Josh Rzepka's Website

“Into the Night” – on the national radio charts!

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:26:06 +0000

Into the Night has made it on the national radio charts top 10! It has reached the #9 (week of Feb 20th, 2012), CMJ Jazz #5 , and Roots Music Report – RMR Jazz at #44!

Over 100 stations nationally and internationally have played Into the Night during the radio campaigns, with it charting in JazzWeek for over 6 weeks straight!

Stay tuned for more exciting news and updates about the radio campaign!

Josh receives the 2011 AAAA Rising Young Star Award!

admin — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 19:32:58 +0000

Josh was recently honored by the Akron Area Arts Alliance – AAAA – with their prestigious 2011 Arts Alive! Rising Young Star/Artist award. He is extremely honored to have been nominated and awarded this biennial award. He is particularly honored to be recognized for his work by his home town arts organization.

The award ceremony took place on November 20th, 2011, at E.J. Thomas Hall Stage Door to a sold out crowd. Josh was honored along with 12 other local individuals in the arts at the award ceremony.

Here is a link to the Akron beacon Journal Article on the Arts Alive awards ceremony and recipients.

http://www.ohio.com/the330entertainment/dance/stage-notes-akron-arts-alliance-to-present-awards-1.246369

Brand new CD! – “Into the Night”

admin — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 05:39:04 +0000

Josh Rzepka’s brand new CD Into the Night features nine original compositions recorded this past June 2nd and 3rd in Oberlin Ohio, by a multi Grammy winning production team. It was release on Oct 28th and is now available from the web store and from itunes. Into the Night features an award-winning lineup of musicians including:

Josh Rzepka – Trumpet
Jackie Warren – Piano
Peter Dominguez – Bass
Ron Godale – Drums
Andy Hunter – Trombone
Steve Kortyka – Sax

Update! 1/26/12 Into the Night makes the JazzWeek chart at #27, and CMJ Jazz at #9!

Update! 1/17/12 KXLU radio host Eddie Becton picks Into the Night as one of the top 10 albums of 2011 .

Check out the gallery page (under the media tab) to see photos from the recording sessions and the Store page to purchase the new CD!

Below are some youtube videos of music from the new album!

10/27/11 Feature Article in the Akron Beacon Journal

10/25 11 Review of Into the Night on CleveandClassical.com

10/25/11 Feature article on Into the Night on ClevelandClassical.com

10/25/11 Interview with Dan Polletta on Around Noon aboutInto the Night.

Midwest Coast

admin — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:52:02 +0000

In the summer of 2009 Josh recorded his debut jazz CD Midwest Coast. It was recorded on June 14th and 15th at historic Ohio recording studio - Suma, located in Painesville. He recorded his album of nine original jazz compositions with some of Ohio’s very finest jazz musicians including pianist Jackie Warren, bassist Peter Dominguez, and drummer Ron Godale.

Josh Rzepka’s Deubt Jazz CD

Josh composed all of the songs on this CD, a process he began in the fall of 2008. Prior to this CD project, Josh had never seriously composed anything and in preparation for this recording he composed nearly twenty songs. Of all of these songs he decided on nine which were recorded.

It was recorded in the same historic studio that has seen recordings by Wild Cherry, The James Gang, Grandfunk Railroad, and more recently the Black Keys. Suma owner and sound engineer Paul Hamann was the mastermind behind the recording console, and did a brilliant job at recording, mixing, and mastering the CD.

There were many other people involved in this project, including photographer Robert J. Saferstein, artist and graphic designer Mike Rzepka, and long time Cleveland jazz personality Dan Polletta (host of 90.3 WCPN ideastream’s jazz show from 1987 – spring 2009) who lent his ear end expertise to pen the liner notes.

A national radio campaign for Midwest Coast resulted in it charting on all three major jazz radio charts with spins from over 100 radio stations nationwide - reching the #33 position on the JazzWeek Chart, #2 position on the Roots Music Report Jazz chart, and the #15 position on the CMJ Jazz Chart.

On August 18th, Josh was on 90.3 WCPN’s Around Noon with Dee Perry where he was interviewed by Dan Polletta. They previewed the CD and the CD release which was on 8/20/09! Link to podcast!

Midwest Coast’s first full CD review! 9/16/09 In Cleveland SCENE magazine, by Carlo Wolff.

“…an impressive display of chops and taste…Rzepka has crafted a winning, listenable recording debut. Mainstream, bop-based jazz at its most accessible, Midwest Coast is never bland or overly smooth.” – Carlo Wolff – Cleveland SCENE

“Rzepka displays a refreshing grasp of melody and economy of phrase, and, in the singularly lovely “Song for a New Year,” he expresses emotional depth beyond his 25 years.” – Carlo Wolff – Cleveland SCENE

“Josh Rzepka: Baroque Music For Trumpet”

admin — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:08:01 +0000

Josh Rzepka’s debut classical CD, Josh Rzepka: Baroque Music For Trumpet was recorded and released in 2010. The album features Josh backed by a 13 piece string orchestra playing concertos from Baroque masters Vivaldi, Torelli, Purcell, Telemann, Handel and Neruda. Organist Christopher Toth joins Josh for Neruda’s Concerto in Eb with original cadenzas. Recorded over the course of three days in NE Ohio – this album visits some of the trumpet’s most celebrated repertoire. The orchestra was led by Canadian conductor Geneviève Leclair, a fellow BU alum, and assistant Conductor of the Boston Ballet Orchestra.

Photo By Robert J. Saferstein