Originally published in Jersey Jazz - Reprinted by permission of the New Jersey Jazz Society
From 1930 to 1945, big band jazz dominated the American music scene, shaping the cultural landscape of popular music. Though its prominence waned as small-group jazz styles gained popularity, the genre has endured, sustained by dedicated enthusiasts and an international audience. Today, many big band ensembles function as tribute bands, recreating the sounds of legendary orchestras. However, a collective of composers continues to push the genre forward with original works. Among those leading this effort is Israeli-born composer, bandleader, and drummer Dan Pugach.
Pugach’s contributions to the genre have been widely recognized, culminating in this year’s Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble for his inspired Outside in Music recording Bianca Reimagined: Music for Paws and Persistence. Pugach’s Grammy now sits alongside that of his wife, Nicole Zuraitis, who won a Grammy last year for Best Jazz Vocal Album for her Outside in Music album, How Love Begins.
"It hasn’t really sunk in yet," Pugach said, in a recent Zoom interview. "I’ve been saying thank you and trying to act normal, but I haven’t fully processed it. I’m still figuring out if there’s a deeper meaning or responsibility that comes with it. Right after the awards, we flew straight into a residency at Birdland—two sets per night for three nights with Nicole’s quartet—so it’s been nonstop. We don’t actually live in New York anymore; we’re up in Connecticut now. But otherwise, it was an amazing experience—probably the best weekend ever. Honestly, everything was such a blur. If you asked me how it was, I don’t even remember much. I just kept thinking, ‘Oh my God! Thank God I wrote something down.
"I didn’t think I would win, but I wanted to be prepared just in case," he continued. "When the moment came, I could barely get a word out. Even reading my speech felt impossible. After that, it was a whirlwind—interviews, being shuffled from one thing to the next. I never even watched my speech."
Unlike many big band recordings, Bianca Reimagined: Music for Paws and Persistence is a concept album inspired by Pugach and Zuraitis’ love for animals, their work with shelters, and their late dog Bianca, who is featured on the album cover.
"For 15 years, we’ve been rescuing and fostering dogs," Pugach said, "mainly pit bulls from New York City shelters—many on euthanasia lists due to illness or time running out. One of them, Bianca, was special. She became our mascot, had her own Instagram (Bianca the Jazz Dog), and even walked off-leash in the streets of Brooklyn. She once even peed during my drum solo at the 55 Bar. I wrote a tune capturing her gentle nature, which later became a big band piece. It won the BMI Charlie Parker Composition Prize and helped shape this album. We also rescued Bella, another beloved dog. I wrote 'Bella the Bear' overnight between studio sessions, and she passed in 2024 as we recorded. This album became a dedication to rescue dogs, exploring their journey—from shelter struggles to love and transformation. 'Little Fears' reflects a dog’s perspective in a cage, and 'The Bridge' honors pets who’ve passed. 'Paws and Persistence' represents resilience, love, and the bond we share with these animals. Their lives, like this music, move from struggle to beauty—but saying goodbye to them is always the hardest part."
One of the album’s standout tracks is an unexpected yet innovative arrangement of Van Halen’s classic “Dreams”, featuring Zuraitis on vocals and Pete McCann on guitar. Pugach shared how the arrangement came to life.
"The tune was chosen for me and ended up sparking the whole album concept. During the pandemic, a friend—who’s also a fan—gave me an assignment to arrange 'Dreams' as a tribute. His family member had just become the first Navy pilot for the Blue Angels flying the FA-18, and he wanted something special. I agreed and asked if there were any restrictions. He said, ‘Do whatever you want.’ So I went with a big band version. I got stuck on a vamp, keeping parts of the melody but reshaping the chords and adding new vamps in between. I maintained the original structure while creating space between the harmonies. It was all still there—just reimagined."
Our conversation then shifted to Pugach’s upbringing and musical journey, particularly his unique transition from rock drummer to jazz musician and big band leader.
"I started listening to big band music when I was young, right around the time I was getting into jazz. One of my earliest exposures was to the Mel Lewis and Thad Jones Vanguard Orchestra. To me, they were like gods—the gold standard, the ultimate. From there, I started exploring further, discovering Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Bob Brookmeyer, and many others. But what really pushed me into writing wasn’t until I got to City College, where I met Mike Holober—an amazing composer and pianist who taught the jazz seminar. One day, he told us, 'Choose a standard, or whatever, and bring a chart for five horns and four rhythm.' Everyone brought in their charts, and I did my best, putting together something I thought worked. When I showed it to my colleagues, they were surprised—'Man, you brought a full arrangement, with everything in it.' I took the assignment seriously, maybe too seriously.
"To be honest, I often felt like I wasn’t up to par in that program. A lot of the other students were serious musicologists—deep, knowledgeable cats—so I always felt like I had to push myself. Maybe I overdid it, but I wanted to do my best. Mike Holober noticed, and he told me, 'You should really get into this. You’ve got some gaps in your toolbox, but you’ve also got good intuition for this.' He suggested I check out Alan Ferber, Kenny Wheeler, and others. That opened up a whole new world for me. From there, I started writing more big band charts. I’d invite the guys over to our apartment in Park Slope, move the furniture around, and just have the whole band play—dogs running around, everything. The musicians would give me feedback: 'Are you sure about this? Try this instead.' That hands-on process is how I really learned.
"At some point, though, I took a break. One reason was financial—I was broke. But I also felt stuck. I didn’t like what I was writing, and I wasn’t working as fast or as well as I wanted to. So I decided to step back, focus on gigging, and study more. I started working through books and exercises from the ground up. Eventually, that gave me the vocabulary and language I needed to really analyze scores. Instead of being in the dark, things started to pop out at me. After that, I got back into big band writing with a fresh perspective and I’ve been at it ever since."
Pugach’s journey has been anything but typical, and his unique blend of rock and jazz influences informs his big band leadership. As a drummer, he shapes the rhythmic direction and energy of his group in a way that mirrors the tradition of big bands led by greats such as Chick Webb, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, and Mel Lewis. His deep understanding of rhythm allows him to guide his band with precision and creativity.
"I started out playing rock, but I discovered jazz through a drum teacher, Arale Kaminsky—or Aaron Kaminsky, as some called him. He was a jazz guru, one of the early pioneers who spent a lot of time in New York and Brazil before returning to Israel in the 1970s and spreading what he had learned. He’s a great drummer, and he got me hip to everything. He was also a good friend of Mel Lewis. During that time, as I was discovering jazz, I got into a high school jazz program in my hometown of Ra’anana. At that point, I was searching for a different sound. Instead of sticking with rock, which I had played growing up, I became more interested in exploring the depth of jazz as I was discovering it. I had a huge hard bop phase.
"Eventually, I ended up playing drums in the Air Force Band. That gig was more about pop, rock, folk, and some jazz—but not a lot. During my service, I also attended the jazz school at Rimon, which has a credit transfer program with Berklee. After that, I went to Brazil and studied percussion in Rio for three months. Before going, I had already been studying Portuguese and had caught the 'Brazilian bug,' which I still have.
“I moved to Berklee for two years, where I studied with Terri Lyne Carrington. She really pushed me. I remember her saying, 'Okay, buddy, you sound a little like Roy Haynes, don’t you?' I was like, 'Maybe.' She said, 'That’s great—but no more. You’ve got to sound like you.' She really opened up my playing and my sound."
As for the future, Pugach continues to stay busy, writing and performing. You can catch him and Nicole Zuraitis performing every Tuesday night in March with his Nonet at The Django in New York.
The New Jersey Jazz Society is a non-profit organization of business and professional people, musicians, teachers, students and listeners working together for the purpose of advancing jazz music. Their mission is to promote and preserve America’s original art form – jazz. The Society seeks to ensure continuity of the jazz art form through its commitment to nurture and champion local talent, along with showcasing outstanding national and international artists providing for the younger generation via arts education programs.
TOP PHOTO: Dan Pugach with his wife, vocalist Nicole Zuraitis Photo by Matt Baker Photography
