“During the ‘70s and ‘80s, I played in the Northeast at various popular night spots throughout New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, and Virginia,” states Dennis Macarone, who is starting to make a mark on the New Jersey scene. “I am originally from Middlesex, NJ. Self taught on the guitar and keyboard, I am a singer, songwriter and musician who has been performing professionally since the ‘70s. Bands that I have played with in the past include Sneaky Pete, Diesel, Oasis, and Snapper. Since they were cover bands, they did not hold my interest for long.”
Dennis now performs with both a band and as a solo artist. “With the Dennis Macarone Band, I perform cover songs from the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, as well as my originals. I am a solo artist, but also work as a duet with an extraordinary female singer, Susan Hladik, who harmonizes and compliments my voice perfectly.” For his recordings, as well as some of the live shows, Dennis includes Susan, Marty Hoski on keyboards and backing vocals, John Peluso on Drums, and Tony Goncalves on bass and backing vocals. “I met with some of the band members in the studios during my recording sessions, and picked the ones that I thought would perform the best,” he adds.
In fact, Marty is a graduate of the prestigious Berkelee School of Music, and Tony came to this country at a young age from his native Brazil. By the age of 16, he had taught himself to play guitar. “Dennis, whom I met over four years ago, has influenced me into getting back into music,” Tony recalls. “I decided to try my hand at the bass guitar, and as it turns out, that’s just what he needed, so here I am having fun playing music again with Dennis, and two other great players and friends, Marty and John.”
Dennis’ website calls his music suitable for those who like a Midwestern rock and roll sound, and talks about how his use of metaphors, combined with common expressions, makes one think of events that have occurred in their own lives. “My music is written for any generation to appreciate,” he relates. “Therefore, I call it ‘timeless music.’ I do all the writing, arranging, producing and engineer all my own recordings. I oversee everything from the beginning to the end of the process. I believe my writing comes to me through my muse, and she has a beautiful voice. Then I start to play the guitar or a keyboard using the notes that I heard in my head and start writing. I don’t hear all the lyrics, but I hear enough to get a head start on a song.”
While his music has a rootsy, Midwestern feel, he draws from a variety of styles to develop his sound. “I am influenced by all kinds of music from the 1940s to present time, with the exception of rap and hardcore heavy metal,” says Dennis. A few fan favorites include “Midnight Train,” “Jesus And The Devil,” and “When You Love Me.”
Dennis is currently in the process of recording a new album, but he has two CDs that he released previously. “A preview of some of my music is on MySpace,” he says. “It is not downloadable at the present time, but will be in the near future. I have two completed CDs, The Other Side Of Town and Midnight Train. I am currently working on a third album entitled Lucid Dreams.”
Dennis will be performing upcoming shows at Luigi’s Ranch-O in Belvidere, NJ; the Metro Café Diner in Ringoes, NJ; the Annual South River Boat Club Tiki Party in South River, NJ; and Tim Kerwin’s Tavern in Middlesex, NJ. “I am constantly performing as many shows as possible, and always looking for new venues,” he says. “Most of them are posted on my website and/or my MySpace page.”
As far as the future, Dennis is somewhat philosophical. “Well, obviously, everybody in the music business has the same dream,” he muses. “My goals are to focus on writing for myself, as well as soundtracks and songs for commercials and the movie industry.”
With such a long performing history, Dennis has a few memories that stand out. “In 1979, one of our fans got a little too close to a pyrotechnics flash pot,” he remembers. “Her long beautiful hair, which originally extended past her waistline, became a pageboy look very quickly! But she still remained a loyal fan of the band.”
For further information about Dennis, and to check on upcoming shows, go to dennismacarone.com and myspace.com/dennismacarone.
