Teacher / Author

Joey Calfa is an accomplished guitarist, ‘ukulelien’, and songwriter from NYC who has been playing music for over 20 years. Having graduated from SUNY Oneonta with degrees in Music Performance, Audio Production, and Music Industry, he’s always been interested in every aspect of music. After moving to Brooklyn, NY, he wrote for, performed, recorded, and co-managed the original band Cousin Earth. He has played shows and festivals all over the United States alongside artists such as Melvin Seals & the Jerry Garcia Band, Robert Randolph, Goose, Little Feat, and more. 

Joey is the Program Manager for the non-profit Especially Everyone, an organization whose mission is to build more connected communities through music, in celebration of neurodiversity. As a private teacher, he works with people of all ages and abilities, tailoring lessons to their specific tastes, learning styles, and needs. Joey is developing an inclusive method for learning guitar and ukulele that is visual, colorful, and builds on core shapes/patterns without using sheet music. The focus is getting you playing right away and figuring out the learning method that works best for you.

Specializing in Rock, Pop, Funk, Folk, Country, Blues, and dabbling in some Jazz, Flamenco, and Classical, Joey is a jack of all trades. From acoustic fingerpicking chord melodies to shredding electric guitar solos, to chomping chords for a campfire sing-a-long, he’s got you covered. Aside from playing, he can also work with you on song-writing and production. Part of his inclusive work with Especially Everyone involves using Garage Band to create music with people who have no previous musical experience. He also uses Legos and video games to express and teach music in non-traditional ways. 

Joey is based out of Stamford CT and currently teaches at Long Ridge Music Center in Stamford, CT and the Rock Shop in Nyack, NY.