CURRENT PROJECTS

Jerseyband

This band is right where I am and have been for the past few years…musically speaking. These guys are my best friends and each one of them rocks as a musician. We have been together since 1999. We consist of 1 trumpet, 3 saxophones, 2 guitars, and a drummer. We play “Lungcore,” a new genre that infuses a horn band with heavy-metal values. Here’s our bio:

What does a screaming hardcore metal vocalist have in common with a jazz trumpeter? For Jerseyband, it is one in the same. The band’s unassuming trumpeter, Brent Madsen intermittently pulls the horn from his lips just long enough to let out his version of an ape on a rampage. One moment, Madsen screams, “Move my carrot!” and the next, your head is spinning because Jerseyband has already exchanged the gates of hell for a jaunt in Peewee’s Playhouse. Backed by drums, electric guitar, and guitar synth, Jerseyband’s horns (three saxophones and a trumpet) cut through meaty arrangements that shock their audiences into submission. Enthusiasts have compared their sound to Mr. Bungle, Zappa, and Meshuggah but one thing is clear; this band is best categorized under their own genre of horn driven metal called Lungcore.

Check us out: Jerseyband

The Beyondo Project

I started this project about 1 and 1/2 years ago. My good friend Eric Biondo writes great “pop” songs. I decided to arrange and produce 10 of his songs and record an album. Currently, I have 3 songs finished which you can preview on my Audio page. They will be available for purchase via digital download (ITunes style) on this website soon. I hope to have the entire album done by December of 2005. I feel that, in the right hands, one or all of these songs could be on the pop charts within the next year or two.

Visit Eric’s site: Eric Biondo

Solo Project

Over the past 2 years I have written 9 singer-songwriter type songs. They can be described as a mix between NIN, Jeff Buckley, Bjork, and ya know…..me. I eventually want to record an album but I have to learn how to sing first. I’ve been taking voice lessons on and off for the past two years. It’s amazing how hard it is to reproduce what you hear in your head with your vocal cords. I am currently playing with the thought of getting a great female vocalist to sing the songs. I hope to have this album out within the next year.

Musicians: Ryan Ferreira - Guitars, Ike Sturm - Bass, Ted Poor - Drums, ? - Lead Vocals.

FUTURE PROJECTS

Matt Blanchard and Christine Hagan

Christine Hagan and I used to write together for our band Julia’s Star. Our writing styles tend to compliment each other very well. Since Julia’s Star ended we have talked about writing an albums worth of electronica music together. Hopefully this will happen within the next year. I can’t wait.

Christine Hagan’s website: Christine Hagan

Quartet

When I finally move to NYC this band will be re-birthed. We played weekly during our college years for quite awhile and just started to get to something towards the end. We have since then talked about how great it would be to get back together as an actual band and perform original music. I am really looking forward to this.

Musicians: Me - Tenor Saxophone, Ryan Ferreira - Guitar, Ike Sturm - Bass, Ted Poor - Drums

PAST PROJECTS

5-head

5-head was a ska band. I played saxophone and organ. This band was active during my college years. I had the honor of traveling to Philadelphia to mix our album with legendary producer, Shelly Yakus. Shelly mixed U2’s “Joshua Tree,” a bunch of Tom Petty records, John Lennon’s “Imagine” and many other classic albums. Shelly’s studio was across the hall from DJ Jazzy Jeff’s studio…they were recording Jill Scott’s first record at the time. Exciting.com Will Smith says “Hello.” Anyway, 5-head broke up due to weak reasons and I greatly miss playing in this band.

Julia’s Star

This was my first official band. During the first half of my sophomore year in college I heard Portishead “Roseland NYC Live.” I had been hearing that type of music in my head for awhile, so when I heard that CD I flipped out. I was so inspired that I put Julia’s Star together. We played electronica music that I wrote and were together for about a year. I learned an enormous amount about the music business and music production techniques with this band. We recorded one album which you can hear snippets of on my Audio page.