Piano | Ralph Falbo
Ralph Falbo is a classical/jazz pianist and composer in Pittsburgh, and a founding member of South City Jazz. He began his training in 1980 with Bobby Cardillo and David Budway. After earning his BA in music (piano) from Notre Dame, he spent several years teaching in the Greater Pittsburgh Area. Falbo participated in the Pittsburgh Mellon Jazz Festival master classes with Harry Connick Jr and Emily Remler as well as in workshops provided by the Eastman School of Music and Duquesne University. |
Drums | Joe Decker
Joseph Decker has been playing drums since the age of 12. He developed a passion for jazz growing up outside of New York City and frequenting the jazz clubs there in the 1970s. He studied with Paul Cappozolli, George Ward of the Syracuse Symphony, and the late jazz icon Freddie Waits. He cites diverse influences such as drummers Philly Joe Jones, Max Roach, Tony Williams and Elvin Jones.
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Bass | Pierce Cook
Pierce Cook grew up in Arlington, Virginia and began playing around the city of Pittsburgh in 2001, shortly after beginning his studies at Duquesne University. He start teaching in the Mt. Lebanon School District in 2004 - the same year that South City Jazz started. His style is the living culmination of the great music he has been exposed to and the diversity of the music he has been privileged to play since moving to Pittsburgh.
Vocals | Lisa Marinacci
Vocalist and songwriter Lisa Marinacci recently returned home to Pittsburgh after performing, writing and producing in NYC, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. She began working professionally at age 5 with the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera and at age 12 began performing alongside jazz guitarist Joe Negri as a featured singer at events such as “Jazz for Juniors”. She went on to study drama, writing and music at Carnegie Mellon University where she earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. While living in NYC, Lisa traveled back and forth to Pittsburgh to co-produce her first album with Joe Negri titled “Waiting For Spring”. During her time in Los Angeles, Lisa began developing her original musical, THE DEVIL AND DAISY JANE, which received a professional workshop production in Hollywood and went on to win Stage Scene LA’s “Best New Musical” award. While in L.A., Lisa also joined the 10-piece original jazz-pop band "Bliss Bomb" and co-produced an album with them titled “Fever Dream”, containing all songs she either wrote or co-wrote. In 2014 Lisa took on her greatest role yet – as Mom to her son, Henry. www.LisaMarinacci.com