Finding the chemistry needed to fuse a band together isn't easy, as Joe Nesci knows. Nesci, the saxophone player for Tuff Luck, brought the band together in 2004 after his former ensemble broke up on less than friendly terms.
“I was losing interest, and I wanted to do more,” Nesci said. “I hadn't played with horns since college.”
Nesci formed Tuff Luck intent on including a horn section. He found trombone player George Knight at Morris' Grill in Skaneateles when Knight overheard Nesci talking up his new band and his need for horns. At Highland Park Golf Club, Nesci found a trumpet player in fellow golfer Mark Becker. Guitarist Mark Oriend and bass player Tom Park were old college friends of Nesci's, and drummer Chris Kenney came aboard through Oriend.
“You have to care about the company you keep, and this is great company, ” Nesci said. “It's hard to find a good complement of personalities.”
Sticking mostly to the Auburn area, the band plays a variety of music from the '60s through the '90s, from artists like Van Morrison and Chicago to Huey Lewis and the News. It also rounds out its sets with funkier selections like “Brick House” by the Commodores and “Funky Music” by Wild Cherry.
“If you do a lot of stuff people can dance to and you get girls to follow the band, the guys will follow too,” Nesci said. “We're a party band.”
Five questions with Joe Nesci, saxophonist for Tuff Luck:
Q: What's your favorite song to play live?
A: “I Guess I Showed Her” by Robert Cray.
Q: What is the first concert you remember attending?
A: I was in high school. I saw Arlo Guthrie at the Onondaga County War Memorial. He had songs like “Alice's Restaurant Massacre” and “My Ding-a-Ling.”
Q: What are your favorite albums?
A: “Chicago's Greatest Hits,” “The Best of Van Morrison” and albums by Delbert McClinton, like “Cost of Living.”
Q: Who are your biggest musical influences?
A: Clarence Clemens (the saxophonist for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band), Dave Coz and Tom Scott. Horn-wise, those are just a few of the big ones.
Q: Where have you always wanted to perform but never gotten a chance to?
A: I've always been the type who likes small venues. The bigger you get, the less personal it gets. I like things more personal to stay in contact with people, and if I had my druthers, I'd take the House of Blues over any large arena because of the set-up.
Staff writer David Wilcox can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
If you go
What: Tuff Luck
When: 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 14
Where: Ukrainian National Club, 125 Washington St., Auburn
How much: Free
Info: Call 253-5997
Nesci formed Tuff Luck intent on including a horn section. He found trombone player George Knight at Morris' Grill in Skaneateles when Knight overheard Nesci talking up his new band and his need for horns. At Highland Park Golf Club, Nesci found a trumpet player in fellow golfer Mark Becker. Guitarist Mark Oriend and bass player Tom Park were old college friends of Nesci's, and drummer Chris Kenney came aboard through Oriend.
“You have to care about the company you keep, and this is great company, ” Nesci said. “It's hard to find a good complement of personalities.”
Sticking mostly to the Auburn area, the band plays a variety of music from the '60s through the '90s, from artists like Van Morrison and Chicago to Huey Lewis and the News. It also rounds out its sets with funkier selections like “Brick House” by the Commodores and “Funky Music” by Wild Cherry.
“If you do a lot of stuff people can dance to and you get girls to follow the band, the guys will follow too,” Nesci said. “We're a party band.”
Five questions with Joe Nesci, saxophonist for Tuff Luck:
Q: What's your favorite song to play live?
A: “I Guess I Showed Her” by Robert Cray.
Q: What is the first concert you remember attending?
A: I was in high school. I saw Arlo Guthrie at the Onondaga County War Memorial. He had songs like “Alice's Restaurant Massacre” and “My Ding-a-Ling.”
Q: What are your favorite albums?
A: “Chicago's Greatest Hits,” “The Best of Van Morrison” and albums by Delbert McClinton, like “Cost of Living.”
Q: Who are your biggest musical influences?
A: Clarence Clemens (the saxophonist for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band), Dave Coz and Tom Scott. Horn-wise, those are just a few of the big ones.
Q: Where have you always wanted to perform but never gotten a chance to?
A: I've always been the type who likes small venues. The bigger you get, the less personal it gets. I like things more personal to stay in contact with people, and if I had my druthers, I'd take the House of Blues over any large arena because of the set-up.
Staff writer David Wilcox can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
If you go
What: Tuff Luck
When: 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 14
Where: Ukrainian National Club, 125 Washington St., Auburn
How much: Free
Info: Call 253-5997
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