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At The Heart of Music!
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John Tropea
- Male
- Valley Cottage, NY
- United States
John Tropea's Videos
Latest Activity
Cresskill EarthFest Festival at Cresskill, New Jersey
April 30, 2011 from 12pm to 6pm
At 5PM - The John Tropea Band - Featuring: Tropea (Guitar), Anthony Jackson (Bass), Chris Palmaro (B3), Clint de Ganon (Drums) & Dave Mann (Sax)At 12 noon - "Save Me" performanceCresskill High music Dept EnsemblesAt 1:15 - The rock BandAt 3pm - The Cresskill TrioAt 4pm - Nikki Armstrong and band See More
Event posted by John Tropea
Profile Information
- How did you hear about our Music Community? If from a friend, please tell us who.
- Nikki Armstrong
- To better serve you, tell us about your music connection.
- Musician Instrumental, Producer, Song Writer, Recording Engineer
- What instrument(s) do you play? (you can select more than one)
- guitar
- What are your favorite Musical Genres?
- Pop, Blues, Jazz, Latin Jazz, Gypsy Jazz, Traditional, R&B / Soul, Rock, Big Band
- Your Website URL?
- http://www.johntropea.com
John Tropea's Page
John Tropea's Photos
Music
About John...
Tropea began guitar studies at the age of 12. His musical education continued at Berklee School of Music in Boston, where he studied jazz guitar, harmony, composition, and big band arranging. Immediately after arriving in Boston, Tropea began playing live R & B and jazz gigs with many different bands in the area, including The Three Degrees. Influenced by Wes Montgomery, Johnny Smith, Louis Bonfa, Pat Martino, and George Benson, it was at this time that Tropea began to absorb those influences into an original style of his own. Also among his mentors at the time were the great B3 organ players Jack McDuff and Jimmy Smith.
After Berklee, Tropea recorded and toured with Deodato. Moving to New York in 1967, Tropea quickly became one of the most sought after session players. He soon became a peer among New York’s finest studio musicians. As well as world touring, Tropea wrote and produced three critically acclaimed solo albums with TK records.
His first solo album “Tropea,” was released in 1975, followed by “Short Trip to Space,” and “To Touch You Again.” With those early recordings and other projects, Tropea formed close musical alliances with other great New York musicians including: David Spinozza, Warren Bernhardt, David Sanborn, Randy and Michael Brecker, Steve Gadd, Anthony Jackson, Don Grolnick, and Richard Tee (Tropea played in The Richard Tee band).
At this time in my life now, it is my passion to continue to play with this format.” Tropea’s band plays live regularly these days and has produced two CDs, “Standard Influence,” and “Standard Influence II/Rock Candy,” both “must haves” in any CD collection. Made up of world-class players, this is no pick up band; this is a REAL band that plays with the refined sense of ensemble one finds in the finest string quartet or chamber music group. Made up of: Ronnie Cuber, baritone sax, Clint de Ganon, drums, or Steve Gadd, drums, Anthony Jackson, electric bass, Dave Mann, tenor sax, Lou Marini, tenor sax, and Chris Palmaro, Hammond B3; everyone in this band is a virtuoso, yet no one ever over-plays.
While the band has a refined sense of time and a compelling groove that makes it impossible to sit still while listening, the arrangements have, at the same time, a transparency that allows the listener in, where all the intricacies become apparent. The sound is always balanced. You hear what everyone is playing. The musicians in this band know how to use space in their playing. And while all the solo playing is creative, musical, and virtuosic, it is the rhythmic component, the sense of accent, the power of the ensemble playing that drives this group to astonishing heights of excitement. The comping, the back up playing, is as vital, as intricate, as interesting as the solo playing integrated with it. Here is a refined group of musicians whose playing complements one another, whose aim is the sound, the quality of the band as a whole. They achieve this goal to the highest degree.
The band plays jazz, R&B, and Funk standards, along with original compositions. But each tune is made up of an original, tightly constructed, and sophisticated arrangement. This quality is a delight for the listener and makes an audience eagerly look forward to the next tune and what wonderful surprises that next tune will bring. Don’t look for long solos, endless choruses from this band. That is not what they are about. There is no dross here. While the band demonstrates complete understanding and mastery of a variety of musical styles, they play entirely without cliché.
And this band knows how to program a set. Offering a wide dynamic balance, The Tropea Band plays with a savvy and wit that is appreciated by its audiences. Continually bringing new elements and surprises with each new tune, they know how to drive a set to an unbelievably energetic and satisfying conclusion.
With the respect he has gained from some of the finest musicians playing today, Tropea has been able to put together a group that shares his vision, that continues to re-define venerable traditions, and that makes music together that is of lasting beauty and significance. Tropea has once again gotten back to his live audience, as well as those who follow his recordings, and with this band, he has found his apotheosis.
T. McFaul,_Sept. 2005
tommcfaul.com
Videos
Groups
Blog Posts
WFDU FM - Big Apple Country Fund Drive
Posted by Mike Stokes on February 6, 2012 at 10:53pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
Hi all - WFDU is a unique non-commercial source for music neglected by commercial stations in the NYC tri-state area. My show, "Big Apple Country" is one of the only shows of its kind in our area. Help me keep this show (and Country Music) alive & vital by sending a few bucks our way. Just go to our site & click on "Money Matters." You can also call in during the show.
If you're a regular listener, you know the importance of this program. Tuesdays 9am - 1pm / 89.1 FM in the NYC area / on the Web @ www.WFDU.fm / on your SmartPhone via a free Ap (WFDU). PLEASE…
Continue
Live at Birdland!
Posted by Cyrille Aimée on October 25, 2011 at 4:00pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
Cyrille Aimée & The Surreal Band
Live at Birdland Jazz Club
315 West 44th street NYC
Friday November 25th and Saturday November 26th!
8:30pm and 11pm sets both days!
Cyrille Aimée: vocals
Matt Simons: tenor sax and vocals
Wayne Tucker: trumpet
Assaf Gleizner: piano
Sam Anning: bass
Mal Stein: drums
Roseann Baker and Katrina Cunningham: dance
Get tickets here: http://www.birdlandjazz.com/event/70831/
Americana Festivals 2011
Posted by Mike Stokes on July 28, 2011 at 12:01pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
The last photos, and how the Monday Night's all began, from Lou Pallo.
Posted by Steve Lucas on February 21, 2011 at 11:00am 0 Comments 1 Like
Click the pic to be taken to Lou Pallo's Blog at The Les Paul Foundation.
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Comment Wall (7 comments)
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Hi Guy,
Long time. Hope all is well with you. Hope to see you soon. Jono
hello JOHN MELVIN MEL DAVIS.ORGANIST VOCALS .LONGTIME HOPE YOUR ALRIGHT CALL MEIF YOU GET A MINUTE 973 851 8995 OK?GOOD SEEING YOU ON THE NETWORK.
Thanks for a great show last nite @ Pete's. Hope I will get a chance to sit in next time. Glad you liked my video.
angel rose
john and All da VeryBest :)
(hope 2 B closer there sometime in the future..)
Ron
Thank you for your generous donation. Your gift shows that you recognize providing a home like this can be expensive. Community members like you make it possible for me to continue to support the music & working musicians here. Your commitment to helping keep the music alive in our community is sincerely appreciated. Call me when you are at your PC so we can work on the task we discussed. -- Mike
Thanks for the shout out. Yeah, we're both working with Janet over at Redwood and I also just did an interview on ArtistFirst.com. Hope to meet up with you soon.
Russ
www.russguitar.com