Eric DiVito

Jazz guitar player Eric Divito has been building a reputation on New York’s music scene fronting three bands, The Eric Divito Group, Project 3tet, and Pepper Spray, a Red Hot Chili Pepper tribute band. Clearly, Divito likes keeping busy. In between juggling bands, Divito found time to make a decent debut album Breaking The Ice, which goes on sale Tuesday. The album exposes Divito’s strengths and flaws. Divito is not a gaudy guitar player although he has the facility to cut loose, which surely he does performing with Pepper Spray. But, on the jazz front, Divito is conservative. His soloing on Time Remembered and From and Old Sketch is clean-cut. Even on a higher tempo cut such as Shoot The Messenger, Divito is even-keeled a la jazz guitar players Jim Hall and Joe Pass. Deep down, Divito is a closet swinger. Divito plays it safe, but maybe next time around hell let his inner swinger loose. - I Dig Jazz

All original material with the exception of "Time Remembered," the Bill Evans classic finds the debut release of guitarist/composer Eric Divito in fine form.

Divito is cutting edge in the evolution of modern jazz guitar in that he combines both jazz and classical guitar styles not to mention his interest in pop compositions to release a recording that has something new happening within each tune. The sonic twists and turns have a delightful ebb and flow creating a lyrical sense of purpose within some incredibly varied compositions.

Divito is a new shooter to the recording world but this eclectic collection by an artist of immeasurable talent should have other guitarists taking notice in no time. As mentioned earlier, the prime example of Divito's virtuosity is the Bill Evans gem "Time Remembered" played on a classical style nylon string guitar. The release opens at a breakneck pace with "Like Minded" which is at the opposite end of the musical spectrum in comparison to the beautiful ballad "For Maria" written for his wife of five years. "Layin' It" takes on the more traditional straight ahead sound with a dynamic tension created from the slightly more laid back minor blues riff in a trio setting. A particular favorite here is "Pass' Time' which has the easy breezy swing feel which was the trademark of the legendary Joe Pass. The lineup is rounded out with tenor and alto saxophonist Jake Saslow, drummer Nadav Snir-Zelniker, and an alternating bass duo of Corcoran Holt on upright and Motohito Fukushima on electric bass. An incredibly solid and well rounded 4tet with an obvious chemistry.

One of the key elements aside from the incredible musicians appearing here would be that of producer and former classmate at Queens College Ezra Weiss. Time and or credit is actually split between Weiss and Todd Barkan. There are hundreds of great guitar players that never seem to leave the Big Apple club circuit, DiVito is the real deal stepping out on his own and on to a larger stage.

A most impressive debut that should have six string aficionados learning the name Eric DiVito quickly. A musician whose stock is an arrow pointing straight up!
- Critical Jazz

Eric DiVito is a busy New York guitarist/composer and this recording marks his debut
as a leader. His primary influences were Jim Hall, Pat Metheny and Joe Pass and he
also cites Jack Wilkins and our member Paul Bollenback, both of whom he studied with. Among his compositions
on the album is a tune called “Pass Time”, a gently swinging tune that salutes Joe Pass, one of his heroes. All the
compositions are by Eric except for “Time Remembered” by Bill Evans on which he plays the ballad solo on a
Godin nylon string (on all the other selections he uses a Guild thin bodied archtop, although he now plays and
endoses Eastman Guitars). “Shoot the Messenger” is an uptempo straight ahead swinger with a good solo from
sax player Jake Saslow, Eric also shows some fine chops on this tune. This is a good diverse debut from this
young New York player, who also shows some good promise as a composer. For more info www.ericdivito.com. - Jazz Guitar Society of Western Australia

Electric or acoustic? Paper or plastic? Latte or mocha? Lots of choices in modern society. Here are a couple guitar albums from artists you might not know, but could easily become friends with.

Cool toned electric guitarist Eric DiVito mixes it up here, leading both a trio and a sax quartet with Jake Saslo/ts-ss, Corcoran Holt/b, Motohito Fukushima/eb and Nadav Snir-Zelniker/dr. Sasio’s chestnut tenor mixes well on the graceful “For Maria” and post bop “Like Minded,” while the trio tunes have DiVito sauntering through “Layin’ It” and gently bopping on “Pass’ Time.” He does a ebullient solo piece on “Time Remembered” as well, while the rhythm team shows impressive team work on “From an Old Sketch.” Nice modern guitar sounds here. - Jazz Weekly

Formally trained as both a classical and jazz guitarist, DiVito has a passion for music that extends broadly beyond that (one of his gigs is leading a Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute band), and is deeply into music education. All of which has left little time for leading a record date, but at thirty-one years old he finally was able to make the time, and it was time well spent.

Breaking The Ice introduces DiVito to the world outside his NYC environs and its jazz clubgoers and guitar students. Perhaps as no surprise, Ice presents a fully formed product in DiVito as a composer, bandleader and guitarist. Playing bop-based modern jazz that calls a little to mind John Scofield’s acoustic quartets, DiVito assembled Jake Saslow (saxes), Nadav Snir-Zelniker (drums) and alternately Cocoran Holt (acoustic bass) or Motohito Fukushima (electric bass) for this project.

DiVito’s decision to go with an electric bassist for four tunes and acoustic for five in a discreet way diversifies the music. Fukushima and his nimble fretwork pairs up perfectly with DiVito on the ascending, repeating chord figure of the title song. By contrast, Holt’s nimble walking bass figure on the bass on the sax-less blues “Layin’ It” does the trick, as does a pumping bass line on “Unit 7? that moves into a progression that recalls Sam Jones’ “Unit 7.”

Saslow, whose own debut album was profiled here last year, acts as the front line foil and harmonizing partner. He continues to impress as an emerging sax voice with a warm tone and a soulful delivery, best displayed on delicate ballads like “For Maria,” but can also swing with command as on “Breaking The Ice,” and his soprano sax meshes well with DeVito on the lullaby “Her and Hymn.”

DiVito’s solo nylon-string undertaking of Bill Evans’ magnificent “Time Remembered” bottles up the soul of that song into his Segovia inspired nylon string acoustic guitar. His acumen without a pick carries over to a smokin’ fingerpicked solo featured on “Shoot The Messenger.” “Pass Time,” written with Joe Pass in mind, is a great tribute to the master, with some soft octaves that also evokes Wes Montgomery. DeVito invested a lot into his compositions as well, drawing in bop, pop, classical, Latin and other styles into rhythmically shifting tunes such as “Tango,” “Like Minded,” and “From An Old Sketch.”

A long time in the making, Eric DiVito’s Breaking The Ice makes up quickly for lost time. It leaves you hoping he’ll find the time to make another record again soon.

Breaking The Ice was released October 2 by the Pioneer Jazz Collective. Visit Eric DiVito’s website for more info. - Something Else Reviews!

PJC
ERIC DIVITO/Breaking the Ice: A guitar jazzbo comes out of nowhere and wants you to pay attention to him. What's he got that others don't? Well, he's got the attention of producers Ezra Weiss and Todd Barkan who are far too busy to go chasing rainbows. Bringing his classical guitar background to the fore, he fuses his native New York attitude with the flights of fancy classical guitar can take for world beat and beyond. Bringing it all home in a straight ahead package, this is a lightly swinging set whose music takes you to that happy place. Everyone here is on the same page and a wonderful taste treat is cooked up by all. A wonderful new find.
- Midwest Record

Breaking The Ice
Eric Divito (Pioneer Jazz Collective)
by Sharon Mizrahi
Guitarist Eric DiVito proves that ice was made to be broken both in the studio and in concert last month at the chic Jazz at Kitano. The title track ripples open in a few sparse yet evocative guitar chords, setting the scene for this sublime album. Electric bassist Motohito Fukushima tightly follows DiVito’s lead, hovering with a buzz that saturates the track in immense depth. Corcoran Holt’s appearance on upright bass is also intriguing. He doesn’t trail DiVito’s footsteps so much as subtly guides his own way without departing from the pack. As the piece continues, the initial guitar chord sequence emerges as the backbone for all that follows. Drummer Nadav Snir-Zelniker provides momentum for the affair, expressing the breadth of his creative versatility. “Shoot the Messenger” further features the drummer at the top of his inventive craft.
Tenor saxist Jake Saslow’s brazen gregariousness - a bit subdued on the album - shone brightly live. He rarely stopped to take a breath, emerging as a powerhouse of intense energy. Yet amid such a distinct set of artists, DiVito manages to embody the frontman role effortlessly. The guitarist vividly illustrated his understated leadership on stage, serenely closing his eyes for the breezy melody in “For Maria”. Fukushima’s bass didn’t leave DiVito’s side for a moment in the impeccably synchronized piece. On disc, Saslow and Snir-Zelniker add a sultrier layer to the slow tune, taking the guitar-bass duo’s place in the front lines.
The slower and more sensual “Tango” takes on darker undertones as DiVito passionately trickles up and down his guitar. Saslow echoes the sentiment in yet another gripping slur of tenor sax that seems to last from the first to final second of the track. As the piece simmered to a smooth close on the Kitano bandstand, a concertgoer enthusiastically whispered praise for the romantic vibe left lingering in the air.
For more information, visit pjcrecords.ca. DiVito is at The Flatiron Room Thursdays. See Regular Engagements. - NYC Jazz Record

For his remarkable debut album, "Breaking the Ice," Eric DiVito draws on his command of both jazz and classical guitar styles, as well as on his interests in jazz and pop composition, to create a wonderfully varied set of nine original tunes and a gorgeous solo guitar rendition of Bill Evans's "Time Remembered."

Richmond, CA (PRWEB) September 12, 2012
In the midst of a busy career as working musician and educator, New York guitarist/composer Eric DiVito has finally carved out the time to make his recording debut as a leader. "Breaking the Ice," a quartet date co-produced by DiVito with Portland pianist/arranger Ezra Weiss and veteran jazz producer/promoter Todd Barkan, will be released on the Canadian Pioneer Jazz Collective (PJC) label on October 2.
“One of the most totally unexpected and pleasant surprises of my last 30 years of jazz production has been the constant smile to be regularly experienced in Eric’s consistently uplifting compositions, arranging, and guitar playing,” says Barkan.
The 31-year-old Long Island native chose to feature his original compositions with trio or quartet comprised of tenor and soprano saxophonist Jake Saslow, a friend and colleague since high school days; acoustic bassist Corcoran Holt alternating with Motohito Fukushima on electric; and Israeli-born drummer Nadav Snir-Zelniker. DiVito’s solo performance of “Time Remembered,” the Bill Evans classic and the album’s only nonoriginal, is played classical-style on a nylon-string guitar.
Throughout, DiVito draws on his command of both jazz and classical guitar styles, as well as on his interests in jazz and pop composition, to create a wonderfully varied program—from the “dizzy, hectic feel” of the opener “Like Minded,” to the ballads “For Maria” (written for his wife of five years) and “Her and Hymn” (partially inspired by Joni Mitchell), to the gently swinging “Pass’ Time” (for Joe Pass, one of his heroes) and high-energy “Shoot the Messenger” (for Art Blakey).
The mysterious “Tango” is a quartet number, with Saslow on tenor. “Being a classical guitarist,” DiVito says, “there’s a lot of tangos and Latin music in my repertoire. I thought it would be a nice contrast to some of the more straight-ahead or pop kinda tunes.”
Growing up in Northport, NY, Eric DiVito played percussion instruments in his elementary school orchestra and concert band and “learned to read music first as a percussionist,” he recalls. He took up guitar in middle school. Although he had an early interest in Jimi Hendrix and Guns N’ Roses, jazz guitarists were his primary inspiration, particularly Jim Hall, Pat Metheny, and Joe Pass. He also cites Jack Wilkins and Paul Bollenback, both of whom he studied with, as later influences, and he counts Julian Bream among his classical guitar favorites.
“I gravitated towards jazz on the guitar because it allowed for what I felt was more creativity and improvisation,” DiVito says.
Joni Mitchell, Wayne Shorter, and Maria Schneider stand out among his favorite composers. “They take you on a journey,” he explains. “Those composers in particular almost transcend genres. That’s a quality I like to strive for in my compositions.”
The guitarist began playing professionally while still in high school at restaurants, bars, weddings, and other private affairs, sometimes solo, other times in combos with classmate Jake Saslow. DiVito still does solo jazz and classical gigs, often mixing the works of J.S. Bach and other Baroque composers, Spanish and Brazilian guitar music, jazz, and “stuff in between.”
DiVito majored in classical guitar and music education and minored in jazz at the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY, from which he received a B.M. in guitar performance and music education. At the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, where he earned an M.A. in jazz performance, his instructors included Bollenback, saxophonist Antonio Hart, and trumpeter Michael Philip Mossman.
The guitarist has been living in Queens since completing his education there. For the past six years, he’s been the music teacher at Castle Middle School on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, where he created a curriculum that includes general music, music appreciation, theory, band, concert band, chamber ensemble, and guitar. And, when he has the time, he teaches guitar privately in the evenings and on weekends. Besides solo guitar engagements, he has performed with his own combos at such leading New York jazz establishments as the Iridium, Smalls, Miles’ Café, the Garage, Puppet’s Jazz Bar, and Tutuma Social Club. And every month or so, he leads a Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute band called PepperSpray.
“It’s a balancing act,” DiVito says of his career. “Sometimes things get too busy, and I don’t gig as much as I want to or I can’t have as many private students as I want. I’m always trying to juggle.”
With "Breaking the Ice," Eric DiVito is f - All About Jazz

http://www.downbeat.com/digitaledition/2013/DB201302/single_page_view/72.html - Downbeat Magazine

PIONEER JAZZ COLLECTIVE
ERIC DIVITO/Second Time Around: In which we face the quandary over whether Divito was holding back on his debut or if his chops that got much more impressive in the meanwhile. Calling his sophomore jazz guitar outing with an appropriate title ( as well as the closing track), this set that mixes originals and outside material finds the sweet spot where Divito makes it all his own. Riding firmly on leading edge tip, Divito take time to tip the cap to the past as well with engaging results. A solid guitar voice that shows he's well worth your while, you really want to say you knew about this cat before everyone else does. Check it out. - Midwest Record

All original material with the exception of "Time Remembered," the Bill Evans classic finds the debut release of guitarist/composer Eric Divito in fine form.

Divito is cutting edge in the evolution of modern jazz guitar in that he combines both jazz and classical guitar styles not to mention his interest in pop compositions to release a recording that has something new happening within each tune. The sonic twists and turns have a delightful ebb and flow creating a lyrical sense of purpose within some incredibly varied compositions.

Divito is a new shooter to the recording world but this eclectic collection by an artist of immeasurable talent should have other guitarists taking notice in no time. As mentioned earlier, the prime example of Divito's virtuosity is the Bill Evans gem "Time Remembered" played on a classical style nylon string guitar. The release opens at a breakneck pace with "Like Minded" which is at the opposite end of the musical spectrum in comparison to the beautiful ballad "For Maria" written for his wife of five years. "Layin' It" takes on the more traditional straight ahead sound with a dynamic tension created from the slightly more laid back minor blues riff in a trio setting. A particular favorite here is "Pass' Time' which has the easy breezy swing feel which was the trademark of the legendary Joe Pass. The lineup is rounded out with tenor and alto saxophonist Jake Saslow, drummer Nadav Snir-Zelniker, and an alternating bass duo of Corcoran Holt on upright and Motohito Fukushima on electric bass. An incredibly solid and well rounded 4tet with an obvious chemistry.

One of the key elements aside from the incredible musicians appearing here would be that of producer and former classmate at Queens College Ezra Weiss. Time and or credit is actually split between Weiss and Todd Barkan. There are hundreds of great guitar players that never seem to leave the Big Apple club circuit, DiVito is the real deal stepping out on his own and on to a larger stage.

A most impressive debut that should have six string aficionados learning the name Eric DiVito quickly. A musician whose stock is an arrow pointing straight up! - Critical Jazz

Following on from 2012’s Breaking the Ice US guitarist Eric DiVito, who is part of the current Smalls playing scene in New York, is here with Kenny Garrett’s bass player Corcoran Holt and drummer Alyssa Falk Verheyn, plus two guests: the ex-Dave Holland altoist Steve Wilson; and Bill Lee big band singer Mavis Swan Poole. Tunes include Wayne Shorter’s ‘Iris’, Chick Corea’s ‘Windows’, and Joe Henderson’s ‘Inner Urge’ plus DiVito’s own compositions. The title track is a Jimmy Van Heusen/Sammy Cahn number Bing Crosby sang in the 1960 film High Times here interpreted by Mavis Swan Poole. A forward looking metrically advanced record with a life force to it. The record turns up the heat in the right places. SG - Marlbank

Ace straight-ahead jazz guitar player Eric DiVito didn’t make a record until his 30s but he seems intent on catching up. The descriptively titled The Second Time Around follows barely thirteen months after his solid Breaking The Ice debut, a mostly-trio date featuring Corcoran Holt on acoustic bass and Alyssa Falk Verheyn on drums.

This time around, so to speak, DiVito dives deeper into the interpretive acumen hinted at on the debut, with seven of the ten tracks being well-chosen covers from some of jazz’s best composers. “Windows,” a favorite early Chick Corea composition of mine, employs the same waltzing cadence as original, and DiVito explores the rich long form melody with fluent, mostly single note lines. Wayne Shorter’s “Iris” gets funkified, led by Holt’s in the pocket bass and Divito’s richly toned guitar. More risk-taking is found on “Inner Urge” — one of Joe Henderson’s prime tunes — beginning with a tight union between DiVito and Holt on the slippery theme and then the theme played without tonal help by Verheyn’s drums!

Alto saxophonist Steve Wilson makes it quartet for three cuts, notably the multi-motifed DiVito original “2nd Story,” where a groovy little riff benefits from the layered syncopation from all four performers, and “Sun Script,” where Wilson delivers a soaring sax solo.

Mavis Swan Poole lends her velvet vocal to a couple of sturdy standards. Hoagy Carmichael’s “Skylark” is an opportunity for DiVito to show off his comping abilities in isolation, as it’s only him and Poole performing. A smooth, reserved rhythm section complements Poole on “The Second Time Around,” and DiVito plucks simple, appropriate lines.

Eric DiVito reveals a little bit more of what he’s capable of on The Second Time Around after a strong introduction. One gets the feeling he’s got even more up his sleeve for us. - Something Else!

Richmond, CA (PRWEB) October 11, 2013

The gifted guitarist Eric DiVito made a strong impression last year with his well-received debut "Breaking the Ice" and its program of original compositions. On his even more impressive follow-up, "The Second Time Around," DiVito highlights his interpretive skills by concentrating on standards—from the Great American Songbook as well as modern jazz classics by Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, and Joe Henderson. The Canadian Pioneer Jazz Collective label (PJC) will release the disc November 12.
A trio date with bassist Corcoran Holt and drummer Alyssa Falk Verheyn, "The Second Time Around" also features two special guests—Steve Wilson, the saxophonist’s saxophonist who’s heard on three tracks, including the driving original (“2nd Story”) that opens the album; and vocalist Mavis Swan Poole, one of whose two numbers is a duet (“Skylark”) with DiVito.
“I didn’t want the album to come off like a jam session,” says DiVito, who co-produced the date with Portland-based pianist (and "Breaking the Ice" co-producer) Ezra Weiss. “The tunes were fairly straightforward, but with little arranging touches that set them apart.”
One stand-out is the trio’s treatment of Wayne Shorter’s “Iris,” transformed from a waltz-time classic into a funk-infused workout in 4; another comes at the beginning of Joe Henderson’s “Inner Urge,” on which Verheyn (whom DiVito knew from blowing gigs in college) plays the head unaccompanied to make a bold opening melodic statement before entering into lively interplay with the leader.
The duo reading of “Skylark” is DiVito’s “homage to tradition; "I got into jazz through standards like ‘Skylark," he says, “and I like the tradition of the guitar and voice duo. Swan brings a nice mix of classical Sarah Vaughan and a more soul-oriented sound.”
DiVito found the recording process energizing and inspiring. “By the end of the session,” he says, “the vibe of the group was so strong, I felt like playing with them forever. In the beginning, it was a little tricky. I sometimes felt weird telling Steve Wilson what to do. I mean he has played on all of these great recordings and made great recordings of his own. But he was so great and accommodating and easy to be around, it was a joyful experience.”
Eric DiVito, 32, was born in Huntington, Long Island and raised in nearby Northport. He started out playing xylophone and other percussion instruments in elementary school and took up the guitar in middle school. A fan of Guns N’ Roses and Jimi Hendrix, he played his share of rock music in high school (and since 2006 has performed in a Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute band he formed called PepperSpray), he was more strongly drawn to the improvisational possibilities of jazz as embodied by such greats as Pat Metheny and Jim Hall.
DiVito majored in classical guitar and music education and minored in jazz at the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY, from which he received a B.M. in guitar performance and music education. While attending the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, where he earned an M.A. in jazz performance, he became increasingly involved in the New York jazz scene—performing in such clubs as Iridium, Smalls, Miles’ Cafe, The Garage, and Puppet’s Jazz Bar and teaching music at Castle Middle School on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
The CD release show for "The Second Time Around" takes place at Smalls, New York City, on Sunday 12/8, 4:30pm. DiVito will appear with Corcoran Holt and Alyssa Falk Verheyn, plus special guests to be announced. The guitarist has also booked a four-city Canadian tour with Verheyn and bassist Daniel Foose: 11/28 Resonance Cafe, Montreal; 11/29 GigSpace, Ottawa; 11/30 The Rex, Toronto; 12/1 The Jazz Room, Waterloo. - PRWEB

Queens has long been known as home to some of jazz music’s most accomplished players, including luminaries such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie.

Jazz guitarist and composer Eric DiVito, who has lived in the borough since 2004, is hopeful that his own recently released debut album, “Breaking the Ice,” will help add to the borough’s rich jazz history.

“Queens has had more of a jazz influence than almost any other place in the city,” noted DiVito, an accomplished musician and graduate of both the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY as well as the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College.

The album of nine original tunes and a solo guitar rendition of Bill Evan’s “Time Remembered,” was recorded in the city and released by the Ontario-based Pioneer Jazz Collective label.

Produced by Portland pianist and former Queens College classmate Ezra Weiss and respected New York Jazz promoter Todd Barkan, the disc joins DiVito with other talented musicians, including Jake Saslow, tenor and saxophonist; Nadav Snir-Zelniker, drummer and electric bassist Motohito Fukushima.

DiVito, now 31, was raised on the North Shore of Long Island where he took up guitar in middle school and would later become mesmerized by guitar greats such as Jimi Hendix and Slash from Guns N’ Roses.

But, recalling that one of his first music teachers was also a great jazz player, DiVito said that he found jazz more intriguing. “As a player, jazz allows for more creativity… that’s appealing to me,” he said.

He added, “It’s important to be well-versed in various types of music.”

DiVito’s early influences included Jim Hall, Pat Metheny and Joe Pass. When composing, he said that he likes his own work to move in and out of genres, similar to the work of composers such as Joni Mitchell and Wayne Shorter.

Asked about how his debut album came about, DiVito recalled that he had “always wanted to do his own record…any musician does.”

“I wanted my own record of original compositions where I was basically in control,” he said.

He explained that the owner at PJC, a boutique label, reached out and helped DiVito get his album together. “The tunes,” DiVito said, “were already composed by the time I started to get the entire album together.”

Although DiVito contributed some of his own money towards the production, he said that PJC handled most of the funding. “They were really nice and flexible.” He recalled the label as being very receptive to his creative input.

DiVito acknowledged that despite increasing numbers of musicians who are self-producing albums, there are drawbacks.

“You still have to put in a substantial amount of your own money when you self-produce,” he said. “In addition, I wanted to have really experienced people in the studio handling all the production so the players could concentrate on the music. It was important to me.”

Moreover, while DiVito began playing professionally in high school at restaurants, bars and other special events, he said that actually making a living as a musician can be both tricky and challenging, but not impossible.

“A lot of factors can determine whether or not a musician makes a living,” he said. “It’s part talent, part work ethic, some business sense and lots of juggling.”

Divito currently works as a full-time music teacher at Castle Middle School on the Lower East Side where he personally designed a curriculum that includes music theory, guitar, concert band and more.

In addition, he also gives private guitar lessons, time permitting, as well as continuing to gig as much as possible at venues throughout the metropolitan area.

“I’m not a master at the whole thing, but although it’s still hectic and a juggling act, it’s doable,” explained DiVito.

To that end, DiVito has performed at popular New York jazz spots such as the Iridium, Smalls, Mile’s Café, the Garage and Puppet’s Jazz Bar. He also plays regularly in a Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute band called PepperSpray.

As for favorite tracks, DiVito pointed to the album’s title track “Breaking the Ice” and “Like Minded” as two of his favorites. ““Breaking the Ice” is an older composition but it’s also very descriptive of what the album is about,” he said.

“Like Minded,” he said, “was an intricate song with a “hectic and dizzy feel.”

Available now via iTunes, Cdbaby and Amazon, as well as live gigs, DiVito reports the album is doing okay. “I’m not getting rich off it, but it’s not bad either.”

DiVito will be embarking on a Canadian CD release and tour from Feb. 19-22.

For more information on purchasing the album, upcoming tour dates or private lessons, visit www.ericdivito.com. - Times Ledger