Jan 21, 2019
My guest to day is Dan Pugach. Dan is a talented drummer, composer
and a recent Grammy-nominated arranger. Dan and his wife Nicole
Zuraitis, (who was my guest in December 2018) have been nominated
for a Grammy for Best Arrangement with Instruments and Vocals, for
their co-arrangement of Dolly Parton’s song Jolene. Dan
performs with various artists throughout the NY metropolitan area,
but his passion for big band music has been channeled into writing
and arranging for his own nonet, a 9 piece ensemble. I just heard
Dan and his nonet perform at the 55 Bar in NYC last week
and I highly recommend that you hear them for yourself!
As an Israeli, Dan had a lot of musical opportunities, before,
during, and after his mandatory 3 year service in the army, but he
had his heart set on moving to New York City. He was grateful for
the quick completion of his music degree at Berklee College in
Boston, which cushioned his landing in NYC. While Dan was at City
College (NYC) for his Masters degree, he was reminded of his roots,
his passion for big band music and there, his love for arranging
was ignited.
He speaks honestly of the struggles, the connections, the
challenges and the inspirations that have shaped him, not only as a
musician but as a person. Dan takes his career seriously, names the
crossroads he faces, looks within for validation, and values
integrity in music, in food, in people, and integrity in life.
Check out Dan’s website danpugach.com
to hear his music, see videos, find his upcoming gigs and buy his
CDs or charts. Let’s all send Dan and Nicole positive energy for a
win in this year's Grammys!
Enjoy the podcast!
Links:
www.danpugach.com
FB: Dan Pugach
Nonet
IG: @danpugach
Dan Pugach Nonet “Plus
One”