About Us
Alan LoPresti
Alan LoPresti is a pioneering sound designer, recording mix and mastering engineer and has worked as a guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, producer, and arranger in many genres but excels in Rock, Rock Prog, Prog, Pop, and Pop Rock. He has produced and co-written for local artists in the Central NY area for over 20 years. Since 2017, he has focused on composing music for advertising, television, and film, and has successfully written and pitched songs for numerous record labels, publishing companies and music libraries. Known for an "outside the box" approach for all things audio, including tube amps to analog sound consoles & tape machines, to troubleshooting Windows or Mac based PC's, he has years of experience in studio environments getting the most out of each system. He currently uses a state of the art computer-system loaded with the latest plugins for all audio and video projects. He can be found each day working from his studio writing, producing, session playing, mix and mastering for projects for both home enthusiasts up to Indy label, in the US and abroad.
bio by: Tanya Touchstone
Tony Senatore
He is the Know Your Bass Player Adjunct Professor, contributing writer and video artist whose bassline renderings on KYBP profiles are both informative and entertaining. As a bassist Tony Senatore has been referred to as “The Glue,” praised by Mars Cowling and his former legendary bandleader Genya Ravan, and garnered accolades aplenty from producers, engineers, journalists, and peers, among many others far too numerous to cite. In a contemporary bass culture which no longer seeks to explore the possibilities -and adventures – of the extended range and other “non-traditional” paths with the fervor of our rock and fusion forefathers– “Senny” exudes the attitude, spirit, and disposition of the greats from all genres and generations past who took the instrument to places others never imagined.
An educator, journalist, composer, collaborator, sideman, band-member, recording artist, and permutations thereof, Tony expounds his outlook that bassists should be free to express themselves by any means necessary -from one to multiple strings, effects, and technology – but to always understand and practice the fundamentals, respect tradition while moving forward, and pursue education with a balance of street smarts and academia – and enthusiasm.
bio by: Raoul Duke
photo credit: Phillip King
Andy Rothstein
Andy has released two independent CD's of his original progressive jazz/rock fusion: Voodoo Tone and Wit of the Staircase. Among the circle of musicians he has worked with, Andy has often been described as a versatile and tasteful player who has developed his own unique sound on the guitar. Part of his unique sound can be attributed to the various electronic modifications that he has developed for electric guitars. Some of Andy's recording and performing credits include Mary's Magnet, Tony Senatore (Holyland), country recording artist "Link," The Prayer, The Zoots, and numerous others. In addition, Andy has transcribed many guitar folios under the pen name Andy Robyns. Musical transcription credits for Hal Leonard Publishing include Pearl Jam (10), Alice in Chains (Dirt), Nirvana (Incesticide) and Kiss (Greatest Hits) to name just a few. Andy graduated from Rutgers University where he majored in both Music and Computer Science. It is at Rutgers that Andy had the privilege of studying under the tutelage of both Kevin Eubanks and the late Ted Dunbar. In addition, he studied privately with both Steve Khan and Vinnie Zummo.
Tom Cottone
Tom Cottone is a professional drummer based in Central New Jersey. His versatility makes him one of the most in demand drummers in the tri state area. Some of the people he has performed with include Randy Brecker, Steve Swallow, Darlene Love, Roy Hargrove, Dionne Warwick, BD Lenz, Glen Burtnik, Bobby Kimball, The Churchills, Fossil, Hyperactive, and Blowup. He has toured the US and Europe, and does numerous studio sessions in the NJ/NY/Philadelphia area, as well as teaching and recording remotely at his home studio. He is a graduate of The Berklee College of music, and currently also performs with the Keith Franklin Jazz Quartet, Brian Kirk and the Jirks, and the instumental band One More Once that performs regularly in New York City. He has recently released his own acoustic jazz cd entitled “Passage” with his own band. Tom has also done several drum clinics sponsored by Bucks County Drum Company.
Joe Deninzon
Joe Deninzon has been hailed by critics as “The Jimi Hendrix of the Violin,”
because of his innovative style on the “Viper” seven-string electric violin. Joe has worked with the Who, Bruce Springsteen, 50 Cent, Sheryl Crow, Ritchie Blackmore, Alex Skolnick, Smokey Robinson, Les Paul, Peter Criss from KISS,Michael Sadler, Renaissance with Annie Haslam, Phoebe LeGere, Kurt Elling, and as a soloist with Jazz at Lincoln Center and the New York CityBallet. Joe is the lead singer and violinist for the progressive rock band Stratospheerius, which has released 6 albums to critical acclaim. He can be heard on over a hundred albums and jingles as a violinist and string arranger. A BMI Jazz Composer’s Grant recipient and winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, he has written a solo piece for renowned violinist Rachel Barton Pine, and in 2015, premiered his Electric Violin Concerto with the Muncie Symphony Orchestra. Joe is also a member of the Sweet Plantain String Quartet, which combines Latin Jazz with hip-hop and Classical music, and has toured throughout Europe and the U.S. Joe has released a CD with his acoustic jazz trio, titled “Exuberance.” Joe makes annual appearances performing at the Grand Canyon Music Festival with renowned harmonica virtuoso Robert Bonfiglio. In 2007, Joe co-founded the Grand Canyon School of Rock in Arizona, an annual music program for local high school students. He travels worldwide as a clinician and has contributed articles to Strings, Downbeat, American String Teachers Journal, and Making Music Magazine. In 2012, Mel Bay published Joe’s book on improv and extended techniques for strings, titled “Plugging In.” Joe has taught at the Mark Wood RockOrchestra Camp, Mark O’Connor’s String Camp, and Julie Lyonn Lieberman’s “Strings Without Boundaries.” He has also contributed to books by Tracy
Silverman and Julie Lyonn Lieberman. Joe has made the Downbeat Critic’s poll for “rising stars” in jazz/rock violin. Chris Haigh’s book, “Discovering Rock Violin,” lists one of Joe’s recorded solos among the “Top 20 greatest rock violin solos of all time.”Joe holds Bachelor’s degrees in from Indiana University and a Master’s from Manhattan School of Music. His teachers have included Josef Gingold, Nelli Shkolnikova, Linda Cerone, David Baker, John Blake Jr, and Henryk Kowalski.