David Zee has sought to bring a measure of healing to the human condition through the divergent practices of medical science and musical art. He says the latter can reach where the former cannot go, and his growing fan base bears out that philosophy.Zee has played guitar since age ten, when the music of Billy Joel's Pianoman commanded the airwaves, and the album's musical style remains a strong influence for his own composing. "Joel knows how to write a melody line incorporating rock, jazz, blues and soul. His singing style perfectly matches his insightful storytelling ability," he says.Zee worked his way through college by playing in Philadelphia cover bands at night as he studied biology at Temple University during the day. He took a break from school to further his musical development and financed the transition by working a variety of odd jobs from donut maker to handyman. The experience allowed him to develop his lyric writing while he played in numerous shows throughout the Delaware Valley.Upon his return to college and subsequent enrollment at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Zee vowed to always integrate his musical and scientific abilities into his life. That fateful decision led him to explore how music daily interacts with our sense of health and well-being, and his position as a physician gave him a unique perspective of the deepest levels of human experience."A physician has an exceptional opportunity to help people through all stages of their lives and the trials those changes often bring," Zee says. "Medicine is a wonderful tool for the body, but music touches people at the deeper level of soul that keeps the body moving through good times or bad."That insight and compassion motivated Zee to transform his nightly basement jam sessions into his first professionally produced CD, Inner Peace. The full assimilation of his innate talents has energized Zee, who is delighted to keep his youthful pledge to retain music an equal aspect of his character and career.Lyrics are the driving force behind most of Zee's songs, but the power of melody to breath life and energy into words is the keystone of his artistry. Bands like Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers have been dynamic influences on Zee for their ability to "blend complex melodies and chordal structure by some of the best players in the business."Vocal artists such as Michael McDonald and Gino Vanelli inspired David to develop his own sound with formal voice training for more than six years. He says McDonald is the epitome of soulful singing and Vanelli's voice is nothing short of heavenly. Their abilities to squeeze the most out of the lyrics remain a standard of excellence for Zee.Larry Carlton's precision guitar playing and distinct artistic character has infused Zee's performances with a style that bursts forth into a musical sensation penetrating the inner most feelings of his fans.The live performance remains Zee's strongest motivation for its capacity to interact with the audience and share the essence of life. "When I see the audience get up and dance in front of the stage, I know they're moved and completely in tune with me and the music," Zee said of a recent performance. "There's nothing like that in the world."Zee believes Inner Peace will help people think more clearly about life and their place in it. "Music makes people feel good, and that's a big part of healing and finding inner peace," he says. "These are eternal themes of our lives, and we work to match that in our music. People looking for music with a longer lasting quality understand that."David put the Zee band together from local Philadelphia musicians that are all at the top of their game. The level of professionalism and talent is unmistakable.
