Jay Dittamo
Legendary drummer and band leader Jay Dittamo has been a driving force in the NY/NJ music scene as well as having toured the world with various music projects for decades. Jay has performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the United Nations and for the 2010 New Jersey Hall of Fame as well as played on many TV and movie soundtracks. Jay has been a DC and Marvel comics fan since he was a kid and that is reflected in his recording studio The Cave Studio which is fashioned after Batman’s bat cave. The Cave Studio is where he has written many filmscores and recorded many famous artists such as Bucky Pizzarelli and Gloria Lynne. He has been written about in Downbeat magazine and NorthJersey.com. There are few musicians around who are a blend of having their own voice when they play and a wealth of experience to back it up. Plainly put, Jay is a musical Hero like one of his favorite comic icons.
Jay started his musical journey by learning from his uncle Freddie Dittamo, a noted musician from Patterson NJ. Freddie Dittamo had performed with Frank Sinatra, Toscanini, Leonard Bernstein and Louie Prima just to name a few. Freddie taught Jay, first hand, how to play drums and percussion, Jay making a pact that his uncle that, “he would always be with me”.
Although Jay’s musical interest are vast, his main musical love is progressive rock, being an avid Frank Zappa fan. He got his chance to audition for Zappa in 1981 but opted to pursue playing his own original music. Later on, Jay fulfilled part of his dream by performing with members of Zappa’s band with Band from Utopia: Ike Willis, Arthur Barrow, Ed Mann, Robert Martin, Kurt McGettrick, Tommy Mars, Bruce and Tom Fowler. He also has made an appearance with Zappa tribute band, Project Object.
Jay has also performed and worked with:
Lenny White, Ace Frehley, Keith Emerson, Brad Whitford (Aerosmith), Jose Feliciano, C&C Music Factory, Willie Colon, Jimmy Webb, Gloria Lynne, Yoko Ono, Dave and Eddie Brigati (The Rascals), Morton Harket (A-ha), Dr Lonnie Smith, Anthony Jackson, Will Lee, Bucky Pizzarelli, The Vivino Brothers, Uncle Floyd, The Duprees, The Crests, Chuck Berry, Joey D and the Starlighters, The Mystics, Gene Cornish, The Drifters, The Marvelettes, The Tokens, The Vogues, Chester Thompson, Paster Jimmie Smith, Joe Piscopo, Jon Paris, Lou Pollo, Lenny Welch, Lita Ford, Arlen Roth, Johnny A, Jerry Niewood, Robert Randolph, Richie Marrerro, Richie Ranno, Jimmy Kunes, Brynn Stanley, John Colianni, Wallace Roney, Steven Maglio, Jerry Bruno and Adam West (from the TV series Batman).
