Olivia Cipperman ’19: Earlier this fall, the Chris Paterno Band, founded by EA alumn Chris Paterno ‘11, released an eponymous EP representing the artistry and community influence of Episcopal alumni. Paterno, band leader, is joined by Douglas Parsons, Episcopal’s current Dean of Faculty, on the drums; Connor Mackleby ‘11, on guitar; and Jon Hearst ‘14, also on guitar. They and the other five members of the band produced this six song release over seven months and are donating 20 percent of their proceeds to charitable causes. These charities include Philadelphia’s Project HOME and Episcopal’s own Kennith R. Balsley Fund, which provides financial aid for Upper School students in need.
The band was supervised by producer Joe Nicolo, multiple time Grammy winner, who Parsons says, “has produced Billy Joel, the Hooters, bands that were big when I was in college.”
Paterno, when asked about Niccolo, says, “Joe’s a really cool dude. He has so much knowledge about mixing, mastering and producing and so much experience in the industry. It was a great learning experience and also a humbling one. Joe pushed me to be more creative, more technically sound and just a better musician in general.”
Under direct contact with Niccolo, the band spent six months perfecting their album. Paterno explains, “Most of that time was spent tweaking sounds, cleaning up sections and adding ornamentation. It was a tedious process, but worth the time.”
The album’s music is eclectic, drawing from a variety of genres and sources while featuring a strong horn section. Parsons exclaims, “Chris really envisioned the band with a big sound.”
Paterno explains, “I’m a big fan of Philly Soul and Motown. I love the oldies and the horns really take our sound back to that era. At the same time, I started performing and playing as a singer-songwriter, so my original pieces have a note of folk and alternative.” He also explains the real-life themes and lyrics of his songs, saying, “Music is my diary. Each song marks an important event or emotion in my life, so much so that my dad always says he only has to listen to my music to understand what’s going on in my life.”
The lyrics support a haunting, nostalgic overall tone, and they cover topics such as lost love, the passage of time, and growing stronger through pain. The EP’s third song, “Pressure,” plaintively asks, “Pressure won’t you make a diamond out of me?”
As mentioned earlier, the band’s effect extends far beyond their music. Community service is instrumental to the band, especially to Chris, who was the recipient of the Len Haley Community Service Award, spending some 200 hours a year. Responsible for choosing how and where to donate Paterno says, “That decision stems from my time at EA. In high school, I was involved in a lot of community outreach, including a program called Free Music Fridays, which partnered with Project HOME.”
Douglas Parsons, recognizing Chris’ charitable priorities, explains, “It’s always been a huge part of who he is.” The band’s donations aid Philadelphia’s Project HOME, but they also help the Episcopal community by supporting the Kennith R. Balsley Fund.
Jennifer Fifer, Episcopal’s Associate Director of Institutional Advancement, says, “When Chris Paterno reached out to me, he contacted me and he said, ‘so I have this idea, I want proceeds of the sale of my album to support- I want it to go back to financial aid, I feel like Episcopal gave me such a great experience. I want to be able to make that possible for other students as well.’” Fifer continues, “We have about eighty named scholarship funds. They are donor-established, endowed funds, specifically to support financial aid at Episcopal.” The funds support a range of activities, from sports to community service, but the Kennith R. Balsley Fund has a more general topic than some others, appealing the most to Paterno’s vision.
The Chris Paterno Band’s new EP not only showcases music, but it also represents the necessity of service and the strength of Episcopal’s community connections.