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Jam Class @ Topanga Folk Festival

Name: Jam Class @ Topanga Folk Festival
Start: 2026-05-17T10:30:00-04:00
End: 2026-05-17T12:30:00-04:00
Location: King Gillette Ranch

May 17 @ 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Taught by John David using the Wernick Method

Calabasas, CA at the Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest & Folk Festival

King Gillette Ranch, 26800 Mullholland Highway, Calabasas, CA 91302

Sunday, 10:30am-12:30pm

Tuition: FREE

This is class is free, but festival admission is required.

As soon as you register you’ll receive our Student Prep Guide
with links to our 116 Bluegrass Jam Favorites Playlists.

John David

John David (Glendale, CA) is a master on banjo, mandolin, dobro, guitar, and harmonica. He also plays fiddle and bass. He toured with music luminaries the Limeliters, performed with Leon Redbone, and has recorded for many television shows, commercials, and movie soundtracks. John created two instructional videos, on banjo and mandolin, for the Warner Brothers “Ultimate Beginner” series. While the Denver Post describes him as a “guitarist’s guitarist”, John is also eager to help everyday people with the challenges of learning to jam.

Email John

Watch John Play

Visit Teacher’s Website

Watch Teacher Teach

“The atmosphere at the jam workshop made everyone, beginners and experienced alike, feel welcome and comfortable.

“John is really a fabulous teacher who possesses that rare combination: the ability to advance students to another level of proficiency while simultaneously ensuring they really have fun doing it.”

“John made me (and everyone) feel at ease, created a fun atmosphere.”

“He showed me simple ways to get around roadblocks that had frustrated me for a long time.”

“Since I’ve been playing guitar all my life I really wanted something more advanced when jamming with my guitar, and John’s Level II camps are exactly what I was seeking.”

“He showed me simple ways to get around roadblocks that had frustrated me for a long time.”

“He’s able to teach and play every instrument, never become annoyed and kept the excitement and energy going all weekend – superb! Organization, clarity, pacing (fast clip, but seemed to work for the group) kindness, this was the best it could have been.”

“Thanks for all the help, especially the suggestions on vocal improvement.”

“John gets better and better every time I take his class. He’s aware of how everybody in the class is doing and he’s very self-reflective about small things to add/change to improve the experience. I’m hooked.”