Manuel Ja

Music Magnet Student in Overbrook High School, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Student of Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, Pa.
Former Student of Dennis Sandole, Mentor & Instructor of John Coltrane, in Philadelphia. Former Student of Calvin Harris " Jazz Guitarist ", Session Guitarist for Gamble & Huff recording, in Philadelphia. Former Student and Band Member of Jymie Merritt, World Renown Jazz Bassist, when I was a Jazz Guitarist in Philadelphia, Pa. Former Student of Warren Nunes, World Renown Jazz Guitarist & Composer, In California. Former Student of
Mrs. Phyllis Schlomovitz, Principal Harpist of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra & the Boston Pops Orchestra. While under Professor Schlomovitz, I enrolled in the Satellite Program of the London Royal School of Music, where I took the Highest Honors of Performance
" Distinguish " Two (2) Years in a row.

Music Magnet Student in Overbrook High School, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Student of Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, Pa.
Former Student of Dennis Sandole, Mentor & Instructor of John Coltrane, in Philadelphia. Former Student of Calvin Harris " Jazz Guitarist ", Session Guitarist for Gamble & Huff recording, in Philadelphia. Former Student and Band Member of Jymie Merritt, World Renown Jazz Bassist, when I was a Jazz Guitarist in Philadelphia, Pa. Former Student of Warren Nunes, World Renown Jazz Guitarist & Composer, In California. Former Student of
Mrs. Phyllis Schlomovitz, Principal Harpist of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra & the Boston Pops Orchestra. While under Professor Schlomovitz, I enrolled in the Satellite Program of the London Royal School of Music, where I took the Highest Honors of Performance
" Distinguish " Two (2) Years in a row.

While under Professor Schlomovitz I was introduced to Harpist, Professor Joseph Molnar or Austria, whom I took Master Classes with in California, & was eventually invited to Soka Japan, to attend the Soka International Harp Competition as a guest in 1996.

Performed Extensively as a Jazz Guitarist with Jymie Merritt, in the ForeRunners Nuclei, Jazz Ensemble in Philadelphia, and Touring the College circuit of the East Coast with Jymie Merritt as both a Performer & Instructor to the Students of, Drexel University, Temple University, Haverford College, Amherst University under Resident Artist Max Roach, and many other Universities & Colleges on the East Coast.
Live Radio Performances in " Real Time ", the 1st Jazz Ensemble to do such on the East Coast at that Time.

Performed Extensively as an Artist " Jazz guitarist " under My Own Ensemble " The Third Galaxy Band ", Fusion Jazz Rock, with Hakim Emanuel Thomas, Drummer for Stanley Clark, The Brecker Brothers, Weather Report, Rufus Harley, & McCoy Tyner, and Michael Merritt son of Jymie Merritt, & Bassist for the Conan O' Brian show in New York. Performed in several Major Out Doors Performing Arts Venues in Philadelphia, with numerous other Artist.

Composed & Recorded the Material for my 1st Ensemble Project or Album with the " Third Galaxy Band ", Fusion Jazz Rock in my Youth.

Performed Extensively as a Solo Harpist & Composer in the Bay Area, Northern California. Venues were Wineries & Vineyards, small Concert Halls, Gothic Cathedrals (my favorite) Restaurants, Weddings, Private Affairs, & numerous Churches, in addition to Live Television & Internet Broadcast in " Real Time ". Performed for Mevio Underground a Major Internet Performance Venue in San Francisco.

Producer, Writer, Director & Performer of my Own Television Series In San Jose California on the Comcast network, titled " The Origin, History & Evolution of the Orchestral Pedal Harp & the Mechanical Anatomy of the Pedal Harp ". In my Mac Computer I currently have 9 days of Personal Repertoire, Compositions that I've Composed & Recorded, not including the numerous recordings that I made prior to Computer Inception. Jymie Merritt once stated to me as a Young Man, that " To Be A Composer, One Must Write Pounds of Music not just a Collection of Songs ". To this End I Have Succeed as a Composer & Performer.

My very 1st Teaching Opportunity was with a Music School called
" Soul Brothers Music " in Philadelphia, I taught there as a young man Guitar, Classical & Jazz.

As stated earlier under Jymie Merritt & the ForeRunner Nuclei Project I assisted & taught at Numerous Universities & Colleges, Improvisational Jazz & how an Orchestral Orchestra can function within the Boundaries of Improvisation. Electric Upright Bass, Drums, Saxophone, Electric Piano & Electric Guitar, myself functioning within an Orchestra. It was Most Innovative at that Point In Time in the late 1970's.