Acing the School of Rock

In a practice room lined with original album covers from Led Zeppelin, the Who and Missing Persons, Tiana Jimenez turns up her guitar for a hot solo on Deep Purple's "Highway Star" before jumping off a kick drum with a final flourish. As the last distorted chords fade out, her band is ready for the next song. She is 12 years old.

Jimenez is a student at the Paul Green School of Rock Music, where "recitals" happen in L.A. clubs and the curriculum is based on the classics: Zappa, AC/DC and the Beatles.

As a member of the School of Rock's All-Star band, Jimenez is set to play the Roxy on April 9 with Jon Anderson, frontman of 1970s prog-rockers Yes.

All the girls at my school are like, 'I'm gonna join the softball team.' And I'm like, 'I'm gonna play with Jon Anderson,'" she said. "They're like, 'Who? You're weird.' But all their parents know who he is.

I'm amazed that what I was writing in the '70s has survived for so long," said Anderson, who will be making his second appearance as a touring "guest professor" with the School of Rock. "They weren't even born when the music was created and they're doing it with such excitement. It makes you feel very proud.

The All-Stars will join Yes as an opening act for the band's 40th anniversary tour this summer. Anderson thinks of it as "passing the baton," which is music to the ears of Carl Restivo, director of the Hollywood-based school.

"We want to make sure that the future of music is going to be alright," Restivo said. "I know music programs in actual public schools are nonexistent. We're trying to fill that void.

The rock 'n' roll program consists of individual instruction, weekly band practices and live performances, because as founder Paul Green says, "nothing teaches like the stage and nothing motivates better than honest applause.

Green opened his first school in Philadelphia in 1998. In the last decade, franchises have opened in 41 locations across the country. And plans for new schools are in the works.

My pipe dream is that five years from now there's a bunch of bands that came out of here that have a subtlety and a sophistication to their music that I think is lacking in rock now," said Green.

"But even if we never get there," he added, "I hope 5,000 kids can say, 'Wow, the best times of my life so far were those shows I played.' If that's all we do I think that's pretty good."
 

Paul Green School of Rock All-Stars with special guest Jon Anderson

Where: The Roxy

When: April 9, 7:30 pm

Price: $35 in advance; $39.50 day of show

Info: 310-276-2222