Zupe: Press

A Tasty Masterpiece

"Speechless" is a twelve-song instrumental album, and the result of a three-year musical summit between Altoona-based one-man band, entertainer and composer Zupe and Somerset-based guitar vet Dave Nichols. With Zupe playing keys, trumpet and trombone and Nichols playing electric guitars, the longtime collaborators match musical wits on compositions that blend funk, rock, jazz and blues flavors. A number of musical guest contributors color and flesh things out; including Jamie Peck on sax, flute and pennywhistle, Jerry Sandusky on sax, Bill Smith on bass and Chuck Knepper on acoustic guitar and bass. Amazingly, there is no singular drummer on the album, but drum loops and samples adeptly weaved and sequenced together into a tight, percussive backdrop.

Zupe and Nichols ace the challenge of giving each composition its own distinctive style and flavor through their various arrangements, meters and modes of instrumental attack. The continuous interaction, nip and tuck between the two musicians and their guests provides a constant highlight throughout the album. Many flavors come to play here, including robust R&B on the frisky opener “Step On It,” swing-styled boogie on “Dear Deke,” a bold, brassy Big-Easy-styled blues-jazz flavor on “Rib Joint,” adventurous funk on “A Dash of Dementia” with its tribal outback-flavored midsection, and reggae-meets-blues overtones on “Captain & Coke.” Compositions such as “Chronologic Breakdown,” “Do the Math” and “Screamin’ Mimi” hint at Steely Dan-styled jazz-funk; while “Creepin’” and the busy shuffle “Caterpillar” recall some of Jeff Beck’s and Jan Hammer’s jazz-rock experiments from the 70’s. The arrangements are efficient and tight, avoiding bombast or overblown jamming; nary a note is wasted.

Produced by Zupe and Nichols and mostly recorded at Zupe’s Woposonic Studios in Altoona, the mixes are bright and balanced, giving each instrumental component clarity and voice. Every track shines on its own merit; yet the album as a whole is consistent and cohesive. The musicianship is constantly excellent, the moods are colorful, and the album sounds like it was a lot of fun to create. Zupe & Nichols hit a clear-cut home run with Speechless, a tasty masterpiece that will have listeners revisiting it again and again to enjoy its vibes and uncover its subtleties. Fans of top-notch musicianship will easily find this worth savoring. (The CD can be purchased through www.cdbaby.com.)

SONGWRITERS HAVE MAGIC FOR MUSIC


Robbing two area songwriters of their music would be like
depriving them of oxygen.

Dave Nichols, 54, of Somerset and Zupe, 41, of Altoona are
well-known throughout the region for their musicianship, but
few people realize their original music has gained national
attention.

The pair have collaborated on writing, recording and publishing
tunes for advertisements and jingles for more than a decade and
have attained more than a modicum of success.

They have released a new compact disc titled “Speechless,”which
was nearly three years in the making and features 12 instrumental
selections that underscore the men’s musical mastery.

This new CD is a combination of jazz, rock and funk and is designated as a new arrival on CDBaby.com, where it is available for $12.

“Because of our individual performance schedules, I would say we averaged about one day a week, over the past three years, where we could sit down and tackle our musical ideas,” said Nichols, whose compositions and guitar expertise have been used by such bands as the Johnstown Classic Rockers, Red Alert and CK and the Boomers.

Zupe (pronounced Zoop), like Cher or Sting, changed his named 15 years ago to a single moniker and is well-known for his one-man band and composing skills.

The writers are on the same wavelength and it’s not unusual for them to finish each other’s sentences.“We fight not
to be pigeonholed to a common degree musically,” Nichols said.

The men’s teamwork dates to 1995, when they composed music for the Johnstown Chiefs.

“The team’s motto at the time was ‘Hockey With an Attitude’ and we composed music that depicted that slogan,” Zupe said. “It was played when the team scored a goal or came on the ice.”

Their published works have appeared on a variety of television programs, including Fox’s “Malcolm in the Middle,” and “The Simple Life,” NBC’s “Dateline,” MTV’s “Road Rules” and “Real World,” and several shows on cable networks, such as A&E and The History Channel.

“Two of our songs were used on a History Channel documentary on America diners, titled ‘Highway Hangouts,’ which was hosted by (actor) Jerry Stiller,” Zupe said.

Nichols and Zupe have collaborated on writing 30-second television spots for such businesses as a local candy company, travel agency, an electric supply company and a plumbing and heating company.

In describing some of the opening cuts on “Speechless,” Zupe issued a warning about driving while listening. “It’s high energy and people would have a tendency to push the pedal to the metal,” he said.

The song “Rib Joint” jolts the listener with a blues sound that percolates with a blend of dynamic horns.

Nichols said songwriting has been a natural progression for the pair, who have spent their entire careers making music. “When you reach middle age, the allure of wearing Spandex on stage looses its appeal,” laughed Nichols.

On a more serious note, Nichols said the support system of family, friends and fellow musicians has been invaluable. “We couldn’t do this without knowing that our families believe in what we are doing and give us unrelenting support,” Nichols said.

The duo also supports each other. “It’s rare when an impasse is reached because one of us generally can pick up the other if we get stumped,” Nichols said. “But when we are both cooking, it can be described only as magic and the music just flows.”

Now that the CD is released, the pair is confident the music will stand on its own merit.

“We are moving on to other projects,” Zupe said. “We generally make three or four trips to Nashville to showcase our material, as well as trips to New York and L.A.,” Zupe said.

But Nichols said the greatest asset for songwriters has been the Internet. “Technology has opened a lot of doors for us, and we want to take advantage of each opportunity,” Nichols said.

Passenger Profile

Zupe,
Performing Musician + Composer

Zupe had to find out the hard way what the word "unsolicited" meant. When he finally began to take his music and songwriting seriously, he discovered that he was totally lost in a sea of industry executives who wouldn't give him anything more than a friendly rejection via a form letter.

Although he had written a song called "The Light" in 1995 that the Red Cross used in their disaster relief awareness ad campaign, it seemed to mean nothing at all to publishers and music supervisors across the country. That he had achieved a modicum of success on his own was worthless to the industry Movers and Shakers. Zupe had hit a brick wall. Frustration had set in.

Out of sheer desperation, he reached for a TAXI ad that he had seen over and over. He had nowhere else to turn. After becoming a member in 1998, Zupe's second submission was forwarded and hope sprang eternal. To date, our esteemed Passenger has accumulated a neat package of 49 forwards and six deals. Check this out: A song placed in the hit TV series Malcolm in the Middle, an indie film called Mr. Id, three single-song deals with Ren Music and a song placed with country artist Anthony Rivera.

Zupe began playing trumpet and piano when he was about eight years old and by high school was performing with some local rock bands despite being taught big band music by his teachers. "Right about that time I thought I'd start taking music seriously. However, I didn't look at the big picture until I was with another rock band while stationed in Germany with the Air Force. We played the bar scene there. I wrote some songs and then decided to start pitching them. I had no success. I learned the hard way what 'unsolicited' meant. I picked up a couple of those songwriter market books and started to randomly pitch my music to record companies and publishers wherever I could. And that never worked out well either. I was pretty much doing things on my own and learning the hard way"

In 1998, after re-recording a jingle for the third time and watching his client back out of the deal, Zupe had enough. "I told my wife that I had been looking at these TAXI ads for years and even though I was a little doubtful, I was going to give it a shot for a year and see what happens."

What happened was that Zupe got more than he bargained for. In addition to getting forwarded, he became a better songwriter, thanks in part to the critiques he received. "I found out a lot about myself through the critiques. The best word I can think of is--focused. TAXI taught me to focus--to find my target audience and present my music to a particular audience. And once I started doing that I started getting more successful. Another thing about TAXI is that the screeners really do listen to the music. On one of the jazz songs I submitted, a screener wrote me and told me to listen to the song at the 3:25-mark and I'd hear a chord clash. He was right. It was something that I missed. It was the sustain pedal on the piano that was held too long so I fixed it up. But they are paying attention to the material."

About a year ago, Zupe upgraded his membership to the Dispatch area of TAXI. "TAXI Dispatch is the quick turnaround electronic version of regular TAXI. You get the listings via e-mail and you have a short period of time--sometimes as little as 24 hours--to get your MP3 to the listing. They're done on a yes/no basis so you hear back usually within 24-48 hours. Also, Dispatch deals specifically with placements for TV and Movies. My deal with placing my original song with Malcolm in the Middle happened through TAXI Dispatch. I got an e-mail and next thing I knew I was in touch with the music supervisor of the show to make the deal."

Zupe readily admits that were it not for TAXI he'd still be "treading water and banging my head against the wall". Through constant submissions, he got better at knowing how to send in material and how to more accurately read the various listings. And to show you just how satisfied he is, Zupe is ready to renew his membership the second it expires. Now if that don't spell satisfaction, nothing does! Congratulations, Zupe, for a job well done.

ZUPE - Christmas Piano CD Review

"Inspiration can be a wonderful thing, especially around the holidays. According to Zupe's liner notes, the right ingredients were there...Gray skies and snow on the outside, and inside, a hot cup of coffee, a sleeping dog, Zupe, his piano, and tape running. The result: 'Christmas Piano.' Just Zupe and his piano, delivering a mellow, beautiful selection of holiday favorites suitable for setting the mood, with family and friends, around the Christmas tree Christmas Eve. We hear Zupe's relaxing interpretations of 'Silent Night,' ' O'Tannenbaum,' 'White Christmas,' 'Greensleeves,' 'Little Drummer Boy,' and more. Nothing fancy, just Zupe and his piano doing Christmas favorites. Listening to the magic here makes us glad Zupe decided to turn the recorder on when he was hit with the holiday spirit! If you are into quiet holiday music, I highly recommend Zupe's 'Christmas Piano.' This one will be playing on my CD player Christmas Eve, no doubt. Buy or find a lump of coal in your stocking!" RATING 9.0 / 10.0

FRIDAY NIGHT - I started off by checking out Zupe at the Daily Grind Cafe. First, a BIG tip of the hat to Jeff and the Daily Grind, they have a really good thing going here, especially for under-21 fans. The crowd, mostly in their early- to mid-teens, were having a blast dancing and swinging as Zupe played everything from "Jump Jive and Wail" to Elton John and Billy Joel to Staple Singers (yes, Zupe, that's who does "I'll Take You There"), B-52's, Steely Dan, original songs and more - since it was a warm evening, the kids were going outside and dancing on the street corner, way cool! Zupe is the master entertainer, he does it all - singing, playing keys and doing all the programming. It was a very upbeat and enjoyable show

ZUPE - THE LIGHT CD Single (American Red Cross)

I normally don't review singles here in the Final Cut, but this one is a special exception. Local entertainer Zupe, known throughout this area for his computer / keyboard "one-man-band" performances, has issued this CD single, "The Light," to benefit the Keystone Chapter of the American Red Cross. Written and produced by Zupe himself, "The Light" is a ballad of hope that nicely builds into a full-blown finish, complete with backing choral harmonies by the Hollidaysburg Alumni Chorus. The overall sound suggests Journey-meets-"We Are The World;" a nice, interesting melody and chorus, with Dave Nichols' guitar nicely playing off Zupe's ivory-tickling. "The Light" is dedicated to Zupe's drummer, Brian Capotosto, who died in a Feb. 8 auto accident. A good song, for a good cause - and it's great to see local music giving something back to the community. "The Light" shines bright indeed!

ST. PATRICK'S DAY WITH ZUPE

St. Patrick's Days in the Altoona area are often droll affairs musically - unless they fall on a weekend, like this year. With the holiday falling on a Sunday, there was live music to be enjoyed, and green beer, Killian's Red and Irish whiskey to be consumed (I only had the Killian's).

Zupe already had a good party going as I arrived at Uriah's Pub, with the mid-sized audience of green-clad merrimakers shouting out song titles. Zupe's show mixes a variety of sounds - rock, pop, standards, oldies, ballads and even occasional jazz and polkas. From an original tune called "We've Got Tonight," Zupe soon had several women doing the line-dance thing with his version of "It's Electric," and (he admits, reluctantly) the Village People's "YMCA."

Zupe does do original songs, and one that has brought him attention on a national scale is "The Light," a song he recorded last year for the American Red Cross' "Be The Light" campaign. The song has recently received radio airplay in New England and the Dakotas as various Red Cross chapters have requested the song and video for their individual campaigns. Obviously, folks locally have heard of the song, for several Uriah's celebrants called out requests for "The Light," and Zupe did a solid one-man version of it (the recorded version has accompaniment from the Hollidaysburg Alumni Chorus, resulting in a "We Are The World"- like feel). Then one of several "Uriah's Flashbacks," as Zupe did songs that made him popular at earlier shows there ... this time it was two Elton John songs, "Bennie and the Jets" and "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" to end the set.

Following the intermission (during which Zupe told me he's doing theme music for the Johnstown Chiefs hockey games, and that the team has mysteriously started winning since his music has started being used), Zupe resumed the party, starting the set with Buffalo Springfield's classic "For What it's Worth." After the Beatles "Let It Be," a humorous exchange between Zupe and a fan wanting to see him break out the trumpet ... The fan promised Zupe his firstborn if Zupe would break out the trumpet, to which Zupe replied "I thought the Smithsonian got it first..." Zupe did break out the trumpet, and led partiers Pied-Piper style around Uriah's on a dance number (with the computer running things onstage), and kept the trumpet out to appease the polka god on "Too Fat Polka." The party continued with tunes from George Michael, En Vogue, The Knack, Fine Young Cannibals, and an original ballad. The show was supposed to be winding down (Zupe was originally slated to play until 9), but the Uriah's revellers would have no part of that - they passed the green Killian's derby hat around, and returned it, filled with cash, to the stage to a grinning Zupe. Zupe then launched into a frolicking original number called "D.J. Blues," his ode to a frequently-occurring dilemma where folks think he is a deejay onstage.

Let's make that distinction ... Zupe is NOT a deejay, and he is NOT karaoke! Folks have often argued over the years about the merits of computerized music onstage; once you study how Zupe puts this show together, you realize that this is LIVE music, albeit organized a little differently. Zupe diagrams and programs each song part, in detail, beforehand - except for those parts he plays live onstage; keyboards, vocals, and occasional trumpet. To be able to coordinate all of the programming into individual diskettes (for each song), and then be able to execute the live parts along the programmed backdrop requires precision timing and skill. Zupe does all of the above and makes a party out of it ... truly a unique entertainer.

Back to the show ... Aerosmith, the Stones, Led Zeppelin ("Rock and Roll"), an audience request for Billy Joel's "Piano Man," Billy Ocean, another humorous exchange (AUDIENCE MEMBER - "Zupe, you're the best!" ZUPE - "Thanks but no, you're not getting my Southern Comfort!"), Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman," INXS, Roxette, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis, "Hey Bartender," "Soul Man," and the Peanuts theme ... By this time, the hat was making another go-round, and it was apparent Uriah's wasn't nearly ready to let this party end!

It wasn't the bandorama (5 bands at each bar) you get in State College, or the ethnic flavor you get in Johnstown ... but for this year, Altoona at least had something to do for St. Patrick's Day, and this party made this St. Patty's Day one I'll remember.