Arielle
Every now and then you find someone whose instrument is connected somehow to their soul and that’s what’s up with Arielle. We welcomed her to EMEAPP to create an episode of Sonic Test Drive that features the rare (and bizarre) Leslie 950 cabinet. Check out her soulful style and the strange-looking monster-sized spinny thing behind her!
Bio: Born in New Jersey, raised in California and Hawaii, and now splitting her time between London and Florida, Arielle is a fiercely independent and determined young performer and recording artist blessed with a crystal clear, four-octave voice, exceptional guitar chops, and a musical style that combines the vocal purity of Karen Carpenter and Joni Mitchell with the bombastic guitar stylings of Jeff Beck and Brian May. Proudly self-identifying as a “nineties child, with a sixties and seventies soul”, she has written and recorded seven self-released EPs and two long-players to date, gaining ever-increasing international notoriety and critical plaudits for her emotionally drenched, organic, classic folk-rock stylings.
Alex Ball
We love to watch Alex Ball’s synthesizer videos: his vast knowledge and humorous style are addicting. He put together an outstanding video about the history of ARP synthesizers that we included in our ARP 2500 feature article. Make sure you check his expansive body of work!
Bio: Alex Ball is a music composer, producer and supervisor for media based in the UK. Since 2007 he’s worked on several hundred broadcast campaigns for brands such NatWest, Jameson, Douwe Egberts, Coca-Cola, Havana Club Rum, Peroni, FCA, Public Health England, Ballantine’s, Virgin Holidays, Transport for London, Amazon Prime, Currys PC World, HP, Ribena, Gulf Air, Ladbrokes, Hyundai and many, many more. Outside of advertising, he’s worked on the trailers for “Sackboy: A Big Adventure” and “Watch Dogs: Legion” and composed music for the Cbeebies BAFTA nominated series “Tee & Mo” and even had his music used in an episode of Netflix Stranger Things and BBC’s “The Apprentice”.
Along the way, he’s picked awards and nominations from British Arrows Craft Awards, One Show Awards, Music & Sound Awards, Vox Awards and Creative Circle. In 2016 he took his passion onto YouTube and began creating videos demonstrating music production, composition and arranging. This evolved into synthesizer documentaries and film score breakdowns which have proved popular and had recognition from the subjects of the films leading to collaborations with Roland, Arturia, Project SAM, Alan R Pearlman Foundation, GForce Software, Expressive-E and ISLA Instruments.
Antoine Baril
Is he a drummer or a keyboardist? Bassist or guitarist? Yes, he is! Antoine’s passion for good music runs deep, as seen in his One Man video series. He smashed down progressive rock walls with his crafty woven medleys with One Man Rush, Genesis and Yes, so we joined forces to create One Man ELP. Check out the making of this masterwork – it’ll move ya!
Bio: With over 20 years of live experience and more than 10 years in recording and producing, Antoine Baril is known for his passion and devotion regarding his musical projects and the people with which he works.An accomplished musician and multi-instrumentist, Antoine acquired extensive experience as a drummer while he toured North America, playing in some of the most legendary venues. Antoine also worked several years as a stage carpenter, technical director, and a light and sound technician. In addition, aided by multimedia studies, Antoine developed skills that apply the latest software technologies to all domains related to music such as graphic design and web programming.
John Blackford
When John showed up at EMEAPP we knew he’d be a good fit. His knowledge of synths and recording runs deep, his graphic design skills are abundant and he has a major Fairlight issue. And a Polyfusion issue, and a Buchla issue. You can see his work in our new EMEAPP branding and merch as well as our current website.
John Chowning
John Chowning is a composer and knows a ‘lil bit about computers making music. Oh, and he discovered digital FM synthesis to boot. 🙂 John was gracious enough to spend some time being interviewed by our Mike Hunter to discuss how he was pulled into the world of music and computers, it’s worth checking out!
Bio: John M. Chowning is an American composer, musician, discoverer, and professor best known for his work at Stanford University, the founding of CCRMA – Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics in 1975 and his development of the digital implementation of FM synthesis and the digital sound spatialization while there.
Roby Deaton
We were able to convince Roby to throw down a quick tune during his first visit to EMEAPP and he did not disappoint! While he is widely know as a modular synthesist, he certainly feels at home on a grand piano. He most recently threw down a version of Jeremy Bender for our Keith Emerson’s 80th birthday celebration. We look forward to our continued collaborations, so keep an eye out for more.
Bio: Roby Deaton, keyboard player for the Prog group Digital Life Project (formerly Deaton Lemay Project) has been a musician all his life. He started taking piano lessons at the age of 5, switched to guitar at 12 and learned violin as a young adult. He teaches piano, violin and guitar at Tempo School of Music and is an endorsed artist with SYNTHESIZERSDOTCOM. Digital Life Project (DLP) brings to the live stage modern Prog music with an old-school feel.
Old School Progressive…New World Interactive www.digitallifeproject.com
Joe DeFeo
Joe got involved with EMEAPP presenting a series of guitar-based videos focusing on maintenance and upgrades. A popular guitar technician in the Philly area, Joe brings decades of experience to the audience in a very accessible way. Check out his videos and learn something! (COMING SOON!)
Sam DeRose Jr
Sam took his classical violin upbringing and morphed it into a fever-grade rock style of solo bass. We were lucky enough to hand him a Rickenbacher 4001 bass and turn him loose on a vintage (1969) Marshall Super Bass rig. We hit the record button and off he went! Make sure to check out his Abbey Road Sessions project on YouTube.
Bio: Sam DeRose Jr has charted on commercial radio in Rock, Pop and R&B. Sam is currently a songwriter and producer affiliated within many major industry artist development record labels. As an artist, Sam is one of the industry’s leading songwriters with a vocal range and style that is soulful and modern. Sam has redefined himself within his own brand. Cataloging a library of songs stylized in a nuevo pop sound with hard rock underpinnings, Sam is reinforcing the construction of a new style and genre.
Described as a virtuoso on electric bass, Sam mentored privately studying advanced composition and theory, classical solo violin as applied to electric bass, principles of chamber music and orchestral designs for film and television. DeRose used custom-made Dragonetti Soloist hand-carved basses.
Stuart Diamond
When you seek information about the history of electronic wind instruments, Stuart is the one to call! We welcomed him to EMEAPP with his Electric Diamond project to perform for a Live!@EMEAPP episode with great results. He was also kind enough to let us interview him for a feature article we created about our EWI collection that includes a vintage Lyricon donated by Stuart and a Berglund NuRad prototype donated by Johan Berglund himself. Very cool stuff!
Bio: Stuart Diamond’s career covers a wide range of activities—entrepreneur, educator, writer/journalist, producer/videoartist, and composer/musician. As a multimedia artist, Diamond has created works for the concert hall, film, dance, and theater. His ensemble, Electric Diamond, is one of the pioneering groups of live, electronic music performance. Diamond was a recipient of the Criterion Foundation Award that supported him for more than 5 years for the sole purpose of composing contemporary music.
As co-founder of Empowered Media, he was at the forefront of the digital media and online marketing revolution. While serving Empowered Media, Diamond worked with major defense contractors, international human rights organizations, the United Nations, and top Fortune 500 companies. His work included consulting with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on counter-terrorism strategies, as well as developing educational programs for Wall Street on the nature of trust and the financial system. In his role as editor-in-chief of Empowered Doctor, he oversaw the development of thousands of health-related news stories, including the media production of The National Physician of the Year Awards. As a Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow, Diamond visits colleges throughout the United States in support of the value of the liberal arts. For 9 years, he was a Trustee for The California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. Mr. Diamond graduated (with Honors and Phi Beta Kappa) from Haverford College with a degree in music and philosophy. He then received a full-fellowship from Sarah Lawrence College, where he received his M.F.A.
Joe DiMattia
We asked Joe to whip up a long-form ambient performance for our Live!@EMEAPP series. He brought in some tasty gear, we handed him a vintage Oberheim OB-Xa and he was off to the races! Joe’s sound design has always been top-notch, enjoy the results!
Bio: Joe DiMattia has been a part of the Philadelphia music and recording communities for close to forty years. As a composer and keyboardist/synthesist he was a member of the bands Shaman and Lunar Philharmonic. His work with Shaman on the cd “Offering” reached national radio play and press and for ten years the band performed successfully in and around the Philadelphia area. His work with Lunar Philharmonic was a blend of synth textures and unique, unorthodox drumming. The cd “Songs of Home” was well received by critics and was on several top ten lists in the prog community in the early 2000s. As a recording engineer, Joe has worked at Big Sky Audio in Springfield, Pa. for twelve years and at Junction Music in Huntingdon Valley, Pa. for fifteen years. In that time he has been involved in hundreds, if not thousands, of sessions ranging from singer/songwriter demos to midied scores for musicals to a live mummers style string band and everything in between. He has worked closely with people who never entered a studio before to Academy Award and Grammy nominees and winners. In addition to working as an engineer in the studio, Joe has experience with midi/keyboard programming and playing various keyboard instruments for many sessions. Currently, Joe is the founder/owner of BlackWing Audio. BlackWing creates custom sound libraries for Omnisphere and bespoke sounds for private clients.
Aaron Emerson
We love it when Aaron comes for a visit! He is a wealth of Keith Emerson history (he was there) and quite the musician! He has performed at EMEAPP on three occasions, each time quite different. He played at our Keith Emerson Experience in 2019 and he cut the synth solo for his remake of ELP’s “Lucky Man” on his dad’s Moog. Here is Aaron performing a favorite Copland piece that certainly brings Keith to mind, “Fanfare For the Common Man”. Even better, he performs it on his father’s Steinway!
Larry Fast
Larry is a musical hero to many, including us. His work with his musical project called Synergy, is constantly echoing through our halls. He was also deeply involved with Peter Gabriel on his early solo endeavors. But to us, Larry is a board member and valuable advisor. We were beyond thrilled when he gave us permission to use a segment of his song, Delta One, to introduce some of our early video productions.
Bio: Larry Fast is an American synthesizer player and composer. He is best known for his 1975–1987 series of synthesizer albums (Synergy) and for his contributions to a number of popular music acts, including Peter Gabriel, Foreigner, Nektar, Bonnie Tyler, and Hall & Oates. He took his previous training in piano and violin and melded them with computer science to become interested in synthesized music and to build his own primitive sound-making electronic devices. He was introduced to Rick Wakeman, the keyboard player from the band Yes, during a local radio interview, and traveled to the UK to work on their 1973 album Tales from Topographic Oceans.
Fast has done some work with designing listening devices for the hearing disabled; his wife had been working in the field for some time. Fast owns several patents for audio distribution using infrared optical technologies. Fast is also part of a government group aiming to protect some of New Jersey’s historic assets against developers.
Pete Favilla
They call him Piano Pete for a reason, wanna guess? Hint: he plays the piano, and very well at that! Pete has become a regular visitor to our place, consistently delivering tasty performances for our Live!@EMEAPP series. If you’re in the mood for classical, check out his renditions of Debussy’s Claire de Lune, Chopin’s Ocean Etude, and his own original composition, called Ghosts. Or for something completely different, check out his arrangement of the Queen classic, Bohemian Rhapsody. Pete also threw down an awesome version of Prelude to a Hope as part of our Keith Emerson’s 80th birthday celebration.
Bio: Peter Favilla, known as Piano Pete, is a unique artist whose musical journey is defined by a profound passion for the piano. From an early age, he displayed a natural talent for the instrument, mastering a diverse range of musical styles, from classical masterpieces to contemporary pop. His performances blend technical skill with emotional depth, captivating audiences in both intimate settings and larger venues. In addition to his performance career, Peter is dedicated to working with the next generation of musicians through teaching, combining traditional techniques with modern pedagogical approaches to create a supportive and inspiring learning environment.
Favilla is also an accomplished composer. His original work, Piano Suite No. 1, “Ghosts,” achieved semi-finalist status at the 27th World Music Competition in Vienna, Austria, showcasing his innovative approach to composition. In 2024, he released his first album, “Finger Bone,” under Piano Pete, which is now available for streaming on all platforms. Through both his performances and compositions, Peter continues to entertain and engage with audiences around the world.
Rachel Flowers
To put it simply, Rachel is a freakishly talented musician. Yes, she is known for her keyboard skills, but it goes far beyond that. Guitar, Chapman Stick, flute, vocals, she’s the boss of all of them! One of the most popular videos we have up on YouTube is Rachel on Keith Emerson’s rig ripping up Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s masterwork, “Tarkus” Check it out and feel your heart race!
Bio: Rachel Flowers is recognized worldwide as a multi-instrumentalist and composer whose music encompasses multiple genres. She first gained recognition for her talent as a young child and has been admired and mentored by those at the top of their field: Greg Lake, Keith Emerson, Dweezil Zappa, Conductor Terje Mikkelson, and a series of jazz greats, most notably Herbie Hancock. As a teenager, she won numerous awards as a pianist and flutist and has matured to perform and record on the global stage.
The award-winning documentary “Hearing Is Believing” was produced about her unusual life and talents. Her recording credits currently include two solo albums, “Listen” (2016) and “Going Somewhere” (2018), collaborations with Michael Sadler of Saga, and fusion band Stratospheerius, plus recording credits with Marcelo Paganini and Telergy. Rachel continues to defy expectations by refusing to be pigeonholed by genre or by instrument. Her classical piano training started when she was only 4 years old. At 9 she discovered jazz and was immediately transfixed by the music of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and Ella Fitzgerald. Always an avid listener of rock and pop radio, around that same time her attention was grabbed by the keyboard playing of Keith Emerson of the band Emerson Lake and Palmer. While her favorite instruments continue to be piano and keyboards, she is also classically trained on the flute and plays the guitar, bass, saxophone, and Chapman Stick.
Fort Washington School of Rock
Let’s throw a bunch of teenagers into a room with top-shelf vintage gear and see what happens! Well, it goes deeper than that. Mike Kiker lead the House Band from the Ft. Washington School of Rock through a handful of classic hits by Pink Floyd, Edgar Winter Group, Toto and Rainbow.
Ryan Gaston
Ryan is a synth guy for sure, both vintage and current. His writing skills run deep and are in plain view on the Perfect Circuit website and their marketing. Ryan brought us the opportunity to grab a rare Technos Acxel synthesizer so how could we say no? Check out the Acxel feature article he contributed — you’ll be amazed at what it does!
Bio: Ryan Gaston (b. 1990) is a performer/composer, instrument designer, and writer who makes devices and music that combine sonic elements of noise, free improvisation, and experimental electroacoustic music. Gaston’s creative work explores temporal perception by using chaotic electronic structures as the conceptual basis for both electronic instruments and compositions. His writing focuses on the history and techniques of experimental electronic music and electronic musical instrument design, with a special focus on American west coast trends in the second half of the 20th century.
Gaston holds an MFA in Music Composition and Experimental Sound Practices from the California Institute of the Arts (2016) as well as a BA in Music Composition from Hendrix College (2012). He is the editor of and frequent contributor to Signal, an online publication managed by California-based electronic musical instrument retailer Perfect Circuit. Since 2023, Gaston has also worked closely with The Buchla Archives, a historical initiative dedicated to documenting the life, work, and inventions of musical instrument designer/composer/sound artist Donald Buchla.
Jane Getter
Jane rolled in with Adam Holzman for a Live!@EMEAPP event for a sold-out house. We were quite excited that she’d be performing a piece with Adam and the audience loved it. We look forward to working with her again, let’s hope it happens. (COMING SOON!)
Bio: NYC-based Jane Getter is a “triple-threat” (Geoff Wilbur)—guitarist, singer, ASCAP award-winning and NYSCA commissioned composer. Getter’s 2024 release, Division World, coalesces a lifetime of musical exploration into intricate arrangements, powerful playing, and killer solos. Getter has been shredding boundaries since picking up a guitar at age eight and recently won the number 8 slot for best guitarist in Prog Magazine’s 2021 readers poll. She cites musical influences Mahavishnu Orchestra, King Crimson, Porcupine Tree and guitar influences Jeff Beck, Allan Holdsworth, and Wes Montgomery. On her first tour, with legendary jazz/blues organist Brother Jack McDuff, Getter’s musical language expanded to embrace the groove-oriented music that she saw thrilling audiences. Getter has also toured and played with Lenny White, Ursala Dudziak, Jaimoe (of the Allman Brothers), Michal Urbaniak, Kenny Garrett, The Roots the jam, Mike Clark (Headhunters), the Saturday Night Live Band and more. Following solo albums Jane (Lipstick Records, 1999), See Jane Run and Three (Alternity Records, 2005, 2012), the new songs Getter was composing had a fuller, richer sound than anything she had recorded before.
Dave Hartl
Talk about musical chameleons! This guy is the Jack of many musical trades as a composer, arranger and performer. He plays the piano, accordion, guitar, bass and even the Chapman Stick! He throws down on Keith Emerson’s Steinway grand in several of our Live!@EMEAPP videos. Check out his renditons of Frank Zappa’s Black Napkins and Peaches en Regalia, the Beatles’ Across the Universe, and, in an homage to a local Philly favorite, The Stylistics’ Betcha By Golly, Wow.
Bio: Dave Hartl works as a pianist, synthesist, accordionist, composer, arranger, and producer. He was with the University of the Arts in Philadelphia teaching electronic music applications, keyboard, theory, and other courses for over 20 years, played over 60 musical theater productions, and worked with acts such as Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Andrea Bocelli, Bo Diddley, Mary Wilson and the Supremes, Phil Woods, Joanne Brackeen, Bill Watrous, Anthony Newley, The Three Degrees, LaToya Jackson, Ben Vareen, Annie Haslam’s Renaissance, and many others. He is currently the keyboardist for the Southeast Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra and the Northeast Pennsylvania Philharmonic and has performed with the Philadelphia Chamber Symphony, the Opera Company of Philadelphia, the Philly Pops, as well as playing accordion with the Philadelphia Orchestra. In the world of big bands, he has performed with the Dave Stahl Big Band and his Sacred Orchestra, Norm David’s Eleventet, Rick Lawn’s Power of 10 and the Ed Vezinho/Jim Ward Big Band. He has appeared on numerous recordings, including the Concord Jazz release “Midnight Blue” by guitarist Jimmy Bruno. Other groups Dave has founded are Breckerville, Musical Collusion (releasing a CD of originals written with saxophonist Carl Cox), and The Night Cafe.
Adam Holzman
What a great project this was! Adam and his Moog Voyager showed up for a few days of fun that included an interview focusing on this great instrument. He wrapped up the visit with a SOLD OUT live performance for 80 very lucky people. Jane Getter (JGP) even stepped up and did a number with Adam! We look forward to working with Adam again. Make sure you check them out if they come to town. (COMING SOON!)
Bio: Adam is simply one of the most innovative musicians alive. He is a perennial poll winner in the Fusion category for Pulse! magazine’s year-end Top Ten listings. “Keyboard” magazine named him one of the top 10 players in the world, “Down Beat” lauded his “killer groove” and compared him to Jan Hammer – and even the “New York Times” and the “Washington Post” have praised Adam’s live shows. Born on February 15, 1958, in New York City, Adam is the son of Elektra Records founder, Jac Holzman. Adam grew up in California and started classical piano lessons at age 12, but his main influences were “The Doors”, Leon Russell and Dr. John. He started getting into progressive rock and jazz-rock during the late 70s, which in turn led to a growing interest in jazz.
“First I was influenced by groups like “Emerson, Lake & Palmer” or “Yes”. When I heard Chick Corea, the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Billy Cobham I got completely turned on to jazz.” he says today. “But I only started getting serious about jazz harmonies when I was in my late 20s. Even today there are still some gaps in my jazz knowledge. But I do not consider my musical role to be a keeper of jazz traditions. I try to make entertaining music today, influenced by rock, jazz-rock, funk and a lot of other styles and ideas.”
Mike Hunter
Mike certainly wears a lot of hats, literally, he even has a pith helmet hanging in his car. He is on our Board of Directors, he participates in the creation of our videos and he interviews guests for our EMEAPP Interviews: series. Check out his performances for our Live!@EMEAPP series, he can really get those synths chugging! Take a look at his tribute to Elaine Radigue on EMEAPP’s ARP 2500. Or watch him throw down on an assortment of ARPs as well as two of EMEAPP’s Moogs with provenance: one belonging to Gershon Kingsley and the other to Bernie Worrell of Parliament Funkadelic (video also guest stars a Binson Echorec!). Finally, check out the live concert he gave in our studio in April 2023 using his own personal modular.
Bio: Mike Hunter records and performs electronic music under the moniker “Ombient”, occasionally records and performs with space music giant Chuck van Zyl, is a member of the trio Proteus-3 (proteus3.com) and the duo Black Thujone. He also produces and hosts the long-running electronic/experimental/ambient radio program “Music With Space” on WPRB 103.3 FM (wprb.com.) He works for the prestigious AT&T Labs, where he focuses on architecture and design for functions related to 5G, network APIs and more. Mike is also a board member of TEMP0, The Electronic Musicians Performers Organization, an emerging not-for-profit focusing on connecting and educating people interested in electronic music, and helps to organize and run the yearly three-day North Eastern Electo-Music Festival in Homer, NY. Mike specializes in analog and modular synthesis, experimental looping ambient guitar and has participated in numerous educational efforts related to these topics. In his “spare” time, he repairs and restores vintage analog synths.
Mike Ian
Mike is a musical enigma — he can’t seem to figure out what his main instrument is! Equally at home on the drums, keyboards, bass and guitar, he is a working music machine. Oh, did we mention that he’s got singing pipes as well? In addition to being a valued member of TARKUS, he came into EMEAPP to do a solo Greg Lake piece called Still…You Turn Me On. And he contributed a version of Close To Home to our celebration of Keith Emerson’s 80th birthday.
Bio: Mike is a multi-instrumentalist out of the New Jersey/Philadelphia area. Coming from a musical family, Mike started out drumming following in the footsteps of his older brother. His father was an accomplished singer and frontman with his own band from which most of the family got their start in at an early age. Mike’s sister too is an accomplished pianist. As a youngster, music was always permeating the household including the sounds of progressive rock and jazz. Genesis, Yes, ELP, Chicago, and The Beatles to name a few. Mike started guitar at age 11 having formal lessons from jazz instructor Bill Johnson out of NJ. As a teen, many guitarists, including Steve Howe, Allan Holdsworth, John McGlaughlin, Pat Metheny, Andy Summers, and Robert Fripp started to pique Mike’s interest even deeper in the guitar. At the same time, he kept up his drumming skills listening to the likes of Stewart Copeland, Dave Weckl, Bill Bruford, Phil Collins, and Vinnie Colaiuta. Mike attended Rowan University graduating with a bachelor in Music studying under Denis DiBlasio, and Joe Federico among others. Mike took an interest in recording and producing his own music at an early age and eventually opened “Eyeball Studios”- A recording studio from where he produced and recorded a slew of local groups and artists. Mike releases his own projects to this day out of this studio.
Mike Kiker
Mike is a walking one-man band and we use it to our advantage! It’s a blast working with him to create music and videos, one step at a time. Check out the amazing tributes he created to Pink Floyd keyboardist Rick Wright: Echoes and Shine On You Crazy Diamond. He also directed the Fort Washington School of Rock’s House Band through a round of classic rock hits for our Live!@EMEAPP series. Check it out!
Bio: Mike Kiker is a multi-instrumentalist based out of Philadelphia. Mike’s musical journey started with piano at the age of 4 and quickly progressed to guitar, bass, drums and then practically any instrument he could get his hands on. Mike has worked in the local music scene as a session player, recording engineer, producer, film composer, and music teacher. Throughout his career, he’s shown a keen expertise in Hammond organ, vintage gear, analog synthesis, string and horn arrangements, and creative usage of pedals and effects with every instrument. He started the band St. James & The Apostles with his cousins in 2010, who collectively run their own recording studio, Green Rock Recorders. He also previously served as the Music Director at the School of Rock in Fort Washington, PA. Mike’s biggest musical influences lie in the music of the 60s and 70s; Pink Floyd, Yes, Gong, The Who, Genesis, The Beatles, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Todd Rundgren, and Steve Winwood being eternal favorites. He’s also an avid record collector and a piano tuner, as well as self-taught in maintaining his own vintage gear collection.
Norm Leete
Ok, we’re a bit whacky about tape echoes, we get it. But Norm Leete is as well! He graciously wrote us an article about the history of these great machines with a focus on the Watkins Copycat.
Bio: Hailing from a rural setting in the west of England, Norm Leete began his journey with an interest in electronics that started with a radio kit. In 1969, an article in Tomorrow’s World sparked Norm’s interest, it was about the Moog synthesizer. After becoming an apprentice electronics test technician, he learned a vast number of skills that will become useful later in life. In the mid-1970s, Leete scored his first ‘real’ synth, an ARP Axxe. Over the next few years, he added a Mellotron M400, MiniMoog, ARP 2600 and an EMS Synthi AKS. Eventually becoming a synth/keyboard tech, he worked with many famous artists as his reputation grew. In addition, Leete was a synth sound designer for a major band.
Olivia Lionetti
Olivia came in to offer her skills on a pair of Live!@EMEAPP episodes and we were impressed! Check out her performance of Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 8 in A Minor played on our vintage Baldwin Electric Harpsichord! Then take a look at her playing Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in B-flat Minor on Keith Emerson’s Steinway Model B grand piano.
Bio: The music of the Romantic period, particularly the music of Chopin and Liszt, speak to Olivia most, as this music requires a certain level of drama, expressiveness, and emotion that she just can’t get enough of! Through the works of this time period, Olivia has found a musical forum that challenges her technically while also giving her the freedom to express herself emotionally as a musician. While passionate about performing, she is also interested in the technical and business side of music. The Commercial Music major affords her the opportunity to write, perform and record her own original music while developing her technical skills as a classical and jazz musician. Even though Olivia is passionate about, and grew up with classical music, she is curious about other genres and loves exploring everything from classical to pop to jazz and anything in between! She is currently working with several pop and jazz groups as a singer and pianist.
Ben Luce
Ben’s interest in synthesizer history runs deep, especially with some of the earlier Moog instruments. He spent countless hours in our place researching a lot of synths, but his work on the Minimoog stands out. Check out the results of his study, the SPICE model work is really cool! (COMING SOON!)
Bio: Ben Luce brings a wide variety of experiences to bear on his teaching. A physicist, musician, and student of the Chinese language, he spent a number of years in New Mexico, where he advocated with environmental nonprofits to pass significant renewable energy legislation in the state. He also spent 14 years at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in the theoretical physics division, where his specialty was nonlinear dynamics, a branch of which is known colloquially as “chaos theory”. This background sensitized him to the potential for rapid global climate change and inspired his current focus on sustainability and renewable energy.
The roots of quantum mechanics and relativity theory lie in basic physics, he explains. “I love interacting with students, and I continue to find lots of profundities and also great practical power in even basic physics. I also seek to inspire a new generation committed to a sustainable future, which is hard to accomplish at a research laboratory.” Ben holds a B.S. in Sound Recording and plays the piano, banjo, and guitar. He is also an avid hiker and photographer of fungi and other denizens of the forest.
Manticore- the tribute to ELP
As far as tribute bands go, these guys don’t have an easy job. Emerson, Lake and Palmer truly set a new bar with their technical abilities but Manticore delivers! Rob Shepard (keys), Ron Ponella (vocals, bass and guitar) and John Christando (percussion) make up this dynamic and dedicated ELP tribute band. Check out their rendition of Hoedown performed on Keith Emerson’s legendary modular Moog and modified Hammond organ (and guest starring Greg Lake’s famous Persian carpet!). Or if you’re in the holiday spirit, check out their version of Nut Rocker featuring a honky-tonkified version of Emerson’s Steinway piano. Manticore tours regularly and we love going to their shows — be sure to check them out if they’re ever in your area!
Bio: A 3-piece, NY-based band paying tribute to the extraordinary musical legacy left by the late Keith Emerson, Greg Lake & still surviving Carl Palmer.
David Mei
David first came to EMEAPP as a visitor, but we brought him onboard after he almost ignited our Steinway grand piano with his fiery style. We embarked on creating a few episodes of Live!@EMEAPP with him, and the rest is history. Check out his renditions of Ravel’s Miroirs No. 3 “Une Barque sur l’Ocean”, Liszt’s Transcendental Étude No. 12 (Chasse-Neige), and Chopin’s Nocturne in E-flat Major Opus 9 No. 2.
Bio: David Mei is a concert pianist studying under Elena Galynina. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Music. Currently, he’s the founder of Legato Pianos, a music education startup building piano labs/curriculums in schools and developing fun and easy music education apps.
Mike Metlay
Mike Metlay has his finger in the EMEAPP pie in multiple ways. He initially came in regarding Synth Gems 1, a book he created with Bjooks. Then he came back again for another Bjooks project, The Minimoog Book. He graciously offered his on-camera skills for an episode of Sonic Test Drive that features the unique Sequential Circuits Prophet 10 synth.
Bio: Mike has a Ph.D. in nuclear structure physics. His education and science career served as the backdrop for his early work as an electronic musician, including the formation of his production company, Atomic City. These days, he mainly uses his Ph.D. in fast food restaurants, where orders for “Dr. Mike” don’t result in every Mike in the building jumping up at once, and at trade shows, where the Ph.D. on his business card is great for starting conversations and stopping snake-oil salesmen.
Joe Pantano
Joe is an organ-playing machine! We have no idea how he does it, but he sure makes it look easy. He graciously came in to take one of our vintage Hammond B-3s for a spin and we were fascinated at how he maneuvered his hands and feet into a symphony of awesomeness. He has also helped (COMING SOON!)
Bryan Parnell
Who loves tube amps? Bryan does. We were able to harness his skills in creating our feature article, “Frank Zappa’s Guitar Amplifiers- Want to take a peek inside?”. Bryan took a deep technical look into the three amps that comprised Zappa’s rig. You’ll love it, it’s a way of liiiife…
Bio: Bryan Parnell is a distinguished electrical engineer with profound expertise in vintage electronics. Over his career, Bryan has made contributions across various sectors, including defense, transportation, telecommunications, and broadcast engineering. This unique background has left him with a comprehensive understanding of electronics of various ages and topologies. In 2012, Bryan founded Retro Sound Works, a service provider dedicated to the expert restoration, repair, and preservation of electronics, including Hammond organs, amplifiers, recording gear, keyboards, jukeboxes, radios, and test equipment.
In addition to his technical acumen, Bryan is experienced in industrial design and is a talented multi-instrumentalist, playing primarily guitar and bass, but also keys and drums. He is recognized as a leading authority on Peavey Electronics equipment and high-power tube musical instrument amplifiers. His involvement with the Electronic Music Education and Preservation Project (EMEAPP) since 2017, along with his affiliations with the Audio Engineering Society (AES), American Theatre Organ Society (ATOS), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and National Association of Music Merchandisers (NAMM), underscores his dedication to preserving and advancing the legacy of musical equipment.
Lisa Platow
Lisa toured EMEAPP and never left! She signed on as a volunteer which led her on a path to becoming a part of our machine. She now handles our inventory data, and helps to develop our fundraising and volunteer programs. Are you planning on taking a tour? Lisa might be the one taking you through the building. She also enjoys writing articles for our website — check out her innovator profile on John Chowning/FM Synthesis and her feature article on EMEAPP’s collection of Electronic Wind Instruments.
Bio: Lisa Platow is a classically trained pianist who loves working with synthesizers. As Associate Director here at EMEAPP, Lisa is responsible for EMEAPP’s day-to-day administrative operations. She schedules and gives our guided tours and is currently implementing a new comprehensive database system for inventory management. She manages the website, oversees the volunteer program, schedules visiting artists, and takes care of all the other pesky tasks that ensure that the office runs smoothly. Originally from Northeast Pennsylvania, she has Masters degrees in both English and American History. Prior to joining EMEAPP, she was one of the founders of a successful internet startup company and also served as the assistant director and front ensemble instructor for a high school marching band/indoor percussion unit.
Ty Platow
Ty Platow has the shortest first name of all our creative contributors, but it doesn’t stop there. He came on board as a young intern and quickly got sucked into our collection of effect pedals. When he emerged, he had conceptualized and researched enough intel to create a new series of informative videos. We appreciate his efforts, make sure to check them out! (COMING SOON!)
Bio: Ty is currently a software engineering student at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY, where he recently met (and ultimately connected EMEAPP to) the one and only John Chowning. Ty’s love of music started with piano lessons in second grade and grew exponentially from there. He served as section leader in his high school marching band and indoor percussion group, where he played various combinations of bass guitar, synthesizer, drumset, vibraphone, and marimba over the years. As a guitarist with a weakness for pedals, Ty’s favorite part of his summer internship at EMEAPP was getting to explore our amazing effects pedals collection, which he showcases in the series of videos he made for us.
Pete Prown
Are you a fan of vintage guitars? Pete Prown sure is! He has spent some quality time at EMEAPP working out the details for multiple writing projects.
Pete Prown is an American writer and magazine editor, painter, guitarist, and music journalist. He has worked as the editor-in-chief of Guitar Shop magazine and music editor for Vintage Guitar. His writing has also appeared in publications such as Guitar Player and Guitar for the Practicing Musician, among dozens of other magazines.
Vince Pupillo, Jr
Vince has a cool gig here. One of his roles is to help keep the gear fresh by firing it up and playing it (the genesis of our Sonic Test Drive series), of which he has contributed many. He is also deeply involved in production of everything we produce
Bio: Vince Pupillo Jr. specializes in sound design, synthesizer programming and navigating the nomenclature and topology of different kinds of electronic instruments. He has been involved in the collecting and preservation of electronic instruments since childhood, which eventually led to the formation of EMEAPP as the means to share the collection with the world. Vince is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Saint Joseph’s University of Philadelphia with a degree in Family Business and he began the process of building the EMEAPP business model in his business classes. Internships at both RetroLinear and Philly Sound Studios introduced him to many individuals who would eventually become a part of the EMEAPP family. Vince’s passion for the Collection runs deep and he wants to continue this legacy for future generations to appreciate and experience.
Vince Pupillo, Sr
You’d think that the guy who founded EMEAPP enjoys playing keyboards. In the case of the Longwood Gardens pipe organ, it was
Bio: Vince Pupillo’s passion for music started at age 9, when he began playing the organ at church, as he did so for the next 22 years. In 1974, he purchased his first Minimoog synthesizer with tips he earned as a waiter.
“I remember my first mission was to learn to play Lucky Man”, says Vince, who played in several cover and original material bands throughout high school and college.
In 1979, after earning a bachelor’s degree in business, Mr. Pupillo married his high school sweetheart, MaryEllen. Together, they raised 3 uniquely talented children who are an integral part of his story. Over the years, Vince took the family’s small produce company and became a national player in the supermarket fresh-prepared food category.
After spending 15 years assembling a very targeted collection of rare electronic music-related media & gear, Vince founded another legacy institution, EMEAPP. Pupillo is now carrying the torch of electronic music preservation. By his founding of EMEAPP, future generations will have the opportunity to appreciate the history and sounds of Electronic Music through multiple education platforms.
Says Pupillo, “Music was an important part of my life growing up. Music teaches discipline, builds confidence, and provides unparalleled satisfaction from mastering a challenging piece, be it Keith Emerson or Beethoven. Everyone deserves that opportunity and feeling.”
Drew Raison
A lot of what you see from EMEAPP is Drew’s fault, but he happily owns up to it. In addition to his office duties, he creates and produces the digital content that you see here, on our social networks and our YouTube channel. Got any ideas on what we should produce next? Hit him up!
Bio: Totally guilty of following his dreams, Drew continues his ever-changing approach to being in the music biz. He created and operated two major multi-room recording studios, produced hundreds of music releases, mastered countless projects, and taught countless students how to become great music producers. Lately, it’s been all about the vintage gear as Director of EMEAPP, the Electronic Music Education and Preservation Project outside of Philadelphia. There he’s surrounded by a collection of modular, poly, and mono synths that continue to knock his socks off.
Vincent M. Romendio
If you have visited EMEAPP you have likely seen some of Vince’s work. He created an art piece for our Keith Emerson Experience event and provides us with with incidental art for some of our feature articles and social network posts. Check out his work on Instagram, it’s tasty!
Bio: While Vincent had been pursuing creative endeavors since a young age and after some moderate success and awards early in life, there was a long span of time that he rarely felt inspired to pick up his pen or brush. But, sometimes, life’s events offer unexpected twists. During a period of time, in which his youngest son was hospitalized with severe Crohn’s, Vincent sought ways to entertain his son and pass the time. He spent the time imagining stories and illustrating the characters they created, quickly became a favorite activity for them. “This was the first time I drew anything, in a long time, that made me feel again”.
He began focusing on creating large abstract watercolor and ink illustrations that pull their inspiration from the elements in nature and an imaginary world. “When I create, I apply the medium to paper or other surfaces, guided by my emotions and the world around me seen and unseen”. Vincent invites his viewers to absorb the lines and textures of his work and derive their own emotional connection and opinions on what they see. Along with the painting he also works with wire bending, twisting, and curling the hard wire by hand into humanoid sculptures.
David Rosenthal
The band Rainbow had some serious success in the early days of MTV, and David was right there behind the keyboards making it all happen. Then he kicked into high gear and took over the role of Music Director for the legendary Billy Joel. He sat down with us for an interview session and schooled us on how keyboard technology has improved over the years. He should know! (COMING SOON!)
Bio: David Rosenthal is an American keyboardist, musical director, music producer, synthesizer programmer, orchestrator, and songwriter, mostly known for working with the hard rock band Rainbow and Billy Joel. Rosenthal has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, and in addition to Rainbow and Joel, has worked with Bruce Springsteen, Enrique Iglesias, Robert Palmer, Steve Vai, Cyndi Lauper, Whitesnake, Little Steven, and Happy the Man. Additionally, Rosenthal has perfect pitch.
Doug Salvas
Doug participated in creating multiple Sonic Test Drive episodes during its early times, and not just as the guitarist. He handled a lot of our guitar and bass maintenance as well, and helped get our facility and inventory in good order.
Rob Schwimmer
Imagine, if you will, a keyboardist with three brains and musical skills that challenge the imagination. This only begins to describe Rob. Skilled on multiple instruments, Schwimmer was invited to EMEAPP to showcase a series of electric pianos and clavinets and he did not disappoint.
Bio: Rob Schwimmer is a musical multiple threat (in a non-threatening way)-A composer-pianist, thereminist, keyboardist, vocalist, Haken Continuum and Ondioline player Rob has performed and recorded throughout the world from Carnegie Hall to Madison Square Garden, The Blue Note, CBGB’s and playing for strippers at a trucker’s convention.
Rob Schwimmer has worked with Simon and Garfunkel, Wayne Shorter, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Stevie Wonder, Bobby McFerrin, Willie Nelson, Esperanza Spalding, Paul Simon, The Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Gotye, The Boston Pops, Chaka Khan, Laurie Anderson, Bette Midler, The Everly Brothers, Christian Marclay, Matthew Barney, Annette Peacock and many more.
Jim Scott
What could pull this man away from his Alaskan existence? Minimoogs, of course! Jim played a major role in the development of this critical instrument and we wanted to learn more. His help was invaluable in answering our questions and his recollections of working with Bob Moog are epic! In addition to the Minimoog (and Crumar Spirit, and Memorymoog, and Sonic VI) work, he offered us a great written story about working in the synth world back in the day. Check it out!
George Secor
George showed up at our door with cases full of accordions and a head full of microtonal knowledge. We spent a day learning about the Motorola Scalatron, microtonal mathematics, generalized and Bosanquet keyboard history and free-bass squeezeboxes. He was fun to work with and we miss him dearly. Check out the results of this top-shelf visit!
Bio: George Secor (1943 – 2020) was an American musician, composer and music theorist from Illinois. He was the discoverer of miracle temperament and eponym of the sector. As an inventor, Secor and Hermann Pedtke’s Motorola Scalatron (1974) is an example of a Bosanquet generalized keyboard featuring a multicolored arrangement of 240 tunable oval keys, about which Secor said: “There is not much point in using this alternative keyboard for systems below 31 tones in the octave.” However, “even if it were completely impractical musically, it would make a wonderful prop for a futuristic movie.” Though its synthesizer capacities may not reach performance level, Easley Blackwood says, “It has rock-steady tuning capabilities; you can always count on it to be right.” George was also an accomplished musician and proponent of the Moschino Free-Bass Accordion system.
Rob Shepard
Already mentioned earlier on this page as the keyboardist for the ELP tribute band Manticore, Rob Shepard has also thrown down solo for a few Live@EMEAPP episodes. Check out his renditions of Trilogy and Karn Evil 9: 2nd Impression, both performed on Keith Emerson’s Steinway D Concert grand (Karn Evil 9 also features Keith’s split MiniMoog)!
Bio: Born a poor sharecropper’s son in the wilds of deepest, darkest Brooklyn, Rob currently resides in lovely, lyrical, Lynbrook, Long Island. A piano student from age 4, Rob has played in many bands (and types of bands) in his 60-some-odd years. He’s played in innumerable cover bands doing classic rock, funk, R&B & blues. His avocations, however, have always been toward prog & fusion. In recent years, he’s formed several groups, most notably, Morse Code & AfterLife. Morse Code played small venues doing the best of the Dixie Dregs & Steve Morse, King Crimson, Return to Forever, Flash and post-PG Genesis. AfterLife focused on ELP, Yes, Genesis, Rush, Kansas, Saga & UK and was playing small theaters before disbanding in 2008. It was in AfterLife, however, that Rob met drummer extraordinaire, Glenn Dove.
Rob joined & played with Rael – the Music of Genesis in 2014 recreating the keyboard artistry of Tony Banks. He was with Rael for 3 1/2 years, helping to establish the core and initial direction of the band but after the tragic passing of Keith Emerson & Greg Lake in 2016, Rob felt the need to pay homage to the brilliant legacy of the musical phenomenon, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and has devoted his time, energy & passion to Manticore ever since.
Don Slepian
We call Don our Sonic Test Pilot for good reason, he was there during the development of the Bell Labs digital Alles synth as well as the DK Synergy. We appreciate Don’s involvement here on so many levels! He’s given an amazing tour and two amazing performances using our ARP 2500. Another place the he shines is hosting nineteen of our Sonic Test Drive episodes! Check out Don as he takes these pieces from our collection for a ride: ARP Odyssey Part 1, ARP Odyssey Part 2, ARP Pro Soloist, Casio CZ-101 and CZ-1000, Elgam Carousel, EML 400/401, Kawai 100-F, Korg Synthe-Bass, Moog Little Phatty, Moog Opus 3, Octave Cat/Kitten/Cat Stick, Realistic Concertmate, Rhodes Chroma Polaris, Roland SH-09, RSF Blackbox, Steiner-Parker Synthacon, Synton Syrinx, Univox Mini-Korg K-2, and Yamaha VL1.
Bio: Born into a scientific family, music technologist Don Slepian showed both musical and technical talent early in life. He was a tester on the early internet as a member of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Synthesizer Soloist with the Honolulu Symphony and Musical Director of the Honolulu Theater For Youth. He has been presented by WNYC’s “New Sounds” in New York’s Lincoln Center and performed at the Pompidou Center in Paris. He is currently living in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania where he writes and builds instruments.
Chris Stack
Who doesn’t love the sound of a vocoder? Chris contributed an episode of Sonic Test Drive that showcases a vintage Electro Harmonix vocoder driven by an Arturia MatrixBrute. If you’re ever down in Asheville, NC, stop off at the Sigel Museum and check out all their cool stuff!
Bio: Chris Stack is one of those people who gained a lifetime of inspiration when he heard Switched-On Bach in elementary school: In high school Close To The Edge sealed the deal. As an adult synth enthusiast working as a printed circuit board designer, he met Bob Moog and did PCB design for the Eaton/Moog Multi-Touch Keyboard project [http://experimentalsynth.com/eaton-moog-multi-touch-keyboard/]. Later segueing into marketing he became the marketing manager at Moog Music less than 2 years after Bob’s death.
After his time at Moog, Chris started his own YouTube channel [youtube.com/experimentalsynth] and website [experimentalsynth.com]. He was a beta tester for the new Sequential Prophet 5 Rev4 and a sound designer for the Arturia MatrixBrute [https://www.arturia.com/chris-stack]. He was also an organizer of ContinuuCon [https://www.youtube.com/c/ContinuuCon/videos], the Haken Continuum conference.
Pamelia Stickney
We had the opportunity to participate in a live performance event with Pamelia and G. Calvin Weston in Philly, so we dragged her up to EMEAPP where she lit up a few of our theremins. She has such a cool walking bass style an was hilarious to boot. Check her out, she’s sumpm special!
Bio: Pamelia Stickney is an American theremin player. She has performed and recorded with many artists including David Byrne, Yoko Ono, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, David Garland, Seb Rochford, Otto Lechner and Simone Dinnerstein, and was instrumental to the final design of Robert Moog’s Etherwave Pro Theremin, for which she was the primary test musician. She has made various film, television and radio appearances, most notably on Saturday Night Live and in the 2004 documentary Moog. Stickney has also presented talks at events such as TED. Her background as a jazz musician on the upright bass has led to develop a “walking bass” theremin technique. She was based in New York until 2005; she now lives in Vienna, Austria.
Tarkus- A Tribute to Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s legacy is carried on by not one but two amazing tribute bands that are frequent visitors to EMEAPP. New Jersey based Tarkus consists of Keith Turner (Keyboards), Mike Ian (Guitar, Vox) and John M. Cassidy (Drums). Here is Keith and Mike’s beautiful rendition of the first movementof “Trilogy”, featuring Keith Emerson’s 1904 Steinway Model B beautifully played by Keith Turner and with Mike Ian’s soulful vocals. The Members of Tarkus are a part of the EMEAPP family and are just as dedicated as we are in honoring the legacy of Emerson Lake and Palmer.
Bio: A 3-piece, NJ-based band paying tribute to the extraordinary musical legacy left by the late Keith Emerson, Greg Lake & still surviving Carl Palmer.
Keith Turner
As the keyboardist for ELP tribute band Tarkus, Keith is a frequent visitor and performer here at EMEAPP. He recently threw down a version of the Fugue from The Endless Enigma as part of our celebration of Keith Emerson’s 80th birthday.
Bio: Keith Turner grew up playing piano and keyboards in the golden age of Prog, Jazz/rock fusion, R&B, Classic Rock, and Motown… the 60s & 70s. He studied music at CCC while writing and performing originals locally and ELP for his music theory class which included the late Billy Paul. Keith was ecstatic when asked to play in Tarkus in 2017 and also when he connected with Emeapp back in 2019… “Keith Emerson was one of my earliest influences” shall we say “From the Beginning”.
Bennett Weiss
Bennett participated in dozens of Sonic Test Drive episodes as director and videographer, mostly under the tutelage of electronic music pioneer, Don Slepian. He was also deeply involved in a handful of major photo shoots, including some for Synth Gems 1 by Bjooks.
Bio: Bennett Weiss is a Philadelphia based cinematographer and multimedia artist. An experimental cinematographer and video editor whose ingenuity breathes life into every frame. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, he crafts visual narratives that resonate deeply. His cinematography is characterized by its stunning compositions, evocative lighting, and a seamless integration of form and content. As a video editor, each piece is approached a unique tailored rhythm and style. His work is marked by a meticulous attention to detail, a strong sense of narrative flow, and a commitment to elevating the storytelling potential with cutting-edge technologies and techniques.
Stephen Weiss
All the planets aligned and we were able to get Stephen to EMEAPP between gigs with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra with some violins in hand. We shot two improv pieces, one with a standard fiddle(with a kick-butt loop pedal!) and the other with a gnarly Flying V-style six-string one. He patched his violins through a bunch of effects and into his Fender amp and took off! Make sure you look for him when you go see TSO — he’s a great player!
Michael Whalen
We had a great time assembling the keyboards for this one! We partnered up on a video shoot and streaming event with Michael at the helm. We brought the instruments and he brought the talent. Check out his Inside The Mix video to show what went into it.
Bio: Michael Whalen is a composer of over 650 television and film scores and thousands of advertising jingles. He has won two Emmy Awards and his works are featured in places from TV shows to audiobooks. Projects include the 2011 human trafficking film Cargo and short films for Disney. As a recording artist and producer, his solo piano recording “All the Things I Could Not Say” was released in 2013, and he performs in NYC frequently, where he is an adjunct professor at The City College of New York, and the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.
Bernhard Wöstheinrich
We are so happy that Bernhard could visit and get involved in an episode of Live!@EMEAPP. He brought in his synth rig and delivered a long-form live performance that he created live from the ground up. Check out this wonderfully woven performance called “A Strangely Beautiful Stream of Consciousness”.
Woz & Christie
We love it when Paul and George come to visit because they always bring us the good stuff! Check out this performance of The Bertha Suite featuring WOZ on keyboards and Christie on guitar. Then watch WOZ throw down solo on this performance of his original piece Angels in Tibet.
Bio: Paul Woznicki, better known as WOZ, lives in Wilmington, DE., and has been performing in the Mid-Atlantic area since the 1970s. A keyboard player who combines complex rhythms and electronic percussion into original instrumental compositions of intensely lyrical melodies. The sound has influences from music around the world in an eclectic blend that has been released on albums, CDs, tapes, movies (The Fiend, Troth) and television soundtracks (WHYY). Woz was featured at the Delaware Art Museum Dream Streets exhibit in Wilmington. Some of Woz’s appearances have featured his playing an electronic accordion, and accompanied by George Christie on guitar and bouzouki. George Christie and Woz have performed together in many projects since the late 1970s.
Geary Yelton
If you are reading this you have likely read articles written by Geary. He created two regarding EMEAPP for Electronic Musician magazine, one about our Keith Emerson gear and the other about 20 ultra-rare synths in our collection. We were lucky, as he is now retired and hanging out with bears in the mountains near Asheville, NC.
Dweezil Zappa
Dweezil came in to do a fun project and we had a blast! He wanted to take impulse responses of his father’s three guitar rigs for use in the studio and on tour. While he was here, he graciously ripped some classic Frank Zappa riffs on his Pop’s Vox and Marshall setups. If you’re a Zappa fan, it is not to be missed!
Bio: Dweezil Zappa was born on September 5, 1969, in Los Angeles, the son of Frank Zappa. Over the past 3 decades, Dweezil has forged an eclectic career. He’s a Grammy-winning guitarist who has played over 2000 concerts all over the world. He has composed original music which was performed in 2 concerts by a 100 piece orchestra in Holland. Additionally, he composed the theme music for the Emmy winning, “The Ben Stiller Show” and has acted in various roles in film and television. He also voiced the character “Ajax,” on the animated show “Duckman” and, hosted MTV as well as his own cooking show on the Food Network.
He supports music education and frequently teaches guitar. He has his own music camp called “Dweezilla” and he created online lessons as well. He has collaborated with a wide range of significant musicians such as Herbie Hancock, Brian May, Chick Corea, Edward Van Halen, and of course his father Frank Zappa. Following in his father’s footsteps both musically and personally, he strives to maintain integrity in his endeavors. Dweezil is one of the driving forces behind the web-hosting business solution platform, Reward Music.