John Tocco
East Quogue, New York, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2019
Music
Press
Introduction
Music was John Tocco’s solace from a young age, when he found it could be a healthy escape from the cruelty of fellow kids. Drawn to the fun, flashy, and widely-adored musicians popping up on his television screen, John dreamed of taking his guitar to the stage. He started lessons at nine and slowly started adding genres to his repertoire, starting with hard-rock and metal before opening up to the sounds of jazz, folk, and musical theater. A multi-instrumentalist, John plays strings, keys, and percussion in addition to singing.
The SUNY Fredonia graduate released his debut album Almost On The Bright Side in April of 2020. This seven-tracker is the culmination of a dedicated love of music and an ever-expanding exploration of genres. The album showcases his instrumental range, as he wrote and performed nearly everything on the record.
There’s no set order for John Tocco’s creative process; the music composition comes together alongside the lyrics. “If I'm working on a melody with chords but I have no lyrics, I probably at least have an idea of what the song will be about. If I have words, I probably have some rhythmic ideas for those words.”
John is a lifelong student of music. He finds success in constantly expanding his knowledge on both the creative and business sides of music. He stresses the importance of having a working knowledge of the less-shiny side of the music industry, like navigating marketing principles and the ins and outs of Performance Rights Organization (PROs). The better you know the game, the better you can organize your strategy.
Shows & Tours
Aside from Almost On The Bright Side, John has written two musicals—both while attending college. He’s shared the stage with many talented musicians over the years and recalls, “One of my favorite opportunities specifically was being able to perform with the New York Voices, a Grammy-winning vocal jazz quartet.” He can even boast of playing near, far, land, and sea! Pre-quarantine John was serenading the passengers upon the high seas while working for the Holland American Cruise Line. - Longislandsound.love
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
John Tocco is a guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and composer who has been a staple of the Long Island music scene for the last several years. He started performing regularly when he was just 14 years old as a guitarist for local rock and metal bands. Since then, he has branched out into jazz, funk, pop, folk, and musical theatre.
John Tocco has a diverse compositional and songwriting output that encompasses many styles. John’s first musical, Open Mic Night, was premiered in January 2018. His second musical, Swipe, in which he originated the lead role, was premiered for his senior recital while attending SUNY Fredonia. In November 2019, he released “Only,” his debut single. His debut full-length album, Almost On the Bright Side, is available as of April 3, 2020.
In addition to his solo work, John has played guitar supporting a wide variety of artists, both live and in the studio, including Broadway performed Show Narayan (The Great Comet of 1812, Hamilton), saxophonist Bruce Johnstone, actor and singer Timothy Mitchum Jr. (Across the Universe), and the grammy-winning New York Voices. He has also participated in masterclasses with accomplished composers such as Marc Mellits and Leo Brouwer.
Band Members
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