Staff

Rockstar Instructors at the Empire

In-person and virtual lessons available

Anthony Gemignani

Owner

Anthony has toured and played with many top musicians.  Currently he is playing bass and touring internationally with Janet Gardner (Vixen).  He has also shared the stage with artists like Billy Idol, Belinda Carlisle (GoGo’s), Winger, Great White, Enuffs z Nuff, LA guns, Quiet, Riot, Trixter, Mr. Big, C&C Music Factory, Honeymoon Suite, Firehouse, Howard Jones, Sheena Easton, Tesla, Loverboy, Cheap Trick, Chic and many more.

During all the years of grinding and struggles, teaching was always a part of his livelihood and Anthony decided to open his first music school in 2003.  This experience led to the best music school in New Jersey…All Star Music Empire!

Giving back and helping artists find their way in the music field is so fulfilling to Anthony and is a huge part of why he does what he does.  Whether it is to learn a couple songs to play for family and friends or to follow a dream to be the next big artist or band, Anthony and the All Star staff are here to help guide you to whatever level you are striving to achieve.

With Anthony at the wheel along with his amazing staff and this inspiring facility by his side, you will certainly get the best musical experience of your life.

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Jon Loree

Drums

Jon is a driving force at Allstar Music Empire as well as touring with the internationally known band Tantric. Jon has a passion for music and drums that just pours from his soul. He is one of our most popular instructors and again has a love for instructing and passing on knowledge that is not seen very often. Jon is also very trained with our special needs students as well and a huge part of our state program.

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Zeke Sky

Guitar, Piano, Bass

Beginning on guitar at age 10 and piano at age 19, after having early music experiences seeing punk bands, I honed my chops over a decade and a half before bursting onto the music scene in 2018. Since that time, my band has broken out as a viral music sensation across the internet, accruing hundreds of thousands of followers and opening for legendary acts such as Kings X, Molly Hatchet and more.

My teaching philosophy is straightforward, exploratory, humorous and granular. While details are important, so is the experience of playing the instrument. Lessons focus around imparting both the technical aspects of performance and the joy of leisurely music indulgence. At home in all styles of music including jazz, classic rock and everything in between, you can learn everything from Mozart’s piano to Eddie Van Halen’s guitar in my room.

Music is a unifying force of nature. It’s the type of thing we love without having to think too hard about. Music lessons should be joyful and impart growth, thinking skills and determination. I am looking forward to seeing you in a lesson!

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Edison Wilson

Guitar & Bass Instructor

Edison Wilson has been in the music industry for most of his life performing and sharing stages all over the world with artists such as BB King, Elvis Costello, Blondie, Joan Jett, Police, Steely Dan, Blues Traveler, WEEN, Spin Doctors, Black Label Society, Phish, Talking Heads, P Funk and many more. In his free time, he studied classical guitar at Westminster Choir College for 2 years.

Edison is also a co-writer of the international mega hit “Freedom of 76” by WEEN. The band has been quoted saying Edison is a “Shit hot Guitar Player’.

Edison is also one of our in-house instrument technicians doing repairs and builds on guitars and basses and is a consultant with Moxy Guitars and Flemington Guitar Shop.

His extensive knowledge of the guitar as a player/instructor, repair tech and songwriter is widely respected and known throughout the area. You can see him playing all around NJ.

Edison’s patience and personality is amazing and inspiring and we are thrilled to have such talent at Allstar Music Empire as part of the teaching staff to help bring joy and inspiration to any student with the passion of music.

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Kevin Bregande

Drums (Virtual)

Kevin has been pumping his drums professionally for a long time after graduating from Berklee Collee of Music. Kevin has performed with, and shared stages with, some of the top names in the music industry. He has also been the house drummer for the Bitter End’s Monday night jams in NYC for more than 10 years – which is run by Billy Joel’s sax player Richie Cannata and has celebrity guest musicians every week. Kevin has also been a studio session drummer for over 30 years. He has left his mark on the world with his playing, and anyone would be lucky to learn from his knowledge of the drums and the industry.

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Kelly McCarthy

Vocals (Virtual)

Kelly is a very talented and inspiring young artist that I was fortunate enough to meet through a referral many years ago. Kelly worked onsite at Allstar for many years and now she is in NYC doing virtual lessons for us still. Kelly has an amazing way of bonding with her students, and they have never had anything but praise to share about her methods of teaching as well as her as a person.

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Kurt Althoff

Guitar, Bass and Piano

Kurt Althoff graduated from William Paterson University with a degree in music (Concentration: Music Management/Classical Guitar Track). He has worked in the music industry since 2005.

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Bruce Gatewood

Guitar, Bass, Piano, Drums, Ukulele

Bruce Gatewood was raised in Jersey City, NJ. He started playing guitar at age 6 and developed his musicianship by learning how to play other instruments and styles of music. He furthered his musical journey through college, earning a B.A. in Music at New Jersey City University.

Some Of Bruce’s Performing, Recording, and Touring credits include: The Holland Tunnel Project, Roadside Alibi, Joe Lynn Turner, Jon Secada, Gloria Gaynor, Joe Colledge, Atello, Deodato, ELO part2 featuring Jose’ Feliciano, Delores O’Rirodan, and Angelo Badalamenti to name a few. He also performs with many Tri-State Area bands including High In The Mid-80s, Pulse Productions, and The Mystical Majesty Band. He has released a solo CD and a few singles that are available on all streaming platforms.

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David M. Gove

Guitar and Piano

Dave Gove has been interested in music since he was a child. He studied piano beginning in elementary school, and moved on to play saxophone, both tenor and baritone, in order to perform in his high school’s marching, concert, and jazz ensembles. After high school, Dave attended New York University, where he began playing guitar while studying at NYU’s Music Business and Technology Program. After college, Dave began playing professionally in bands and as a solo act. He performed with Rock and roll bands, folk bands, an old time country music/bluegrass band, and as a purveyor of his original songs, picking up knowledge of other instruments, such as banjo, mandolin, dulcimer, harmonica, and bass, along the way. Throughout the past twenty or so years, Dave has tutored many students in musical endeavors, mostly guitar and piano. These days he plays in local groups, or solo, playing many styles of music, including his own original songs, and he continues to tutor people of all ages in an effort to keep music alive in as many people as possible.

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Andy Romeo

Drums

Andy’s musical background is inspired by both his interest in education as well as performing professionally. His roots lie in underground metal of the late 2000s but he has also expanded to playing covers in various other projects. His experience has led him to acquire a variety of necessary skills needed for playing different types of music. He evenutally found himself teaching drums at his local music store in Pennsylvania. Throughout each of these milestones, Andy pursued a psychology degree, assisted in research regarding various pedagogical techniques, and obtained a master’s degree in counseling.

In 2021, he joined Silvertung, a national act with several top 40 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart. On his first tour with Silvertung, he helped open the stage at Rock Fest in Wisconsin for artists such as Corey Taylor (Slipknot/Stone Sour), Phil Anselmo of Pantera, Limp Bizkit, and All That Remains.

Andy’s diverse experience in psychology, metal, and education help him create engaging lessons to help aspiring drummers gather introductory tools to build their identities as musicians.

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