My guest to day is Dan Pugach. Dan is a talented drummer, composer and a recent Grammy-nominated arranger. Dan and his wife Nicole Zuraitis, (who was my guest in December 2018) have been nominated for a Grammy for Best Arrangement with Instruments and Vocals, for their co-arrangement of Dolly Parton’s song Jolene. Dan performs with various artists throughout the NY metropolitan area, but his passion for big band music has been channeled into writing and arranging for his own nonet, a 9 piece ensemble. I just heard Dan and his nonet perform at the 55 Bar in NYC last week and I highly recommend that you hear them for yourself! As an Israeli, Dan had a lot of musical opportunities, before, during, and after his mandatory 3 year service in the army, but he had his heart set on moving to New York City. He was grateful for the quick completion of his music degree at Berklee College in Boston, which cushioned his landing in NYC. While Dan was at City College (NYC) for his Masters degree, he was reminded of his roots, his passion for big band music and there, his love for arranging was ignited. He speaks honestly of the struggles, the connections, the challenges and the inspirations that have shaped him, not only as a musician but as a person. Dan takes his career seriously, names the crossroads he faces, looks within for validation, and values integrity in music, in food, in people, and integrity in life. Check out Dan’s website danpugach.com to hear his music, see videos, find his upcoming gigs and buy his CDs or charts. Let’s all send Dan and Nicole positive energy for a win in this year's Grammys! Enjoy the podcast! Links: www.danpugach.com FB: Dan Pugach Nonet IG: @danpugach Dan Pugach Nonet “Plus One”