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                  Gary DeMichele

Gary DeMichele is an American composer,musician,pianist,drummer,percussionist

multi-instrumentalist and vocalist.He began his formal education in music

as a classically trained percussionist.

His focus and interests have been diverse.

He has been at the vanguard of multiple fronts in Jazz,

pop and though his core discipline is music,film

as well as being very active in theatrical works

have also occupied much of his time in his career.

    He has spent much of his life in music

    and the arts and inter-disciplinary endeavors and

    often fruitful collaborations.

His work also extends into the dance world,having worked

with dance teachers and choreographers ,as well as having experience

in world and electronic music.

All of these interests and influences have informed his film work.

His work for film and television includes a sonically and stylistically

widely varied scope of material.

His film score works include the critically acclaimed,

multiple award winning,indie breakout favorite,'Big Night',

directed by Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott.

In this score he incorporates both a prominent infusion of American Jazz and

Italianate musical elements into the Italian-American cultural context

of the film.

He has created a balance of an old world and modern American dynamic.

He had also put his melodic skills to good use having written both the

    'Big Night' theme and 'Pascal's Waltz as ballad offerings for two of Big Night's

key,compelling scenes.(An unedited full length version of 'Pascal's Waltz' will appear

    on his jazz compilation recording featuring guitarist Mike Stern,soon to be released).

    In his score for 'Off The Map',directed by Campbell Scott

a different score in almost every way,than that of 'Big Night' ,he had met

    the very different visual,emotional and psychological demands of this film.

    Set in New Mexico, one is presented  very large visual vistas that              

are occasionally,scored with large soundscapes.

Much more frequently,however he has juxtaposed these large vistas wih

    spare percussion motifs,even using found objects,metal bowls,stone objects,

    Brazilian instruments for unique sonic variety.Employed also are several bowed

instruments,including vibraphone,cymbals and pandeiro(Brazilian frame drum,played with stick).

This serves to create an aural 'picture' of some of

the many textures found in this setting without rendering redundant ,or overstating

the self-evident,vast,pictorially striking elements of

the natural landscape,captured wonderfully by director Campbell Scott and

the great cinematographer Juan Ruiz Anchia.

The aesthetic of his score,transcends mere textural mimickry ,

and serves well to create an evocation of something 'other worldly'

highlighting the magical imagistic nuance ,which the backdrop and foreground

of New Mexico can frequently evoke.

The liberal use of percussion in this score was

facilitated greatly by his skills as an experienced percussionist and performer

in the recording and performance of this score.

    With the work of Shakespeare,of course, comes with it different aesthetic criteria

    ,'Hamlet'

-Dir.Campbell Scott and Eric Simonsen.

Here is an excerpt ,from critic Ken Eisner, regarding his score from 'Hamlet'(Dir.Campbell Scott,Eric Simonsen)

     ..'Also striking is Gary DeMichele’s piano-and-trumpet-centered score, which offers

     a kind of medieval jazz commentary on the action..

                                                              -Ken Eisner,Variety

    His theatrical works include,August Strindberg's

    'Miss Julie' directed by Campbell Scott.

which premiered at the Williamstown theater festival in Willamstown Ma.

While living in Los Angeles he has composed and performed sound design duties for

the score for Tim Robbin's, Actors Gang theater production of

Bertolt Brecht's 'Drums In the Night', Jon Kellam,director,

(Tim Robbins Actor's Gang Theatre's founder and Artistic Director).

    Julio Martinez-Variety

   'Drums in The Night'(Actors Gang Theatre co.,artistic Director Tim Robbins

   (Gary DeMichele,Composer/Sound design)(Dir.John Kellam. )).
                                             
   ..A decided plus in this production is the compelling sound design of

    Gary DeMichele      that constantly underscores the harrowing conditions in the

    world just outside the walls of our agenda-challenged protagonists.

   

    He has also composed the score for the Campbell Scott adaptation of the George Farquhar

play 'the Recruiting Officer'.He has composed

the score for an Eric simonsen adaptation of the play 'Orestes' by Euripides'

   

His work other than film and theater

includes sound installation,most recently for the I park

2021 Site-Responsive Art Residency & Biennale,East Haddam Ct.

He also has oomposed music for dance and,other sound design projects

,and consultation for orchestration.

   

As a live performer he has played drums percussion keyboards,vocals and vibraphone,in several ensembles including,'Crayons','Quartastrophphe,'Static Disruptors'

He has played as ensemble member for theatrical shows and ensembles. He has worked with many  musicians including Kenny Drew Jr.,Richard Drexler,Tim Hagans,

Mike Stern,Jerry Bergonzi,Edmond Gilmore,Walt Weiskopf,Laury Shelly,

Suzanne Palmer,Lary Novak, and many others.

   

    HIs past recordings include two soundtrack albums, the best selling

    'Big Night'album (film directed by Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci).

(Varese Sarabande label) and the soundtrack recording for the film,'The Impostors'

(RCA) (directed by Stanley Tucci).HIs varied studio recording experiences are extensive.

    He is currently working on two compilations of original music.

    One is primarily vocal music,pop influenced with some surprising sonic and lyrical

twists.

    The other is a collection of instrumental music, primarily jazz influenced,which will

feature various reknowned guests including virtuoso jazz guitarist, Mike Stern,

Saxophonist Walt Weiskopf,multi-instrumentalist Richard Drexler,Swedish saxophonist Jonas Granberg,Danish Bassist Jens Jefsen,Bassist Edmond Gilmore and others.

   

Gary DeMichele spends some of his time each year overseas,including Denmark,Sweden,Italy,France and Ireland participating in tours,as composer in residence and playing live dates , especially in Copenhagen(which he loves) and Sweden.

   

   

He has also has two film credits as an actor,'Hamlet' and 'Camp Hope',and has appeared in  the Steppenwolf Theater stage production of 'Evelyn and the Polka King' as actor and musician ,Directed by Eric Simonsen.