ORCHESTRA CONTRACTOR: JULES CHAIKEN
MUSIC PREPARATION: KRISTINE SCOLES
(PIANO) JIM COX
(BASS) KENNY WILD
(DRUMS) RAY BRINKER
(GUITAR) MITCH HOLDER
(TRUMPETS) GARY GRANT, RICK BAPTIST, PETE DE SIENA , RON KING
(TROMBONES) ANDY MARTIN, BOB McCHESNEY, ARTURO VELASCO, RICH BULLOCK
(SAX) JEFF DRISKILL, KIM RICHMOND, RICK KELLER, ROB LOCKART, TOM PETERSON
(VIOLINS) BRUCE DUKOV, CAROLINE CAMPBELL, DARIUS CAMPO, PIP CLARKE, JOEL DEROUIN, ARMEN GARABEDIAN, NICOLE GARCIA,
PETER KENT, SONGA LEE-KITTO, CALABRIA MCCHESNEY, ANATOLY ROSINSKY, SHARI ZIPPERT
(VIOLAS) EVAN WILSON, DEBYSE BUFFUN, JORGE MORAGA
(CELLOS) LARRY CORBETT, MATTHEW COOKER, STEPHEN ERDODY, VANESSA FREEBAIRN-SMITH
RICK KELLER, TENOR SAX SOLO ON “CHARADE”
RICK BAPTIST, TRUMPET SOLO ON “AND I LOVE HIM”
CHRIS WALDEN, FLUGELHORN SOLO ON “PERFIDIA”
CHRIS WALDEN, TRUMPET SOLO ON “ONE FOR MY BABY”
ROB LOCKART, TENOR SAX SOLO ON “WE ARE IN LOVE”
BOB McCHESNEY, TROMBONE SOLO AND RON KING, TRUMPET SOLO ON “HE’S A TRAMP”
JEFF DRISKILL, ALTO SAX SOLO ON “THEY ALL LAUGHED”
JIM COX, PIANO SOLO ON “PERFECT”
On the regular quartet days...
Kevin Fukugawa (piano), Karoly Kiss (drums) (http://www.karoly.net), Doug Ross (bass) (http://www.dougross.net/), Kyle Newmaster (trumpet) (www.kylenewmaster.com)
NYC dates...
Aaron Kotler (piano), Scott Hornick (bass), Chris Michael (drums), Chris Bergson/Mike Macallister (Guitar), Dan Cords (Tenor Sax/Flute), Jacob Garchik (Trombone), Kyle Newmaster (Trumpet)
Influences
Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Harry Connick Jr., Miles Davis, Bobby Darin, Peggy Lee, Keely Smith, The Beatles, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Connie Francis, Billie Holiday, Count Basie, Janis Joplin, Judy Garland, Luciano Pavarotti, Ray Charles, Al Jarreau, Rosemary Clooney, Bette Midler, Tony Bennett...and the list goes on.
Tamela D’Amico was born in New York and spent her childhood between there and the Gulf Coast of Florida. This young phenom is what she likes to call a "multi-hyphenate artist" (singer/actress/filmmaker ), currently living in Los Angeles. Her native East Coast roots and love of the jazz age have instilled in her a love of theatrical performance, which has crossed over to many mediums.
Tamela studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute run by David Lee Strasberg who also is credited as one of the Executive Producers on her film "Volare". In addition, she has studied privately in Allan Miller’s Master’s Class (former students: Meryl Streep, Barbra Streisand, Dustin Hoffman) and is a former student and teacher’s assistant for Larry Gold’s Master Class in Los Angeles. She was one of 16 students accepted to the competetive and internationally renowned Film School at Florida State University and received a BFA in Film with minors in Music, Theater, Psychology, and Religion.
Although mostly spending her time performing in front of an audience, Tamela first made strides behind the camera. As a much coveted Independent Producer of several Award winning short films, Tamela is no stranger to the festival circuit. Her most recent production, of which she wrote, produced, directed, and appears briefly includes "Volare," the winner of the Los Angeles Italian Film Award’s Best Screenplay Award. Tamela raised independent funds to create Volare starring Federico Castelluccio (The Sopranos), which has swept the top prizes ( Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography ) at several film festivals, most notably, in January 2006 at The American Film Renaissance Film Festival held at the legendary Graumanns Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
The American Film Renaissance Film Festival bestowed the film with a Best Short Film award and screened it in front of The Anthony Hopkins release "The World’s Fastest Indian" at the legendary Graumann’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, CA. Critics praised this film by bestowing other awards at many other festivals (see blog for an up to date list). This film has become a vehicle to launch her as someone to watch in Hollywood, as she has been chosen as one of top 24 semi-finalist selected from all over the World (12,000 submissions) by Steven Spielberg and Mark Burnett for the new FOX series "On the Lot", which aired May 22nd. Tamela now has a first look deal with Dreamworks SKG.
A scene from "Volare" - Federico Castellucio stars as Paolo BonGiovanni with Hristo Ivanov (Cenzo BonGiovanni)-photo by Alex Abercrombie
Early on, director Frank Capra’s biography taught her, "Films are like propaganda, you have to be careful about what you are saying." Believing that phrase translates to all art, Tamela states that presentation and perspective are important to all things. Her favorite films are "It’s A Wonderful Life," "Breakfast at Tiffany’s," and "Life Is Beautiful." Story is very important to her as well as character. She is a storyteller in her acting, in her music, and in her directing. Frank Capra, Giuseppe Tornatore, and Chris Columbus are inspirations as directors who are true storytellers, championing the little man and really diving in to tell his story.
Federico Castelluccio, Ronnie Marmo, and Ryan Fox in a bakery scene from "Volare."
In addition to her filmmaking endeavors, Tamela can be heard across the land. Radio Distributors, ClearChannel Entertainment and RadioDeluxe, have championed her as a bright new artist to watch. Like Michael Buble, Peter Cincotti, and Jane Monheit, she is in short, a throw back to another era. Her debut, The Tamela D’Amico Album is Executive Produced by Actor/Producer Peter Krause (Six Feet Under, Dirty Sexy Money), Produced by Jimmy Hoyson (GRAMMY Winner) and Arranged and Conducted by Chris Walden (GRAMMY nominee).
Why this style of music? There is an old saying..."One doesn’t choose to sing jazz, it chooses you." Her first musical influence was Judy Garland - as a child, Tamela loved watching Garland’s vintage television specials on "NY’s Nostalgia Network." Other influences for Tamela’s love of blues and jazz include Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Keeley Smith, Stevie Wonder, Sarah Vaughan and Bobby Darin. The Tamela D’Amico Album is now avail on cdbaby.com, itunes, etc.,
Hi Tamela, hope all is well.next to you on my page there are two more Class acts like you. Brent Spiner and Elaine Miles. you should add them as friends. i sent them a link to your page too with a note. best David
I worked backstage for "The Set Up" and met you after the show you came to. I love your music and loved that it was in the show, it really made a difference!
G'day Tamela, Enjoying your tunes and your site. Would like to be able to see some of your films. Great to have you as part of my friends network. G-:)
I think you should sing on the TV show (Dancing With the Stars next season. one of the best shows on TV. your music would be a very good fit with Ballroom Dancing.
