By Rich and Laura Lynch

originally published: 04/29/2014

Peppino D'Agostino was born in Italy. In the 1980's he moved to San Francisco, California to pursue a career in music. Peppino is an award winning guitarist who collaborates, composes and sometimes sings. D'Agostino has been called a poet for his memorable melodies. Peppino describes his style as "Minestrone Music" since he melds flavors from classical, ethnic, folk, pop and world into his songs. Peppino has released over a dozen albums along with instructional/performance DVSs. D'Agostino has a new record Penumbra coming out in 2014.

Peppino D'Agostino performed at Live @ Drew's in Ringwood, New Jersey on April 18, 2014. Drew has been hosting diverse concerts for over a decade. Drew has a great ear for music. He has featured D'Agostino on several occasions. SoundPress.net first heard Peppino at Drew's in 2011. We returned this spring remembering how much we enjoyed the last D'Agostino show.

Drew introduced Peppino recalling that D'Agostino was the "third person to ever play here" when the house series was in its early stages back in 1999. Many artists have come back to Drew's because he attracts audiences who are appreciative and attentive. In his comments that night Peppino said "its nice to play here for many reasons...this is special... having you so close."

D'Agostino armed with an acoustic guitar along with an effects pedal board opened with an intricate instrumental that combined leads and rhythms. Peppino's fret work was fast and fluid with foot taps adding to the beat. He mentioned that he would be playing new material including the next piece that showcased dynamic yet subtle strumming.

In addition to being entertaining, Peppino was also an educator. During his set he demonstrated what hammering and open tuning was. "Street Pulse" from the Nine White Kites album was an example of expressing percussion through the guitar. Peppino's fingers walked the fret as he blending hammering and tapping on the body of the guitar to craft a pulse that he mixed in with traditional strumming.

The next song was an example of open tuning in which he set the strings to Es and Bs because you "can create new chords that resonate," explained D'Agostino. Using this trick he performed the title track from Penumbra. The song had elements of classical minimalism as it explored musical lights and shadows.

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"You are a wonderful audience, here is another piece where I use strange tuning," shared Peppino. "Nine White Kites" soared on nifty notes. D'Agostino's fingers floated over the strings as he utilized a variation of techniques. He then played a number of "standards" including an Argentinean tango - a tantalizing dance of layered leads and rhythm. He played another track from his forthcoming album that he described as having African and Irish influences. The instrumental was an animated assortment of structures and styles.

For "The Blue Ocean" song he asked the audience to close their eyes so that they could really hear this balled, thus we meditated on Peppino's melodic music as it washed over us. The next song D'Agostino sang in Italian sharing that it was about a carpenter who had a famous son. "Giuseppe" (Joseph) was about a brave man. Although we did not understand the words it was a poetic and pretty tune. Someone requested "Cowboy Minestrone" a savory stew of American blue grass music with Italian flavors. After the concert Peppino met with fans and signed stuff including Penumbra which has an official release date of 8/4/2014 but was available at Drew's that night.

It was Good Friday and it was another good or should we say great concert at Live @ Drew's. Peppino was a true pro yet very personable. Upcoming events at Drew's will feature Bobby Messano (4/26), Tangiers Blues Band (5/17), Simon Felice (5/23), Matthew Ryan (5/30) and the Jesse Maline Band (7/14). Please follow link below for more information about Live @ Drew's.

Related Links: For more information on PEPPINO D'AGOSTINO and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links - Peppino D'Agostino | Live @ Drew's Mailing List

Richard J. Lynch and Laura Turner Lynch are the founders of SoundPress.net, an Internet-based music industry magazine and review site, online since 1999. Laura is a published author of the inspirational Positive Power Secrets From A to Z ( www.positivepowersecrets.net ). Rich regularly interviews famous rock stars for the site's radio show and he has recently launched his own recording career at ( www.richlynchband.com ).

About the author:

Richard J. Lynch and Laura Turner Lynch are the founders of MusicCityNashville.org, an Internet-based music industry magazine and review site, online since 1999. Laura is a published author of the inspirational (Positive Power Secrets From A to Z ). Rich regularly interviews famous rock stars for the site's radio show and he has recently launched his own recording career at (www.richlynchband.com)

Joe Russo's Almost Dead
Thursday, November 12, 2026 @ 7:30pm
State Theatre New Jersey
15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ

Joe Russo's Almost Dead is Marco Benevento, Dave Dreiwitz, Tom Hamilton, Scott Metzger and Joe Russo. We're a Grateful Dead cover band.

Mccarter At The Museum: An Evening With Jason Robert Brown
Thursday, November 12, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Princeton Art Museum
45 Elm Drive, Princeton, NJ

Join us for McCarter at the Museum - renowned performing artists in one-night only events at the Princeton University Art Museum.

Jason Robert Brown is a four-time Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist of The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World, 13, The Bridges of Madison County, Honeymoon In Vegas and The Connector, has performed as a soloist or with his band in venues around the world, including sold-out shows at the London Palladium and Carnegie Hall. His albums as a singer-songwriter include Wearing Someone Else’s Clothes and How We React and How We Recover on Ghostlight, and Coming From Inside the House and Live In Concert with Stephen Sondheim on Concord.

With Special Guest Tony nominee Betsy Wolfe. Tony Award-nominated actress Betsy Wolfe is currently starring as Audrey in the acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, following her recent Broadway run as Madeline Ashton in the hit musical Death Becomes Her. She previously originated the title role in Joy, the new musical inspired by inventor Joy Mangano, and earned a 2023 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her celebrated performance as Anne Hathaway in & Juliet. Other Broadway credits include starring as Jenna in Waitress, Cordelia in the acclaimed revival of Falsettos, Bullets Over Broadway, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Everyday Rapture, and 110 in the Shade, as well as her critically acclaimed performance as Cathy in the Off-Broadway revival of The Last Five Years. Wolfe made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Die Fledermaus and has appeared as a guest artist with more than 65 symphony, pops, and philharmonic orchestras worldwide, including the New York Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra, with performances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Her screen credits include First One In, Estella Scrooge, CBS’s Instinct, and the film adaptation of The Last Five Years. Wolfe is also the co-founder of BroadwayEvolved, the acclaimed musical theatre training program she launched in 2018 to train and mentor the next generation of theatre artists.

A limited number of early access tickets for McCarter Director’s Circle members and members of the Museum’s Partner Circle are available, on sale Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM. General public on sale begins Friday, September 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM.

Please be aware there is no public drop-off or parking at the Museum. For visitors with mobility needs, please contact the Museum at least three business days in advance of your visit to request special access to the Museum via Elm Drive. Call 609-258-3788 and select option 1 to speak to a visitor services staff member, or email Louise Barrett at [email protected].