Tony Defabritus ~ Bandleader, MC, lead vocals, keyboards, guitar

Tony has been involved with music and acting for most of his life. He began performing at private parties while still in his teens, and has been involved in the music publishing and recording industries. Tony has also had formal training with respected vocal coach, Tom Rexdale.

After landing several acting roles in television and film, Tony starred in the Off-Broadway productions of Tony and Tina's Wedding, and Bernie's Bar Mitzvah. During his run with Bernie's, he met his future wife—the lovely Heidi—and the two have been working together with Encore ever since—just over ten years now.

In addition to being a gifted keyboardist and guitarist, Tony is a fantastic bandleader and MC. He is known throughout the area as being completely professional, organized and easy to work with. When it comes to lending an air of elegance to your affair, Tony is simply the best there is.

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Heidi Defabritus ~ Lead vocals, percussion

Heidi began her performance career while still a pre-teen, and is an experienced singer, dancer and actress. While in her teens, she was awarded the Distinguished Arts Scholarship to attend Towson University's music and communications program. The holder of numerous pageant titles, Heidi has starred in over twenty-five musicals and revues, including Annie, Oliver, A Chorus Line and three seasons at Paramount's King's Dominion. She has also performed with The Tokens and The Jordanaires.

Although her first love is singing, Heidi has appeared before the camera in several nationally-aired television commercials, as well as off-camera work doing voice-overs for TV and radio. Heidi has also had fifteen years of dance study and has been a featured dancer with Jeffrey Craig Entertainment.

One of the highlights of an Encore party is hearing Heidi and husband, Tony, perform their inspired medley of Broadway hits—a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!

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Darchele ~ Lead vocals, percussion

Darchele brings her love of Gospel, R&B and jazz to the Encore sound. Her soulful renditions of Etta James, Aretha Franklin and Mariah Carey tunes will have your guests standing up and taking notice.

Darchele is a singer, songwriter and entertainer. She has performed with such headliners as BeBe Winans, Natalie Cole, Paul Anka, Kirk Franklin and Carlton J. Smith. She has also appeared on several recordings with Natalie Wilson & the SOP Chorale on Gospo Centric Records, and Leela James' "A Change Is Gonna Come" on Warner Bros. Records. In addition, she has toured nationally and internationally with various Gospel and R&B artists.

Darchele hasn't limited herself to recordings and concerts. She has made several television appearances, including The Stellar Awards, Gospel Superfest 5 and The 1^st Annual BET Celebration of Gospel. She has also starred as co-host for Muzik Media, the #1 Caribbean show in New Jersey.

When Darchele isn't performing, she enjoys hosting various open mic showcases in New York City and directing a local Gospel Mass choir.

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Paul Syvertsen ~ Lead vocals, tenor, alto and soprano saxes, flute, guitar, percussion

Paul has been a fixture on the tri-state area club scene, with such bands as Turnstyles and Mission Dance. He is the secret ingredient that makes our nine piece band sound like twelve pieces. Paul plays three saxes (tenor, alto, soprano), flute, guitar, percussion and is a terrific lead vocalist and party motivator. Every band in the area wants him, but only Encore has this unique musician.

When Paul isn't performing with Encore, he is busy running Tekniques Hair Salon, which he co-owns with his wife Patti, in East Brunswick, NJ.

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Nicholas Pace ~ Lead vocals, keyboards

Our latest addition, Nicholas Pace, is our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour expert. His vast repertoire spans every musical style from Bach to Billy Joel. He began his musical studies on piano at age nine and went on to study alto saxophone and drums. He has attended the prestigious University of North Texas and received his Bachelor's Degree from NYU. Nick has won many awards, including the Performing Arts Award, the Senior Musician Choral Award and the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award, all before entering college.

Before joining Encore, Nick was a member of The Battleground Symphony Orchestra, Custard Pie, New Rising Sun and Talk Town.

When he's not performing, Nick is an adjunct professor of music at Monmouth University. He has also recently released a self-titled CD, featuring his original pop songs. More info here.

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Dave Passin ~ Acoustic and electronic drums, electronic percussion

Every musician knows that the drummer is the most important piece of any band. If the band is a dance band, such as ours, a great drummer is essential. We're lucky to have one of the best in Dave Passin.

A master of every musical style, Dave has been playing drums for most of his life and is an alumnus of Berklee College of Music. He has appeared on recordings by Angela Bofill and has performed with a who's who of tri-state area bands, including The Swingin' Johnsons, No Heroes, Z & the GT's, Huggybear, The Bluesters, Neighborhood Blues and Train Wreck.

In addition to playing a standard acoustic drum set, Dave uses an electronic set-up, to achieve just the right sounds for modern hip-hop and club beats. No other drummer in the area can match his sound and rock-solid groove.

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Gary Shapiro ~ Lead vocals, bass, keyboards

Gary has been involved with music for most of his life. He began performing at private parties while still in his teens, and has been involved in the music publishing and recording industries. Whether it's Motown, rock, jazz, electronic dance or ballads, Gary can sing it AND put some bottom end on it.

During his 20-year career, Gary has honed his skills playing the club, hotel and show circuits. He has been a featured musician in Las Vegas show bands, appearing numerous times at the Consumer Electronics Show.

Outside of his performance career, Gary is a graphics design consultant for advertising agencies and corporations in the NY, NJ area.

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Dan Palladino ~ Lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitar

Dan began studying guitar at age seven and is a Berklee College of Music graduate. He has opened shows for several national acts, including Maceo Parker and has appeared with Tony Award-winning star Cady Huffman. An enthusiastic writer, Dan has recently completed an assignment as technical editor and contributing author for the book, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Home Recording", by Clayton Walnum (Alpha Books).

When Dan is not performing with Encore, he is busy producing music at The Torpedo Room, his home studio in New Jersey. Songs by his pop/rock project, The Mung Brothers have been featured on MTV's Cribs and My Super Sweet 16. Dan is also an adjunct professor in the music technology department at County College of Morris, Randolph, NJ.

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Glenn Franke ~ Trombone, percussion

When we decided to increase the size of our horn section, the first person we considered was Glenn Franke. Glenn is an accomplished musician, who has performed with Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Donna Summer, Johnny Mathis, Buddy Rich, and the Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller Orchestras. He has also performed with almost every top New York City dance band.

With command & versatility, Glenn is capable of pushing a horn section to it's very limits. From the pulsating funk of James Brown to the elegant swing of Frank Sinatra, the Encore Horns are the tightest section there is.

In addition to his superb trombone playing, Glenn is also a first rate percussionist. His conga playing on our Latin material will get your guests on their feet!

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