s areas of primary expertise are Piano/Keyboard, Organ, Saxophone (Alto and Soprano), Percussion, Oboe, and Clarinet.
While pursuing his Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Jermaine was a member of the UAPB marching band, UAPB Jazz Ensemble (saxophonist/pianist), and the Arkansas Intercollegiate Wind Symphony.
As a music industry professional, Jermaine has worked as Music Director and/or Accompanying Musician for the following international gospel recording artists: Dorinda Clark Cole(2005-current), Kim Burrell (2007-current), Donnie McClurkin, Judith McAllister (2008-current), Angel Chisholm (2008-current), Maurette Brown Clark (2008), Daryl Coley (2008), Smokie Norful, Lisa McClendon (2008), and Tonex’.
Jermaine has worked as an accompanying musician for the world renowned Hollywood vocal trainer and International Ambassador of Music, Professor Iris Stevenson of Los Angeles, California.
He has recently served as an accompanying musician for 2010 Grammy nominated best female R&B vocal performance artist Lalah Hathaway, daughter of soul music legend Donny Hathaway. Jermaine is currently an accompanying keyboardist for 8 time Grammy award nominee Artist Kirk Whalum.
BENJAMIN SHIREY
Guitar/Voice/Piano & Home School/Rock Band Instructor
Growing up in a family of musicians Ben learned to sing "loud and proud" at the young age of 9, in his families bluegrass band. He recently graduated from UNT with a Composition Degree, in the hopes to pursue songwriting as a career. In High School, Ben joined a rock band to pursue his love for Songwriting and Performance. He later studied Contemporary Music at Greenville College in Illinois. Ben's philosophy for teaching is "all music education should start with creativity within a structured environment."
DANE ERNST
Drum Instructor
Dane graduated from the University of North Texas in Denton, TX with a B.A. Degree in Music with a concentration in Percussion. In addition to North Texas, Dane has also studied at the University of Texas in Arlington in the Winter Drumline, and with adjunct Professors there. In the summer of 2006, he marched in the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps touring across the country. Dane has performed with Chad Wackerman, former Drummer of Frank Zappa, and Steve Smith, former Drummer of Journey. He has studied percussion privately with Warren Dewey, former Drummer for LeAnn Rimes. Dane has been performing for over 10 years, and is currently the Drummer for the local Band "Born & Raised".
KELSEY HAWTER
Voice, Piano, Guitar, Musical Theatre Instructor; Administrative Assistant (Saturdays)
Kelsey is currently a student at the University of North Texas, and is working toward a degree in vocal performance. She has studied voice for ten years beneath Tanya Dieter, who formerly worked with the Houston opera, and now with Patricia O’Keefe. She enjoys performing, and has had the honor to perform locally and nationally as a soloist, within state ensembles, and on stage for operas and musicals.
In addition to voice, Kelsey has studied piano for six years underneath Sandy Pollard. After finishing her undergraduate work, Kelsey plans to attend graduate school where she will focus on opera performance and music education.
As well as being a top-notch instructor at Creative Soul, you'll also find Kelsey helping out at the Front Desk on Saturdays assisting with administrative tasks, marketing and sales.
ELISE WATTMAN
Piano, Guitar, Voice Instructor; Administrative Assistant
Elise is a multi-style pianist and composer/arranger. She has studied jazz piano with Laura Caviani, classical piano with Dr. Irina Elking and Dr. Steve Harlos of the Dallas Symphony orchestra, and organ with Dr. Leonard Danek. She received degrees in music composition from the University of Minnesota and the University of North Texas. Elise composed the score for a traveling musical featuring shows in Chicago, New York City, and Houston, and has played in over 30 musicals with companies including the Bloomington Civic Theatre in Minnesota and the Level Ground Arts Theatre in Dallas, TX.
She arranges charts for the traditional mexican group Banda El Recodo in Denton, manages, writes, plays keys and sings for her own band in Denton TX, and was a former member of Post Mode in Minneapolis, MN. Her original jazz charts have been played by ensembles at the renowned Artists Quarter jazz club in St. Paul, MN. Elise is a piano accompanist and voice coach for students at UNT.
Elise also performs in several ensembles, including a violin-piano duo in the Dallas and Mid-Cities area, a blues jam band and her own jazz combo. She also assists Creative Soul with administrative tasks, marketing and sales.
MATT BENNETT
Drum Instructor
Bio Coming Soon!...