Zupe is an award-winning composer and entertainer, currently residing in Windber, Pennsylvania. His one-man show consists of singing and playing piano (sometimes trumpet) to music that Zupe has pre-recorded himself, giving the audio illusion of an entire band on stage! "Zupe continues to be one of the area's top showmen," writes Jim Price of Pennsylvania Musician Magazine.
A 2021 recipient of Akademia Music Awards "Artist of the Year" award, Zupe's original music receives regular airplay on both terrestrial and internet broadcasts, as well as various
Sounds Like: Bobby Darin, Happy Louie
Latest News
Zupe and The Polka Commandos' album “Na zdrowie! (Nostrovia!),” continues to rack up the awards and accolades! Among the 20 received so far, Zupe landed TWO Gold Awards from the LIT Talent Awards for the song "Pitiful Pierogi." The album and accompanying videos have also received recognition from the Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music City Songstar Awards, U.K. Songwriting Contest, The Great American Songwriting Contest, and notable others.
The Long & Short Of It
Zupe is an accomplished composer and performer, currently residing in Altoona, Pennsylvania. His published works have appeared on a variety of television programs, including Fox's "Malcolm In The Middle," and NBC's "Dateline."
Along with guitarist Dave Nichols, his high-energy compositions have been used for various sports themes, and together with Zupe, has had works appear on MTV, A&E, and The History Channel.
Zupe & Nichols' CD, "Speechless," is raising eyebrows throughout the industry. The winner of a Grindie Award by RadioIndy.com, for superior arrangements and production, and a 29 week run occupying the Number 1 spot on Broadjam's Chicago Blues Chart (for "Rib Joint"), "Speechless" is available at CDBaby.com and digital downloads at Broadjam.com.
Forward by Broadjam's CEO
If you've ever heard a person finish another's thought, you know that those two people are on the same wavelength. If Nichols and Zupe are not twin brothers in this life, they probably were in another. They are certainly on the same wavelength musically. Throughout this recording, the keyboard finishes or echoes the guitar player's idea and vice versa. These guys are in sync and it is clear that they have been playing together for years.
When I first listened to this recording, I heard Jeff Beck, Joe Zawinul, Sting and Lyle Mays playing in a reunited Steely Dan with a horn section from New Orleans. Really. This is an album that fans will love and musicians will be amazed by. This group of players is clearly a cut above the rest of us. When I discovered that the drums are all samples and loops, I was even more impressed. The sequencing and arranging of this recording is masterful. It's challenging to get a group of musicians this tight and it's even harder to make a machine sound like a group of musicians this tight! Clearly a lot of time and
expertise was put into this project.
Words alone cannot adequately express my feelings about this masterpiece. I believe discerning listeners will connect to it deeply, and it's one that will be in my collection forever.
Roy Elkins
Founder & CEO
Broadjam Inc.
Similar Artists
Jeff Beck, Joe Zawinul, Sting, Lyle Mays, Steely Dan, Max Weinburg
Influences
(Zupe) Peter Gabriel, Bob James, Jimmy Smith, Donald Fagen, Junior Brown, and Bill Monroe. Scary, isn't it?
(Dave) Jeff Healey, Prince, Robben Ford, Eric Johnson, and Jimi Hendrix.