Talented singer offers 'Songs of Faith'
Hear John Buccheri's voice once and you'll never forget the moment you did; it'll be etched in you heart forever
Sunday, Aguest 24, 2008
By CAROL ANN BENANTI
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Say the name John Buccheri in social circles and it conjures up images of a talented crooner, business analyst and dedicated family man.
The man with the multi-faceted approach climbed the corporate ladder at an early age, maintaining the position as co-owner of a dynamic musical organization -- while at the same time remaining happily married to his childhood sweetheart, Sally and loving dad to his four children. For the recording artist and composer who calls Annadale home, family values have always taken precedence.
Fueled by his inherent love of music and the desire to succeed, Buccheri was eager to launch a musical career. He could have easily taken his calling on the road, but instead opted to showcase his talents on the local level.
But one thing's certain: Hear his voice once and you'll never forget the moment you did; it'll be etched in your heart forever.
PERFECTED A SOUND
As vocalist and band leader, the popularity of Buccheri's organization grew, and with the passing of time it perfected a sound of its own. The orchestra played gigs at banquet halls and supper clubs throughout the metropolitan area.
In 1998, as a vehicle with which to reinvent himself, he created Passion Music & Entertainment, Inc., a company offering both live and disc-jockey entertainment.
It features his longtime friend and colleague, pianist Bobby Katz, and his son, Michael Buccheri, as deejay. It affords a wide range of musical packages, from a vocal-piano-deejay combination to a sophisticated 12-to-15 piece swing orchestra.
WHAT'S OLD IS NEW
With the heavy demand for deejays performing alone these days, Buccheri's concept goes against convention. Buccheri says that with the changes to the music industry, it's rare to offer the best of both worlds. "It's extraordinary," he says. With folks gravitating to live music -- and with everything old, new again -- it's really the way to go!
Meanwhile, Buccheri explored the field of news brokerage. The financial news business led him to Bloomberg News, where he rose to the position of business analyst. Buccheri couldn't be happier.
Fast forward to 2008 -- and Buccheri's channeled his creative energies to even greater heights -- figuratively and literally speaking, that is! He wants to send a message.
Because of his spiritual ideals and inasmuch as he believes his talent is a gift from God, Buccheri set sights on yet another musical genre, Christian pop. When approached by friend Artie Kaplan, a songwriter and producer, and presented with an opportunity to branch out, he simply couldn't pass it up.
Kaplan is no stranger to the music business; his saxophone can be heard on more than 150 top recordings -- hits like Jay Black & The Americans' "Come A Little Bit Closer," "Neil Diamond's "Solitary Man" and Barry Manilow's "Mandy," as well as in scores of musical films. Kaplan collaborated with Buccheri and composer Angelo Badalamenti, a high school chum, along with Jimmy Wisner, who's been lauded for writing hit recordings from the 1960s and for his work with Tony Bennett.
'SONGS OF FAITH' BORN
Before long, Buccheri and Kaplan embarked on a recording project and in time "Songs of Faith" was born. Buccheri saw the proposal as an opportunity to give something back to the faith that has given so much to him and his family.
"With all the terrible things going on the world today, terrorism and natural disasters, (the album) has allowed me to sing about how we can deal with matters spiritually -- and how faith in God can get us through anything," he explains. It was a spiritually uplifting experience.
Buccheri confides that performing on the album took him back to the days when as a youngster, he would sing spiritual songs at the rock masses of his local parish, St. Mary's Star of the Sea in Brooklyn.
It called to mind his mom and dad who struggled to provide for their family and who never lost their faith in God -- and who always found comfort in prayer. In all of the recording sessions, Buccheri drew spiritual strength from his parents who have since passed. The compact disc has been dedicated to the loving memory of Jennie and Salvatore Buccheri.
With the popularity of easy-listening Christian pop, the project presented an opportunity to enter into something a little out of the ordinary.
CD NOW AVAILABLE
What's more, with the advent of the Internet, Buccheri reaches every country in the world -- without going on the road. The CD may be purchased on http://cdbaby.com.
With an illustrious career in the music business that spans some 35 years, Buccheri continues to perform to live audiences -- but still prefers playing to hometown fans.
So impressive are his renditions by legendary song stylists like Frank Sinatra, Engelbert Humperdinck, Johnny Mathis and Tom Jones -- not to mention his own original compositions -- folks oftentimes deny they're hearing Buccheri's voice. They insist he's lip-synching, until they lend a closer ear.
Several years ago, he built his own recording studio in his Annadale home to serve as a means to record with his son, Michael, now 21, whom he regards as his recording engineer. His CDs include: "Just For You," and "From the Heart."
For further information about Buccheri, visit his website at www.passionmusicent.com or www.johnbuccheri.com.