Tarik Bentlemsani is a guitarist based in Olympia, Washington. He can be seen playing Jazz, Classical, World, Funk, Pop, Rock and Bluegrass music, or anything else he is called on to play. His solo guitar style uses extended techniques, percussive effects, and alternate tunings to create the illusion of more than one musician playing. Using rich harmonic content and virtuosic melodic passages, Tarik is able to play bass-lines, chords, melodies and percussion simultaneously. Most of the projects Tarik is involved with bend and blend genres in some way or another. Influences include Lenny Breau, Michael Hedges, Django Reinhardt, Al DiMeola, Andres Segovia, Pat Metheny, Clifford Brown, Leo Kottke, John Coltrane, Andy McKee, Miles Okazaki, Justin King, Eric Johnson, Eddie Van Halen and others.
Tarik’s musical training took place mostly in the classroom and in private lessons. However the street and music festivals played a large role as well. He began learning the rudiments of music in elementary orchestra playing violin, and played trumpet in band throughout high school while becoming more proficient at guitar. He would eventually graduate with a B.A. in music from Central Washington University, where he studied classical and jazz guitar. Tarik is a supporter of music in schools, and is an active private instructor and clinician. He has worked with many schools in Washington State, and has taught classes up to the college level.
As a performer Tarik is in high demand. His compositions have won awards at the national level with an Independent Music Award (IMA). He is at home in the concert hall, clubs, streets, private events and house concerts. As a soloist he has developed a technique that can produce chords, melodic lines, bass lines, and percussive sounds simultaneously. Locally he has played with The Olympia Jazz Senators, Climate Change, The Brown Edition, the Andy Omdahl Quintet, Hotcabi, and Podunk Funk. He has appeared on many recordings such as The Brown Edition –“Soulpocalypse”, And “Podunk Funk”-Self titled. He has also recorded “Step Dance” an album of his own compositions for solo guitar.
Trent grew up in a musical household and started piano lessons in the second grade. With the musical knowledge he gained through piano, he also taught himself baritone ukulele, guitar, bass, accordion and drums. Trent holds a B.A. in Music from Lawrence University in Wisconsin and played and toured with several bands before moving to Davis, CA in 2015. Trent has lived with his wife and two children in East Davis and teaching since 2015, but he is so excited to be joining the team at Music 1st.
Trent loves teaching with movement and even chants because it develops inner musicality and encourages creativity and improvisation.
Tent is enrolling now for lessons at our west side location M, T, F, and Sundays at our 202 Phoenix studio.
Chivan Limn is a graduate of South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC). At SPSCC he discovered his passion for building communities and making his visions come alive. He has also demonstrated these skills with his band WINEHOUSE.
Often booking gigs, networking, and communicating with groups, he is dedicated to enhancing the events he hosts. Being an active member of many local communities has given him a great sense of variety and an understanding of what people want to see.
"Chivan is amazing at making you feel comfortable and at ease. He's confident enough in his ability to tell you when you haven't quite gotten it, but he's encouraging, even when correcting you. If you choose Chivan as your instructor, you can be sure you'll have a good time, learn a lot, and feel both secure in your abilities and unashamed of your mistakes." -Micaiah Sawyer, Singer/Songwiter, and Faculty Member at The Tuned In Academy
When you’re looking for guitar lessons for your kid, it makes a big difference to have a guitar teacher that’s actually an active local guitarist in a working band, playing, performing, and recording with a respected local band. And Chivan’s not just a working local guitarist, he’s also great people, fun, down-to-earth, and an educated musician. Chivan will teach your child everything they need, the fundamentals of music (reading, scales, chords, theory), and even more important, how they apply to rock’n out, so your child can go wherever the music takes them without limits!
Chivan teaches on Sundays only.
