Acme House of Music

About

Music lessons, Instruments, Accessories, Sound and Recording Gear, Rentals

Story

ac·me ( k m ). n. The highest point, as of achievement or development: reached the acme of her career. See Synonyms at summit.


ACME HOUSE OF MUSIC is a full service community minded music store and music school that is located in the Laurel District of East Oakland in California. It was founded by John Middle and Annette Loveless in 2010 upon the closing of ACME MUSIC, another music business that operated out of the same location for over 40 years.

ACME MUSIC, the preceding music business was founded in 1969 by Julio Rose who remarkably enjoyed a 40 year unbroken tenure of business in the same location. Ultimately at the age of 85 'J' as he likes to be known, decided to retire and accordingly closed ACME MUSIC down in 2009. Partially, in tribute to J Rose, Annette and John decided to keep the name ACME, which he chose and cherished, as part of the name of their new enterprise.

ACME HOUSE OF MUSIC is principally a music school. Currently we collaborate with more than 30 professional musicians/teachers in order to offer a comprehensive set of classes across a wide array of instrument and musical disciplines.

Our teaching staff across the board were chosen specifically because of their ability to both inspire and educate students within their areas of expertise. Individually and collectively our teachers are some of the most talented musicians and sought after music teachers in the Bay Area. For example...

Dave Creamer, our primary resident guitar instructor, is a highly acclaimed jazz musician who played and recorded with Miles Davis amongst others and who writes for GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE.

Alan Hall our newest drum teacher is is currently Percussion Department Chairman at The Jazzschool in Berkeley, CA. He is the author of several articles and the drum book, Internalization: A Non Reading Intensive Approach to Jazz Drum Set Phrasing and Independence. Alan is a member of several groups including: the Art Lande/Paul McCandless Group; Ray Brown's Great Big Band; Dave Eshelman's Jazz Garden Big Band; Kriya;The Sheldon Brown Group; Cirque Du Soleil; the Dan Zemelman Quartet; and the Fred Randolph Group. Also he has played and/or recorded with saxophonists Ernie Watts, Paul McCandless, Bobby Mintzer, John Handy, Jerry Bergonzi and Eddie Harris; trumpeter Bobby Shew; and pianists Art Lande, Billy Childs, Tom Coster, Kit Walker; bassists Stuart Hamm, Brian Torff Kai Eckhardt and Gary Brown; guitarists Larry Coryell, Mick Goodrick and Joyce Cooling; and vocalists Mark Murphy, Rebecca Parris and Kenny Washington

Melanie Rath who teaches vocals and piano at ACME toured and performed nationally and internationally with Bobby McFerrin’s Voicestra and the acappella band SoVoSo. She recorded three CDs with SoVoSo and have numerous studio vocalist credits.

Valerie Troutt who teaches vocals at acme is one of Oaklands most well known Soul/Jazz/Gospel singers. Her accomplishments include a year long run as an artist-in-residents at the Red Poppy Art House in San Francisco and performing on the Jazz stage for the Best of East Bay Express party 2009. She headlined the LAUREL STREET FAIR in 2010. Valerie has sung back-ups for singers Tiombe Lockhart of Cubic zirconium, Les Nubians, Crystal Monee Hall, Sabina Sciubba of Brazilian Girls, and performed with singer songwriters Jennifer Johns, Maria Muldaur, Kimiko Joy, Sista Monica Parker and Mala Waldron daughter of the late jazz pianist Mal Waldron. Valerie has performed and recorded with modern composers, Emanuel Ruffler, Howard Willey and drummer- producer Jaz Sawyer of Pursuance records. In the summer of 2008 Valerie became the youngest member of the Grammy nominated Oakland based a cappella ensemble Linda Tillery Cultural Heritage Choir and is featured on their latest album "still we rise, still we sing".

The above represents just a few of our talented and incredibly well qualified teachers. Across the board our staff was picked using the highest standards. They are all excellent musicians AND educators too.

Additionally we have a full retail store where we sell new and vintage music gear and instruments carefully selected by our buyers who look for the funky and unique. We have one of the largest collections of vintage Harmony, Silvertone and Kay guitars in California for example. Additionally, we make a point of stocking instruments and products made by artisans and individuals who live in the greater Bay area. We support small businesses like ourselves at an actual and philisophical level. As of January 2010 ACME also was honored to be named official distributors of TASCAM and YAMAHA music gear for the area.

ACME also offers repair for electronics items that are not working. We can fix everything from home audio gear to guitar amps. Our prices are reaonsable and our work is guaranteed.

We also offer repair services for a wide range of instruments. Guitars represents one of our core strenghs in this area. Our associate Adam Lipansky handles these repairs and is an honest and competent technician who offers incredible value to our clients.

ACME offers instruments and PA gear for rental. We offer the best gear at the lowest overall price point of any facility in the Bay area. Many of our competitors use their rental programs as a way of selling instruments at ultimately three times their actual cost or more. At ACME HOUSE OF MUSIC though, we believe in extending real value to our customers and accordingly pledge never to exploit our relationships with them. Our rental program is not designed to be a major profit center accordingly. It is instead supposed to help us initiate valuable long term relationships with the next generation of musicians here in Oakland based upon trust and mutual respect.

ACME carries a complete line of MUSIC books, sheet music, instructional materials and other music centric literature. Our print offering is diverse and extremely broad covering a myriad of different instruments and subjects. From auto harp to xylophone and everything in between. We are particularly focused on providing the print media needed by music teachers and schools in our immediate community.

We will special order books, instruments, gear and anyother misc items for you through our wholesalers and manufacturers upon request. There is no fee for this service and we will extend the best price that we possibliy can for the product.

Our prices are keyed to the best pricing available online for the same or comparable instrument or items. We never take advantage of our customers. It is our belief that, through honesty and a collaborative approach with our customers, our business will grow quickly and inspire loyalty. Annette and I also live in the neighborhood that the store is situated. We think of our customers quite simply as our neighbors and aspire to developing good friendships with them. We are firm believers that through proper communication we can propogate transactions best described as WIN - WIN. Ultimately we take a long terms perspective on our business.

We also offer sound production and recording services. We can set up your event for you in terms of sound with a view to fidelity and power. In our recording studio you can record your music for a modest sum of money.

We offer Kindermusik and Orff classes for pre-schoolers. Annette Loveless, the co-founder of ACME, is fully qualified to present either of these programs. She has successfuly completed the official Orff and Kindermusik courses and is an accredited teacher therein.

Finally, ACME HOUSE OF MUSIC strives to support our local community in whatever way we can be most effective. We are primary sponsors of both the Laurel Solstice festival and the Laurel Street Fair. For these events we provide sound and PA gear and set up while also playing a primary role in recruiting the talent too. We founded the popular FIRST FRIDAY event at MILIKI restaurant inthe Laurel District and used these events as fund raisers for local schools and charities. ACME provided the sound and set up for the political debates during the City council elections too. John has served as a judge for the Oakland Boys and Girls club annual talent competition.



Additionally we work with many of our local schools for whom we provide instruments and in some instances instruction given the reduction or elimination of their music programs.



We have also offered free consultation for sound set up and implentation at 5 different local places of worship over the course of the last year. Individually we saved them significant amounts of money while helping them to attain the highest level of quality for their sermons and events. These churches include GRACE BAPTIST, FOOTHILL and TOWER OF FAITH, all of whom are within our own community.

ACME HOUSE OF MUSIC loves being located in Oakland! We are proud to be a part of it's wonderfully diverse population. Thanks to all of our customers who have supported us past and present.

Products

Instruments, PA gear, electronics, sheet music, music publications, music accessories, recording equipment, software and more.