Candace DeBartolo

Biography

I've been living and working in NYC for the past 25 years. I previously called Washington DC home, and this was a serious training ground where I spent 10 years learning from local jazz masters, as well as fronting my own jazz quartet.

I've shared the stage with Gary Bartz, Carter Jefferson, Donald Byrd, David Liebman, Gary Thomas, Buck Hill, Renee Rosnes, Billy Drummand, Vanessa Rubin, George Colligan and many more jazz luminaries. One of my stand out projects was Too Much Sax which featured 5 saxophones with rhythm section. This project headlined at Blues Alley multiple times.

I also played in various soul bands and saw a completely different side of DC's local music scene. After many years playing in soul band horn sections, I launched The Mustangs Band in the mid 90s. This project required transcribing horn parts from hundreds of 60s soul & classic dance songs. I assembled local players that were true masters of the music. The Mustangs' lead singers are the legendary Skip Mahoney (The Casuals), and Ignatius Mason.

While living in Washington DC, I joined The Zimmermans-a local indie rock band. The band reformatted, changed their name to Spottiswoode & His Enemies, and began gigging regularly in New York City. Many national and international tours, recordings and beautiful people have jettisoned this band to a cult status in New York City and beyond.

I moved to New York City in 1997 and within a few months joined Charlie Persip's Supersound Band. This has led to performing with several NYC based jazz orchestras and participating in the BMI Jazz Composer’s Workshop (2004-2009) under the direction of Jim McNeely, Mike Holober, and Michael Abene.

Currently I play in various jazz orchestras, run a cover band called The Storytellers (www.storytellersnyc.com) which requires contracting with clients, running day to day operations, contracting dozens of local musicians to play private and club events and acting as bandleader at private events and clubsand recently starting subbing on Broadway shows as a high woodwind doubler.