CiaoDC.com (CDC): Ciao Elio!
What’s new on your artistic journey?
ELIO: I am
performing all over the country and in Canada.
Vinnie D’Angelo is my manager out of New York and he’s ready to bring me
to new heights in 2014-2015. I am
working on my second CD, Somewhere as
a follow up to my first CD, Lettere D’Amore.
CDC: What can we expect from your next CD, Somewhere?
ELIO: It’s going
to be a much different feel than Lettere
D’Amore. It will be more
lively. Instead of using a string orchestra
I am using a 12-piece big band. The
music will be a mix of Italian and Italian-American favorites. Lettere
D’Amore was all Italian except for one song. This CD is going to be geared to more of the
Italian-American audience. Like Andrea Bocelli
releases a CD that is all classical and then the next one is pop; I wanted to
do the same and switch it up and show a different side of Elio Scaccio. There will be a few originals on the CD, but the
majority of the songs are a blend of Italian and Italian-American favorites.
CDC: This sounds fun!
ELIO: Oh
yeah! It has been very rewarding to writing
again and focusing on a CD.
CDC: What are some of the signature events that you are doing
solo and with others?
ELIO: Some
signature shows I perform in is Two Gents & The Lady and The
Sicilian Tenors. These performances range from Opera to
Broadway and we have performed all over the country. The Sicilian Tenors is a
group I have been a part of for several years.
It’s comprised of myself and two other tenors, also known as Rat Pack –
because we mix in comedy as well. We recently
opened for the late Joan Rivers at the Andiamo
Celebrity Show room in Michigan. She
loved it! Joan Rivers was hysterical, she made me
blush. Two Gents & The Lady is produced
by Vinnie D’Angelo. It's a very unique show that we recently produced, which
was received with overwhelming enthusiasm by our audiences. It's a quite
different & beautiful production highlighting exciting & special genres
of music through the years, focusing primarily on Broadway, classical, as well
as current & popular music in English, Italian & some Spanish. It features me, as well as another vocalist
& The Lady. It’s a lot of fun collaborating and has enhanced my
horizons as an artist.
CDC: How have you
evolved as an artist in the last 3 years?
ELIO: I’ve always been an artist that is
multi dimensional. I can sing in a lot
of difference styles from opera to pop and jazz to classical. I’m looking to show more versatility in my
performances and overall work. I am now performing
solo and in groups at performing arts centers and festivals to upscale
events and vineyards as well as corporate and private events.
CDC: What projects outside of singing are you working on?
I am the Co-Founder and Vice President of the Society of the
Italian American Business Men, formed in 2013 in Hartford County. We’ve grown from an idea to a 35-member strong
group. We gave away $10,000 to the St.
Margarets Mission Outreach and we’re giving our first two scholarships away
this December. The first two annual
events we held raised $20,000.
CDC: How are your girls? What are their ages and who is
striving to be like their father artistically?
They are doing great.
Sadie is 15; Gianna is 9; and Milana is 7. The two little ones are both very artistic.
Milana wants to grow up to be an artist. Being a single Dad, they keep me hopping.
CDC: How does Elio Scaccio balance fatherhood/work and life
as a performer?
ELIO: Well,
that’s a tough one. I take everything in
stride. Growing up in the family I did
gave me the importance of family and making sure I didn’t throw myself in one
area that I neglected my family. So I
strive to balance work, music and family and I think I’ve got it. It’s gets over overwhelming at times, but
such is life.
CDC: What are your goals musically for the year and long term?
ELIO: I would
like to perform internationally as in Europe.
I would like to have a major distribution deal again and to take my
music to the masses.
CDC: You currently reside in Baltimore. Were you born there? How has charm city
supported you as an artist?
ELIO: I was born
in Jersey. I grew up in Rosedale,
Baltimore. Baltimore had been great and
has always been every supportive through my connections and work in the
Italian-American Community.
CDC: Any advice for rising tenors?
ELIO:
Perseverance. It’s a business. You need to treat this passion as a
business. If it takes you 10 years to
pay your dues, than it takes you 10 years to pay your dues. I have been singing since I was 13. I never let one bad performance or one bad
month stop me from reaching my end goal.
I have performed with so many musicians, and 90% have quit. I have constantly reinvented myself, from
performing pop, jazz, rock and alternative to classical. As long as I am performing, I am happy. If I can make people smile and have them
escape musically – it makes it all worthwhile. My
performance level is the same no matter is there is an audience of 100 or 1000
people in front of me. And I’ll be
singing until the day I die.
CDC: What’s cooking in Elio’s kitchen this Fall?
ELIO: My family
is coming over to celebrate my daughter’s birthday so I’m making some homemade
sauce and sausage, meatballs and my famous pepper shooters. I use cherry peppers stuffed with provolone cheese
and prosciutto drizzles in olive oil and cheese – it’s delicious.
