Dean Madonia: Press

Sept 21-27 1994
Will They Get Their Third Wish?

A Miami Band that's an alternative to alternative by Bill meredith

Contrary to what MTV would have you believe, to see a band is not necessarily to hear a band. Look at Miami band Third Wish and you'd be tempted to think hard rock: Vocalist Dean Madonia looks like a heavy-metal screamer; guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg has the devilish grin of guitar hero Steve Vai. But while their long-haired appearance might invite catagorization, their sound defies it.
Third Wish harkensback to the lesser-publicized "progressive" movement that took place throughout the '70's - artists like Yes, Santanna and Jeff beck, whose complexities took them out of the standard rock mold. Third Wish blends these ideals, with a dash of fusion and some more modern elements, to create a '90's alternative to todays already oversaturated alternative scene.
Their sound contains a healthy dose of British fusion-guitar luminary Allan Holdsworth, traces of classical composer Claude Debussy, world and latin music, and elements of UK, the rock/fusion band that included Holdsworth and members of such hard-to-catagorize acts as Yes, King Crimson and Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention. The Third Wish bio sheet likens their sound to rock, art rock, jazz, classical and alternative music.
"We're trying to capture that feeling of spontinaeity, with a psycadelic influence," says Kreisberg, echoing the jazz/fusion-meets-art rock side of the band. "We want to reach an artistically inclined audience."
When you look at the band's othe rmembers' resumes, it becomes obvious why Third Wish is hard to peg. Previous experience includes jazz (Kreisberg toured with the University of Miami Concert Jazz Band), fusion (Kreisberg and keyboardist John Roggie played with violist Debbie Spring; bassist Javier Carrion with Sha-Shaty) blues (drummer Vincent Verderame worked with Roach Thompson) and funk (Conehead Bop, Madonia's
Parliment/Funkidelic-style original act).
Third Wish, intact since late '92, has a self-titles 3 song debut cassette available at Y&T music in Miami, and
Peaches and Uncle Sam's in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. The band is currently completing a full-length CD, which will be available in early '95, at Carrion's home studio.
Their material, particularly in live performances, offers a barrage of shifting time signatures (including 3/4, 5/4, 7/4, and 9/8), Verderame's Terry Bozzio-ish drumming, Yes-like harmonies and an uncommon wall-of-sound
fullness.
This is due largely to the work of Roggie, whose textural keyboard playing lays the foundation for the band's
sound, and Kreisberg, whose tone so often resembles violin or keyboards that you wouldn't belive that he uses no guitar synthesizer equipment (he doesn't).
While the material on the Third Wish cassette is a good introduction to the band, a live show truly presents them
in their element, with newer material that hints at an even more diverse array of directions. The instrumental, "Song For Tracy" is a waltz-time number featuring a blazing solo by Kreisberg; "Trance" ("the one corporate America would like to keep you in," said Madonia in the song's introduction) is a Dixie Dregs-like funk groove which offers a high-octane bass solo by Carrion.
Modonia's vocals help keep Third Wish from being lumped into the pure-fusion category. Most high-energy
bands are fronted by upper-register shreikers, but Madonia's influences are more akin to Elton John and Billy Joel. His range is considerable, his delivery relaxed, and his love of fusion solidified him with the already-intact instrumental unit. "I've been trying all of my life to find players who even knew who UK was," he say.
With a cassette under their belt, a CD on the way, and some excellent previous experience, Third Wish realizes the next step is to create some publicity and move northward through Florida and beyond. While their superb musicianship could be a double-edged sword (Kreisberg say radio formats have turned the public away from musicallity and bred "lazy listeners"). they do have one major point in their favor; Despite the band's talent, the members' average age hovers around a lofty 25.
"I' like to do a southern tour and start moving up the coast," says Kreisberg, who adds, "I'd like to someday do
a live disc with this band"
"Even if we don't ever make it, if we just complete the CD..." says Madonia, his voice trailing off. Clearly this is a band that wants to accomplish more, but is happy with what they've alreadt created. Conquering the fickle public would be gravy.
And what deep dark secrets lie within the band's name? "It's about the99th one we came accoss," says
Kreisberg, laughing, But the third wish is the one you really think about."

Third Wish, "Third Wish
(independent)

Seasoned musicians with a variety of influences are the key to the flow of Third Wish's sound. Flashes of jazz

and classical composition make up what the band calls rock-art-fusion."
This three song demo release is a preview of a CD to be released in the fall. The songs complimented by Dean

Madonia's strong vocals, have a sonic passion. Unusual percussion and electronic drums fill out the back beat,

especially on the track, "Back In the Womb."
Third Wish has landed some choice opening slots for Steve Vai and Yngwie Malmsteen, and has played a

Yamaha-sponsered showcase in Orlando.

- Sandra Carol Schulman (May 20, 1994)

Third Wish Live
by Brian Eckert

Recently I had the chance to catch a live show by THIRD WISH, an original band from Miami. If you have not heard Third Wish yet it's probablyt because they're relatively new on the scene. They have only been together

since the fall of 1992 when the five of them joined together to develope a new and innovative approach to Rock music. Despite the fact that they have not been around very long, THIRD WISH still managed to be selected (from 200 Florida bands) as one of the five semi-finalists to perform in the Orlando showcase for the "Yamaha Sound Check" competition.
When you first get to hear THIRD WISH rip into one of their originals, you quickly learn thatthis is no average garage band. The band flawlessly shifts gears throough a variety of musical grooves and musical styles. THIRD WISH describe their music as "combining the energy of rock, the improvisational 'chance taking' of jazz and the orchestral soundscaping of classical music, complimented by lyrics which both confront and celebrate many aspects of our society." It is definately difficult to categorize the music of THIRD WISH since it obviously draws from such a variety of styles.
THIRD WISH is comprised of five gifted musicians who have all played in well-known groups in the South Florida area. The band is fronted by vocalist DEAN MADONIA who you may have seen in such groups as FX, the CITY LIMITS SECOND SHIFT BAND, or CONEHEAD BOP. Guitarist JONATHAN KREISBERG has performed with the DEBBIE SPRING GROUP and the University Of Miami Concert Jazz Band (who he recently
toured with in Brazil). Janathan has been featured in Guitar Player and Downbeat magazines. On keyboard is JOHN ROGGIE who also played with the DEBBIE SPRING GROUP as well as HUMANE SOCIETY, Rapper Raw B. Jae, and a number of other South Florida Groups. Laying down the low end of the group is bassist JAVIER
CARRION who was formerly with SHA-SHATY. Rounding out the band is drummer VINCE VERDERAME who has performed with Roach Thompson, Nil Lara, Lynne Nobel, and has also toured South America with Jose Lois Rodrigues, "El Puma."
Aside from great songwriting, THIRD WISH's strength lies in it's members who are all accomplished
musicians. All THIRD WISH's instrumentalists have studied at the University of Miami's nationally acclaimed
School of Music. (Two members, Jonathan and Javier are currently studying there... while John and Vince are UM gradusates).
These guys lay down a solid foundation on which DEAN MADONIA, trained as a visual artist, can create his passionate and colorful vocals.
THIRD WISH has yet to release a CD, butthey plan to get into the studio to record sometime in October. So your only chance to check them out is at one of their upcoming live dates: ROSEBUDS, Sept 24 (Live broadcast on WFTL; STEPHEN TALKHOUSE, Sept 26, PLUS FIVE, Oct 16.
If you would like to have your tape or CD reviewed in this column, have a gig schedule you'd like to mail in, have any comments or suggestions, or have anything else you'd like to see in this column send 'em my way
care of this magazine.

Brian Eckert is an electric bass player and vocalsit with a studio music and jazz degree from the University of Miami. Brian has performed and recorded with numerous local original bands and is currently performing in KRYPTON, the 8 piece house band at the DAILY PLANET in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

Sept 11 1992

Music
Third of Paradise
This rock and roll Wish rings true
By Greg Baker

Published: Tuesday, August 16, 1994

Third Wish consists of serious musicians, veterans of the University of Miami's music school, true virtuosos capable of technical precision in a variety of genres. Even so, they're a damn good rock band.

If that seems unlikely -- that players who can run through a perfect Beethoven sonata are also able to rock da house -- the actual coalescence of Third Wish was an even longer shot, for no other reason than simple geography. Singer Dean Madonia lives in Fort Lauderdale. Guitarist and songwriter Jonathan Kreisberg calls South Miami home. Keyboardist John Roggie gets his mail on South Beach. Bass player Javier Carrion resides in West Kendall. And drummer Vince Verderame is a Coconut Grovite. "It does make it easy for us to flyer," quips Kreisberg.

Kreisberg and Roggie were working with cellist-violist Debbie Spring about two years ago when, Kreisberg says, they decided they wanted to try something "with more of an edge." Roggie, trained as a classical pianist, and Kreisberg, who toured Brazil as a member of the UM Concert Jazz Band, hooked up a few months later with Verderame, who was studying classical percussion at UM. Carrion, who's still completing the jazz program, came onboard next, and Third Wish was officially a band. All they needed was a vocalist.

"Javier was playing in Sha-Shaty," Dean Madonia recalls, "and we met at a session. He told me he was in another band that was looking for a singer. I'm thinking, Yeah, you've got this band! There's no way I'm driving to Miami for this." Then Carrion played some four-track demos for Madonia. "They sounded great," the singer says. "I played keyboards in Conehead Bop, and I play some guitar, but I wouldn't play with these guys. They're just too good."

Instead, Madonia lends his expansive vocals to the sometimes intricate, sometimes ballsy configurations of the other four to fashion a sound that reflects elements of the kind of Seventies "progressive art rock" purveyed by Yes, early Rush, and early Genesis. But the Wish pulls this off without ever falling into the cheese barrel.

Even at their most languorous, as in "The Game," Third Wish slip in enough worthwhile lyrics and solo excursions to keep things interesting. None of their songs is riot-inducing, and the members of the band don't expect audiences to jump up and form a conga line. "This isn't supposed to be light-hearted party music," Kreisberg notes. Madonia adds, "Plus we don't put on this big attitude. We're not preaching."

The approach presents an obvious problem for the quintet. There are fans for this out there," Kreisberg says. "But they aren't the types who hang out in the clubs. They're more the closet music-heads." Tweeded pipe-suckers might give Third Wish straight A's, but the band wants to reach the rockers, and the music itself should be able to.

Except, of course, for the fact that most rock fans are not generally known as deep musical thinkers. There's the marvel factor -- watching Kreisberg whip out six-string runs as if he had 40 fingers, seeing exactly how Roggie fills all voids with multiple keyboards, and so on -- but to crawl deep into the Third Wish groove you have to have an interest in true and real musical ability of the recital kind.

Mostly. In "Back in the Womb," one of three songs on the group's debut cassette, ethereal keys mix with Madonia's semivocals ("push") to create something resembling human birth (a popular topic among good rock bands, including One and Nil Lara). And that's just the intro. After the little whorl, Carrion slams home some heavy, thumbed-bass detonations, and the band snaps their attention to some tough, old-style-rock progressions. "We take the edge of rock and roll and the complex harmonies of jazz," Verderame said on a recent television interview. "Unlike the fusion you hear on the radio, which takes the edge out of rock, takes the simpler harmonies of rock, and puts it in a jazz context."

Though theirs certainly is a fusion -- of jazz, rock, even classical -- Third Wish does not play fusion, as in the pap you hear on Love-94. Which is not to say their jazz-oriented tunes, such as "Paths," don't do justice to improv: Kreisberg plays this one extremely subtly, lightly stroking the strings, barely touching one to produce a "ding" hook, as Verderame gently taps a cymbal and Madonia's sprawling voice floats above it all like a kite on a lilting breeze.

"Paths," which isn't on the cassette but will appear on Third Wish's debut CD, due this fall, is one of several songs that allows Kreisberg to get off a guitar solo. During one live performance, you see drummer Verderame reach up and adjust a cymbal clamp in the middle of the song. He knows he has time, he knows what's coming: Kreisberg twisting out impossible stings from his strings, cross-handed fingering way up on the frets, for sonic effect not flash, squeezing sparks that are more tasteful, clean, and controlled than, say, those of Steve Vai or Yngwie Malmsteen (both for whom Third Wish has opened).

All the Wishers take solos, and each is a blessed event for the musically inclined (emphasis on music), but the fireworks are equally bright in collaboration. "Stars" lights up with Roggie's keys, then Kreisberg's guitar, then Carrion's bass A all of it building to a splashing drum burst by Verderame that signals Madonia's vocal insert, with Carrion both strumming and finger-plucking oversize bass lines. Then those vocals hush and rush right up to the bridge, at which point Madonia's voice flies out the window as another dazzling guitar break smashes in the front door. The song has arrived.

And rockers say, "Huh?" Band members explain they try to shape a setlist from their tons of originals that caters to rockers when they play for such audiences. But they don't argue that it wouldn't hurt headbangers to open their minds to something a little more complicated and intricate than "we will we will rock you." Not that "Trance," for example, doesn't rock you, with its massive drum patterns and roiling energy.

Even so, and perhaps because of those blistering guitar solos, Third Wish is more welcome at metal venues than jazz clubs or straightup rock joints. "We're trying to break out of the heavy-metal places," Kreisberg says. "We want to play more places that support funk, world-music type stuff. We improvise a lot, but it's more to let it blow. Cut loose. But it's still expressing a feeling."

That's really it: This is music you can feel, even if you don't know an F-sharp from an open-tuning. For all its intricacy and virtuosity, Third Wish's sound is atmospheric, absorbing. And, yes, it still rocks.

Third Wish performs tonight (Thursday) at Nocturnal Cafe (525-9656), tomorrow (Friday) at Rosebuds in Ft Lauderdale (566-6331), and Sunday at the Plus Two in West Palm Beach (407-965-4072). Call for times and prices.

Playing songs in dark hole-in-the-wall bars for smatterings of drunks who'd just as soon listen to the second hand on their watches ticking.... Spending your days laboring over writing songs only to have bar proprietors tell you that you can't play originals.... Watching bar patrons search for the table furthest from the stage and speakers.... Glumly strumming Jimmy Buffett songs for tourists Music
Ear Infection
By Brendan Kelley

Published: Thursday, April 15, 1999

bent on getting their Floridian culture fix.... As romantic as the starving artist notion is, the reality of being a professional musician locally is a grim one, and making a living off of music is a trick that few musicians can (or want to) pull off.

Fort Lauderdale songwriter-performer Dean Madonia knows this dichotomy well. He spends five nights a week in Broward County bars, playing cover songs from his library of nearly 200 tracks, sneaking in the occasional original whenever possible. In the daytime Madonia works at home, composing and arranging the tracks that he records and plays with his band, the Dean Madonia Band. As an original artist, Madonia performs folky, narrative-style, adult-contemporary tunes that appeal to the middle-aged James Taylor/Sting crowd. But when he punches the clock, Madonia becomes Underdog, the alter ego who plays everything from Dave Matthews and Tonic covers to Simon and Garfunkel and Cat Stevens songs. Madonia smartly makes no pretensions about the artistic validity of the latter performances. "I don't consider the cover gigs a part of the music business -- that's the bar business," he says. "You're there to move booze."

Unfortunately in South Florida artists as a rule can't make a living by playing originals. Playing other bands' songs is a necessary evil if one is serious about quitting his or her day job. "I try to pay the bills that way," Madonia says with a grin, drinking iced tea at a downtown Fort Lauderdale bar on a recent Saturday afternoon. "It's really frustrating because a lot of people can't tell the difference between karaoke and a real band." Despite the dismal realities, Madonia retains his commitment to succeeding as an original artist, and spends up to ten hours a day working on his own songs. Last year brought a small but satisfying milestone to Madonia: the release of the first Dean Madonia CD, Deep Sky, on his self-started Soft Monkey Music label.

Madonia is currently working on an ambitious project -- a show this Friday at Miami's Bayside Hard Rock Cafe, with beer-equipped coach buses chartered to take fans from Shenanigans Sports Pub in Hollywood to the show in Miami. The event is somewhat of a Catch-22: Madonia is losing "a ton of money" on the project, but it will offer his fans, the majority of whom live in Broward County, a chance to see a first-rate showcase of the songs from the Deep Sky CD, complete with string section and previews of songs from the album Madonia is preparing to record. The Dean Madonia Band has played only one show with the viola and cello players who appear on Deep Sky, so the added texture and dimension will be a well-appreciated treat for fans.

Madonia's placid, introspective music doesn't exactly conjure images of beer-swilling, bus-partying revelers, a notion he acknowledges with a smile. "I know the record-buying public is, what, 13- to 20-year-olds? I don't really appeal to them," he says. "We're not for the 'everybody-get-fucked-up' crowd either. I think we appeal to a well-read, intelligent crowd that can recognize quality music and understand the occasional literary reference."

The bus gimmick is simply an attempt to get his audience to the show. Because Madonia's audience is based in Broward, they're not likely to drive a long distance for a show they could catch near home. "If you don't invite people, they won't come," Madonia says. "You can't make it difficult for them."

Madonia's learned those lessons through experience, having played in several bands spanning several musical genres over the last decade. He tells a horror story of being invited to play a charity event at a Bloomingdales in West Palm Beach. The organizers told Madonia and his band that the event attracted an audience of 10,000 the previous year, but Madonia and crew took the stage to a sparse and unappreciative crowd of shoppers and Bloomingdales employees. "It was all old people," he laughs. "It was like Dawn of the Dead. All these old folks and employees were complaining about the volume, and we were playing really quietly and laughing about it while we played. There were absolutely no fans there."

So Madonia takes the bull by the horns these days, inviting fans to his gigs via the band's mailing list and Website, which is http://www.gate.net/~madonia/deep.htm. He and the band are preparing to hit the studio again in the coming months, and Madonia continues filling his hours working on demos for the new record, when he's not playing cover gigs, that is. As Underdog (his solo cover act) and with the Underdog Show (backed by his cover band) Madonia will continue to fill his evenings playing to slumped-over drunks and culture-seeking tourists. Just don't ask to hear Jimmy Buffett -- unless you meet the requirements.

"I have a policy about Buffett songs," Madonia says. "You've gotta have $20 and an out-of-state driver's license. Then I'll do one song."

The Dean Madonia Band plays April 16, at the Hard Rock Cafe, 401 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Admission is free. Showtime is 11 p.m. Call 954-467-2524 for more information.

Last week Ear Infection mistakenly printed that the Swarm shows at Elwood's in Delray Beach occur every other Tuesday. The Swarm series actually takes place every other Wednesday, and the the next show features Whirlaway and dot Fash Wednesday, April 28th, at 9 p.m. Elwood's is located at 301 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. For information, call 561-276-6635.

-- Brendan Kelley

Send music news, gossip, love letters, and witty commentary to Ear Infection at P.O. Box 14128, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33302. Or by e-mail: Brendan_Kelley@newtimesbpb.com

Bret, Jay make singing tour of Music Row bars
Poison lead singer Bret Michaels continues to hang out in Nashville and make country friends.

Bret and Jay DeMarcus from Rascal Flatts cruised up and down the new Music Row bars area Friday and Saturday nights. Bret and Jay crashed new piano bar Chitown and sang a few with pianists Dean Madonia and Jimmy Maddox.

Yes, Bret did Every Rose Has Its Thorn, and the ladies went wild. There was a crush of cell phone photography. Bret and Jay also did some covers of Doobie Brothers and Elton John songs.

Then, the dynamic duo headed to Tin Roof and did it all over again.

Bret is on the verge of a deal with new country indie label Lofton Creek Records, so I imagine he's trying to meet and collaborate with as many Nashville music makers as possible.
(Tennessean.com)

Dean Madonia
members: Dean Madonia (vocals, guitar, keyboards).
comments: After saturating the market with original live music for a few years, Madonia is taking a brief hiatus from performing and preparing the followup to his debut CD, the progressive Deep Sky. Madonia says the new CD will “still have a progressive influence but will be more commercial, more radio-friendly in terms of the production.” Deep Sky sold about 1,500 copies and attracted curious attention overseas, where DJs in Russia made it a favorite. Deep Sky also found a fan base in Ireland, Germany, Latvia and on MP3.com, where Madonia is seeing about 100 downloads per month. His Web site is www.gate.net/~madonia/deep.htm.
contact: 954/467-2524 or madonia@gate.net.