So I decided to devote the myspace page to the music that I've gotten to be involved in.Okay, so here's my story...
I was born and had a normal middle class suburban upbringing in New Jersey. I grew up playing sports as well as acting in musicals and dramas.
I began playing the electric bass in middle school after short stints on the guitar and drums (which I loved but my parents weren't down with having a drumset in the house). I was self-taught for the most part. Many guitarists (of the groups I played in) would show me some things here and there. My musical world because to open up when I was a sophmore in high school and I began to study with Joe Maldanado (South River, NJ). He was into all the Victor Wooten stuff (and was just a plain funky animal) and I was just blown away. Throughout high school, I played in many rock bands and gigged the NY/NJ circuit. I became serious about music towards the end of my freshman year at college (Rutgers University). I picked up the upright bass that summer and began studying both jazz and classical bass with virtuoso bass player, Ken Filiano (Brooklyn, NYC). I studied with Ken for the remaining three years of college and I augmented my studies in classical bass with NJ Symphony Principal Bassist, Paul Harris (NYC). I also studied Jazz theory with saxophonist Ralph Bowen at Rutgers. I also received a wonderful jazz education hanging out with Ilya Stemkovsky going to the Knitting Factory in NYC every chance we got to see John Zorn and other Downtown virtuousos. During this time I played in many jazz groups, jam bands, orchestras, and various ensembles at Rutgers University. During this time, I got the opportunity to play with Ilya Stemkovsky , Brian Felix , Andrew Lindstrom, Pete Pidgeon , and many others.
Upon graduation in May of 1998, I moved cross country (to Ashland, Or) with fellow musician Ilya Stemkovsky (now of BrothersPast ) and we spent a year woodshedding as we awaited the arrival of
Brian Felix. When Brian arrived we formed the group that became known as the Omtrio . We played over 250 gigs between 1999-2000 and recorded 3 albums (The Clarified Butter, Jazz Trio, and Meat Curtain). As well as playing with the trio, I would also gig with latin jazz bands, as well as playing blues, reggae, and assorted worship ensembles at various churches in So. Oregon. Some of the area musicians that I played and recorded with were Ed Dunsavage, Larry Cavalier, Leslie Kendall , Bill Leonhart, and Chicken Hirsch (yes, of Country Joe and the Fish).
We moved to the Bay Area in the Summer of 2000, and at this time I felt a strong call to enter the pastoral ministry. I left the Omtrio (the nasty Pete Novembre took over the bass duties) in October 1999 and soon found myself on the pastoral staff of Calvary Chapel Marin. During the next two years, while living in the Bay Area, I found myself playing gigs with some of the most respected names in the Bay Area Jazz scene. Mel Martin , Harold Jones , Noel Jewkes , Randy Vincent , Michael Aragon, Rob Roth, Michael LaMacchia , Dave Rocha, Matt Heulitt , Brad Niven, Mark Bernfield , Saul Kaye , and Jon Arkin, as well as 3/4 of Wynton Marsalisis' big band, just to name a few. During this time, I spent almost a year writing music and rehearsing in the the upstairs loft at the Chapel with Matt Heulitt on guitar and Kevin Stevens on drums. Before I moved to New Jersey, in July of 2002, to plant Calvary Chapel New Brunswick, I played one gig with this configuration, titled for the gig, " The Fusco ". The catch was Kevin's wife went into labor on the day of the gig and we had Jon Arkin fill in for Kevin. He received a two hour rehersal (on songs that we spend the better part of year trying to get right )and he nailed it.
From 2002 until 2006, I did not gig very much at all (except for one especially notable reunion with Ilya Stemkovsky and Brian Felix, called " The Sque ". In that time I saw a church community get planted Calvary Chapel New Brunswick . I got married (to the greatest woman in the world, Lynn) and became a father (Obadiah was born in Feburary 2005). I was involved with much music though, mostly doing singer/songwriter stuff. I played bass, drums, guitar and vocals at the fellowship in New Brunswick, as well as various other churches in NJ. I was able to write many contemporary worship songs , working with the former lead guitarist of Nuclear Assualt and TT Quick, David DiPietro, who is the worship leader at CCNB. I also embarked on a writing project with my old buddy, Dr. Adam Auerbach. I played and recorded with a fabulous and unique songwriter, Roman Dubov.
I am currently the Pastor of Calvary North Bay in Mill Valley, California.
Since I've been back in the Bay Area, I've been playing copious amounts of music. I have the pleasure of leading two of my own groups. The Daniel Fusco Quartet features Joe Cohen on sax, Matthew Heulitt on guitar, and Bryan Bowman on drums. The Daniel Fusco Trio features Brad Niven on piano on Mark Bernfield on drums. I am also the bass player in Michael LaMacchia's 3io, as well as Asher/LaMacchia's Evolution, which features the singing of Lynn Asher. Additionally, I've been gigging with Erik Lindquist, Heather Lauren, Alex Aspinall, , Lisa Kindred, Greg Sankovich, Lynn Asher, Gian Luca, Dave McNab, James Moseley, Andy Dillard, Mel Martin, George Coleman Jr, Chuck McPherson Jr. Michael Aragon, Tim Cleary and Tyler Blanton. I also played at the Fillmore Jazz Festival. I have played at such famous venues at the Washington Square Bar and Grill, Bimbos, the No Name Bar and shared the stage with the famous Buddy Guy.
If you would like to hear a Bible study, you can visit Reason to Rejoice Media .
I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.1
