A CD Baby's editor's pick, "Metaphors" features original works by composer and multi-instrumentalist John Arrucci on Drum set, Vibes, Marimba, Conga and percussion alongside New York's finest on Piano, Bass, Flugelhorn, Flute and Cello. Arrucci's scores for film have won numerous awards at Independent Film festivals around the world.

02 Rose & Spring

Written for 3 Udu (Clay pots from Nigeria), Vibes, Frikywa (Grello bells), Bass Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone and Flute. recorded in the Studio. Wind instruments played by Mark Fineberg. All Percussion played by John Arrucci.

John Arrucci

Birth at the Convergence

Written for  DeMorrow 5 1/2 octave Marimba, Snare drum, Bass Drum and Cymbals, Triangle, Classical Guitar,  Clarinet and Flute. John Arrucci played all percussion. Joe Basar played Guitar and Mark Fineberg played clarinet and Flute.

In Oaxaca (Procession)

01 Anna Mae

09 Menachem

08 Metaphors

07 Monday Morning

06 The Leaf & The Wind

05 Estuaries

04 Little Drum

03 The Fall

Surdo, Cuíca, Tamborim, Ganza, Samba whistle

Carnaval

Marimba, Talking drum, repique, caxixi, shekere, triangle, frikywa, timbales

Bush Running

Valentines Day

Zabumba -deep drum, Marimba, Bass Marimba, Broomsticks, Bells

May Fun

Echo

Orchestral excerpt 1

John Arrucci's 2023 composition, written in honor of his friend, the late Jeff Lisenby. Written for Octet with Piano, Accordion, Violin, Cello, Double Bass, Alto Flute, Bass Clarinet and French Horn. World premiere performance with the Nashville Composers Collective.

Jeff Lisenby

Piano, Bass, Drums and Tenor Saxophone playing an original Jazz Ballad that goes into a cool swing. John Arrucci is the composer and  plays the drums.

In Oaxaca (Arrival)

John Arrucci's composition with John on Drums alongside Piano, Bass, Tenor Saxophone and Flugelhorn.

Stars

John Arrucci weaves a Tapestry with Zabumba, Shekere, Udu, Marimba, Bass Marimba, Conga and Tambourine.

Tapestry

Percussionist and Composer John Arrucci is an acclaimed master artist. He has composed, performed and instructed for over 45 years.  He has studied on three continents, written for all mediums, and received numerous honors. His intimate knowledge of Classical, Jazz, North Indian, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazilian and other indigenous traditions gives him–and his audiences–a singularly rich perspective on the creation and impact of music.
 
His work as drummer and percussionist is featured on scores for feature films, television, commercial spots and recordings including on Sony, Polygram, Mercury, Chesky, Koch Jazz, Chiaroscuro, Rykodisc and other labels as well as performances throughout the United States, Europe, Brazil and Africa. He has performed and/or recorded with Michael Brecker, John Patittucci, Gil Goldstein, Mariah Carey, David Byrne, Livingston Taylor, Richard Bona, The Brooklyn Philharmonic, Philip Glass Ensemble, Donna Summer, Carlinhos Brown and Oliver Lake.  His percussion work on television and radio includes music for programs including Patriot (on Amazon prime), Perpetual Grace: LTD (on EPIX), Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Oprah Winfrey and Rosie O’Donnell. John provided processional, recessional and interlude music for Dalai Lama, Bishop Desmond Tutu and many other dignitaries and has performed at notable venues such as Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Town Hall, Merkin Hall and United Nations. 
 
As Composer, John has received numerous commissions, grants and awards for his performance and film music including commissions from members of The New York Philharmonic, The Manhattan Marimba Quartet, The Mannes College of Music and many others for solo, chamber music and large scale works for Wind Ensemble. He has received grants or awards from Meet the Composer, New York State Council on the Arts, John Lennon Songwriting Contest and numerous film festivals. His acclaimed 2011 release “Metaphors” features 9 of his compositions and performances on Drum Set, Vibes, Marimba and Percussion.
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Princeton University was Arrucci’s classroom home for over 20 years, where he educated, inspired and engaged thousands in the art of percussion and composition. He has also taught at City University of New York and lectured and conducted master classes at Eastman School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College of Music, University of Colorado in Boulder, Wichita State University, University of Bahia in Brazil, The National Theatre of Namibia, Union Theological Seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary and other prominent institutions. 
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He graduated with distinction from Eastman School of Music. The Smithsonian Institution awarded him a Post-Doctoral level research fellowship to study Tabla in Benares, India with Pandit Sharda Sahai. This was followed by a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship to study music in Brazil, where according to the Tribune of Bahia he “inﬂuenced the explosion of Bahian music”. He also studied Shekere and Agbe with the renowned Chief James Hawthorne Bey, Conga and Afro-Cuban drumming with one its leading exponents Frank Malabe and Tabla with Robert Becker.

John Arrucci

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