Countdown to Ecstasy
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2014 | SELF
Music
Press
"First, the easy part about playing in a Steely Dan tribute band: You don't have to replicate a "look." Donald Fagen and Walter Becker resemble everyday dudes as much as anybody in rock. Most casual fans probably couldn't even tell you what they look like, in part because the pair doesn't appear on the cover of any of the band's nine studio albums. Now, the hard part: The songs are really tough to play. And tougher than that to play well. Maybe that's why the Bucks County-based act Countdown to Ecstasy, named for Steely Dan's second album, rehearsed for about four months before playing its first unofficial gig this past March - and another three months after that before its first paying show in June. But when Countdown to Ecstasy does manage to get together, as it will Friday at Triumph Brewing Company in New Hope, people who enjoy Steely Dan music - and really, who doesn't? - are in for a treat. "
- - Andy Vineberg, Bucks County Courier Times, The Intelligencer
"...“There are a lot of tribute bands out there that go to great pains to imitate bands,” Monaco said. “We don’t do that ... instead, we try to stay true to the feel of the music.” So Countdown to Ecstasy needed a large group of talented people to be able to play Steely Dan’s complicated songs. The group’s members — all from the Philadelphia area — include Glenn Marrazzo on bass, Patrick Robinson on keyboards, guitar players Tony Winkler and Jon Mernyk, Jeff Miller on drums and vocals, trombone player Nancy Barone Kribbs, David Laich on the trumpet, Rich Robinson on the saxophone, singers Peg Talbott Lane and Deborah Massa and finally, Monaco rounds out the band as lead singer. "
- - Kristie Rearick, Gloucester County Times (Aug 13, 0010)
Discography
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Bio
Countdown to Ecstasy is the Delaware Valley's premiere Steely Dan tribute band.
The 11-member group of veteran musicians, led by bassist Glenn Marrazzo, is dedicated to bringing alive the music of Fagen & Becker in it's truest form. Performing all of the many Steely Dan hits and deeper tracks, this Bucks County-based band delivers the Dan with the level of musicianship required to pay homage to the intricate but accessible tunes. The band bases their performances on both Steely Dan's studio and live arrangements.
"The important thing for us is not just to play accurately, but to present it properly. The memorable solos, the little nuances, have to be duplicated, says Marrazzo. "A lot of tribute bands out there have a certain look they have to capture. Our tribute band is more about the music and the musicianship."
Named for Steely Dan's second album, the band started rehearsing in the fall of 2009, carefully honing the tunes and waiting until June 2010 to make its debut. Since then, C2E has been playing to near-sell-out crowds, with every venue quickly hiring the band back. Those venues include World Cafe Live in Philly and Triumph Brewing Co. in New Hope.
Steely Dan, while continuing to produce new music and perform live, had its heyday in the 1970s. So, there was no guarantee of a big market for C2E. The band has been humbled by the ardent following that grew very quickly.
Were thinking this music really appeals to our demographic, our generation, Marrazzo says. The real shock has been that at each and every one of our shows, there have been college-age people there, who are equally as fanatical about the music.
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