Article: I Hear Music

I Hear Music 

If you wake up and don't want to smile,

 If it takes just a little while,

 Open your eyes and look at the day,

 You'll see things in a different way.

-          From “Don’t Stop” by Fleetwood Mac 

The San Luis Obispo Art Museum. The Little Theater. The Academy of Dance. The Palm Theater. The Vocal Arts Ensemble.  Followers of the visual and performing arts in San Luis Obispo have instant associations with these centers of culture in our community.  They are part of what makes our town great.  But how many are familiar with the work being done at an equally important local cultural center, the Modern Music Academy, by Darren and Jessie Clarke?

Located at 265 Pacific Street, behind Central Coast Pools, the Modern Music Academy includes ample teaching, practice and performance space as well as a state-of-the art recording studio.  After many years of offering a variety of guitar workshops and other musical collaborations, Darren and Jessie have settled on three primary opportunities for budding music professionals: House of Bands, for 12-16 year old musicians who are comfortable with their instruments; Artist Development and Songwriting, for serious musicians ready to move to the next level; and Songwriting and Music Production for songwriters who want to learn how to produce great music by working with a professional producer.  Darren describes the atmosphere at MMA as “a collaborative community of musicians with its own identity where great musicians show up every day to create amazing music.”

Over nine hundred students have taken classes at MMA. Today the emphasis is on improving skills, working with others, songwriting, getting songs recorded and production work.  “The goal is to optimize the music in your blood, to focus and direct your talent, gain self-esteem, confidence and discipline. There’s nothing better in life than being able to play music,” Darren told me.

The adventure that Darren and Jessie set out on in 2003 to create MMA is the stuff of the American Dream, but like most dreams that involve turning a passion into a small business, their story also includes a certain amount of peril, a lot of hard work, and personal stories that make their achievement even more impressive.

Darren, thirty-eight, born in Newcastle, England, and Jessie, thirty-five, born in Harrowgate, both spent most of their early lives in and around London.  By the time he was thirteen Darren was playing guitar in rock-and-roll bands throughout London, emulating the style of Lindsay Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac, and participating in “the rock and roll lifestyle.” At nineteen he experienced what he calls “a spiritual awakening,” which led him back to Christianity and into writing, playing and recording worship music, which included working and touring with Matt Redman, a well-known modern day hymn writer.  One of Darren’s songs “I Love Your Presence,” has been covered by many bands and has over one million plays on YouTube. In the meantime, and long before they met, Jessie was being raised in a Christian home and singing in the church choir.

Darren, who has a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from the Academy of Contemporary Music in London, became involved in the Vineyard Church in England, and came to San Luis Obispo in 1993 for a three month ministerial training program.  He stayed on to intern at the SLO Vineyard, which included a musical outreach program.  In 1994, when Jessie was sixteen, her father, a pastor, was invited to speak at the SLO Vineyard, so the entire family traveled here. Although she had never met Darren, she knew of him through her sisters who attended school with him in London.  They met one day when, according to Darren, “I was cleaning bathrooms at the San Luis Coastal Adult School cafeteria, where the Vineyard congregation worshipped.” With a smile he added, “It was part of my intern duties.” They became friends and then Jessie and her family returned to England.

Darren became worship director at 5 Cities Vineyard and was busy with outreach and putting together a church band.  Jessie had finished high school and with support from her family and the church she returned to assist Darren through a busy period for what she thought would be a three month visit. However, Vineyard invited her to return as a paid employee and offered to help her get a green card. After one more trip to England to earn money, at twenty she came back to the Central Coast for good.  According to Jessie, “I never expected to live here. I was a home girl, the least outgoing of four siblings.”  After five years of courtship, Darren and Jessie married in 2002.  They have two wonderful children, Reuben, 3, and Talulah, 1.

In addition to working with the church, for the first eighteen months of their marriage Darren toured with a band half of each month.  Modern Music Academy started as Guitar Lab in 2003 with classes at night at the Bagel Café on Higuera Street, moving to Pacific Street in 2004 as the business grew, and becoming the MMA in 2008 when additional space was added.  By then it was a full time job for the Clarkes, including Darren’s work as a producer.

In December I attended an MMA Showcase performance at Kreuzberg Café in San Luis Obispo.  Packed with enthusiastic friends, family and regular patrons, the café rocked with great original music for over two hours, with numerous musicians participating.  Everyone smiled, shouted encouragement and had a good time at what I have come to recognize as a classic SLO community event: phenomenal artistry supported by knowledgeable locals who worship the arts and are eager to help artists succeed.

I recently attended an Artist Development and Songwriting Diploma class and spoke to several of the participating musicians.  San Luis Obispo High School graduate Jeff Mitchell said, “My guitar playing has improved immensely. I’ve been released from the pentatonic box!”  According to Nathan Zak, who, along with Academy student Bri Bloemendahl, co-wrote “You Don’t Believe in Anything,” a catchy indie song recently produced and recorded by Darren, “This is a professional music class where both my playing and theory skills have improved immensely. It includes aspects not offered at Cuesta.” Sidney Willson Young, recovering from cancer, said that the class is “partly therapy, like belonging to a supportive, creative family.” Current student and Morro Bay High School graduate Molly Reeves performs in the popular Red Skunk Band. Students who complete the class earn diplomas from the London Academy of Contemporary Music. Guest lecturers include world famous musicians like Jon Anderson of Yes; local jazz vocalist and guitarist Inga Swearingen; Kenny Lee Lewis, guitarist for the Steve Miller Band; and Terry Lawless, keyboards for U2.  

Darren and Jessie Clarke have created and worked hard to sustain another center for the arts in San Luis Obispo that benefits everyone who comes in contact with them.  While the weak economy has made their road a difficult one over the last couple of years, at MMA they are dedicated to music, teaching and helping musicians fulfill their dreams. As the song says, “Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow.”

 Learn more about MMA and upcoming classes at http://modernmusicacademy.com/.