Joe De Berker

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Joe de Berker founded Rhythm Instinct in 2004 with a vision of creating a teaching practise of tutors who focused on building student's creative instincts not just turning out well trained clones, this was heavily influenced by his years spent studying and teaching martial arts.

He welcomes all new enquiries, and is in charge of timetabling, keeping law and order, and generally 'running the show'

Joe has been playing the Drum Kit for over 30 years, teaching for over 13. Taking student's from grades 1-8 on Drum Kit using both the Rockschool and Trinity syllabuses. He runs group Drumming workshops for both schools and businesses teaching traditional West African rhythms and arrangements with a twist. During his time drumming he has studied with many great teachers on both Drum Kit, West African drums such as Djembe and Dunduns and more recently Cuban percussion including Congas and Timbales.

Joe has played in Brass and Wind bands, theatre productions and a number of bands playing a variety of music including Latin/Jazz/Hip hop/Drum & Bass, and Rock.

Some of his favourite drummers include Tony Allan, Steve Gadd, Clive syllabuses, Clyde Stubblefield, John 'Jabo'Starks, Bernard Purdie, Zigaboo Mondeliste and Chad Smith.

As well as music Joe enjoys cooking, eating, cycling, swimming and being around positive enthusiastic people. He is DBS checked.

Matt Brown

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Matt lives in Bristol and has been teaching for over 8 years. He aims to encourage and equip students with the skills and confidence needed to express their own creativity.

Matt has a wide range of musical skills and enjoys incorporating his own Bass and Guitar playing into his Drum Kit lessons. Matt began playing drums at age 13 and since then has toured throughout Europe. He has recorded and performed with artists such as Rodriguez (searching for Sugarcane), Marc Ford (The Black Crowes), Pee Wee Ellis, Get The Blessing, Phantom Limb, Lillian Boutte, Andy Sheppard and many more.

Matt is currently performing and composing for his original projects Dakhla Brass and Sefrial as well as playing with lots of projects across Bristol and the UK.

His biggest influences include Brian Blade, Billy Martin, Thelonious Monk, Zigaboo Modiste and Art Blakey.

In his spare time Matt is always listening to music, playing Guitar, cooking, following NHL Ice Hockey, walking, cycling and spending lots of time with friends. Matt has a full DBS check.

Paolo Adamo

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Paolo is an Italian Bristol based session drummer who moved to Bristol in 2012. He aspires to give students all the skills they need to be the best drummer they can be, stretching their creativity, imagination and musicality.

Paolo started playing at the age of 5. Soon after he turned 10 his father exposed him to jazz music by taking him to the Thelonious Monk Music Accademy of Campobasso, which he attended for 9 years. Paolo began playing professionally aged 14. He is now in high demand for his jazz drumming. playing with Bristol Afro-beat band Mankala, Empyreal 4TeT, Ibou Tall and Jazzmates, and The Bristol European Jazz Ensemble. Some of his favourite drummers are Phil Collins, Steve Gadd, Brian Blade and Elvin Jones. Paolo is DBS checked.

Roberto Nappi

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Born in Naples (Italy), Roberto has a Master's Degree in Classical Piano, his instrument of choice however is the drums. Roberto was instructed by a great drum teacher: Sergio Di Natale and has worked as a Professional drummer for many years, playing for many agencies in Italy and travelling around the world for MSC cruises.

Roberto moved to Bristol in 2013, is active in the local music scene playing in various musical projects, mainly as a jazz drummer, and alongside musicians such as Jim Blomfield amongst others. Roberto is DBS checked.

Justin Fellows

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Justin first began playing the drum kit aged 16. Having played for a number of years in various bands performing rock and pop classics he began to learn about the history of African percussion while reading 'Drumming at the edge of magic' by Mickey Hart who discussed the creation of the modern drum kit and how it had come about due to the confiscation of traditional instruments. With no recourse other than to cobble together instruments from what was available, African musicians created Jazz, Soul, Rock, Blues and later Reggae, Hip Hop, Pop and modern dance music.

Justin plays and studies West African drumming and leads drum workshops and rhythm based events as well as appearing as a percussionist in several bands. He has worked professionally since 2001 as a drum teacher/workshop facilitator/performer and enjoys sharing his knowledge with those who are keen to learn. He take great pride and pleasure in seeing a room full of people dancing and having a good time. Some of his favourite drummers include David Garibaldi, Billy Cobham, Steve Gadd, Carter Beauford, Tony Allen and John Bonham. In his spare time Justin likes to walk in nature, read, play board games, meditate, hang out with friends and go camping in the summer.

James Vine

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James is a professional drummer from London who has been living in Bristol for the past 8 years. Teaching drums since 2015, James combines musicality, creativity and subtle elements of technique where necessary to allow students to learn and develop concepts by themselves with lessons functioning as a launchpad for inspiration.

Having studied a Mathematics & Computer Science Masters at Bristol University James has also worked as a maths assistant in a Bristol school teaching students from years 7 to 11. This experience culminated in James giving a lesson on the maths behind Google’s search engine to year 8 classes which was widely praised by both staff and students.

James started playing drums age 11 and currently performs and records across Europe with his own projects, featured in NME, BBC and more, while also working closely with a number of other artists in Bristol.

James’s biggest influences come from modern electronic and rock music as well as jazz and hip hop, citing his biggest drumming influences as Tony Williams, Mark Guiliana and Marcus Gilmore. He has studied with Joshua Blackmore (Bill Laurence - Snarky Puppy) and Steve Lyman (José James) and has a full DBS check.

Stefano Vandelli

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Stefano is an experienced drummer/musician/composer and has been facilitating West Africa drumming workshops for several years, for both adults and children.

Stefano has received West African drumming training and education over the last two decades from some of the greatest current exponents of West African traditional and contemporary music, such as Seckou Keita, Mamady Keita, Iya Sako and Nansady Keita, to mention but a few.

Stefano is also an accomplished Kora and N’Goni player (a 22-stringed West African harp, and a 7-stringed precursor to the Banjo, respectively). He collaborates with several talented musicians and projects, and performed at many UK music festivals and venues, including: WOMAD, Shambala, Glastonbury and many more. Stefano is Enhanced DBS checked.

Jane Dobson

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Jane Dobson works for Rhythm Instinct in admin. Her role is to liaise and support existing schools and students in all matters relating to timetables and invoices.

Jane has 14 years experience as a music teacher and Head of Music at a large secondary school, and is passionate about music education. Her teaching role gave her a good understanding of how music education works in schools, both primary and secondary. She is also a singer, pianist, mum, and childminder.