Over the past several years, I've written for and placed music with most every major network and in feature films. I wrote my first piece of music, a ditty titled "DADDY-O", at age three; singing it incessantly to anyone who would listen. (40 years later it was recycled for a baby segment on the Today Show). In 5th grade I picked up the Alto Sax and promptly got a wax apple stuck in the bell. My woodwind career suddenly over, piano lessons began with a certain Mrs. Marischini. She had a Beehive and was hot in a vintage Ann Margaret kind of way; unfortunately, I was apparently talented, and quickly outgrew her. My lessons continued, exposing me to a variety of increasingly eccentric teachers till, serendipitously, due to my dad being transferred to Cleveland, I got a chance to study with Jeff Hutton who played keyboards with pop super group "THE RASPBERRIES". He opened up my head to the world of improvising; and that was that. Returning to the Jersey Shore, I began formal composition and theory lessons and started playing in bands. Accepted as a Freshman composition major at Ithaca College, I began four years of intensive study with Pulitzer Prize Winning composer Karel Husa; learning a lot and eventually graduating.
End of youth.
Removed from the idyllic surroundings of the Finger Lakes, composition degree in hand, my real world formative training took place in joints like the Stone Pony & Mrs. Jay's in Asbury Park, every Casino Lounge in Atlantic City, and various substandard establishments throughout the country playing with HYTOP, a band named after a loaf of bread. Moving to NYC, I became the house piano player at the Comic Strip, wrote an Off Broadway show, and lots of songs. After leaving New York for the obligatory creative crisis, I returned and started doing music for the Food Network, writing spots for Pilot Pens, and placing cues in Music Libraries. Opportunity knocked loudly one day, and soon Kingsize Music was born. As a partner in Kingsize, I co-wrote music for many NBC shows, winning several awards for themes to the TODAY Show. I was also instrumental in creating the Kingsize Music Library, which is in use the world over and continues to expand. Over the past several years, I've written and placed music with most every major network and in feature films. I recently finished a long-term project Creative Directing the assembly of a major music library for SONY/ATV, writing, producing, and coordinating the work of forty composers world wide. In 2008, GRANCIA, a collection of my instrumental works performed by an amazing assortment of all star musicians was released to much critical acclaim. I think Mrs. Maraschini would be pleased.