The Art of New
The Jazz Loft @ Southampton Concert Series | Thursday, May 29, 2025 | 7 pm
Performer Bios
Dan Pugach
Dan Pugach is a GRAMMY® Award-winning drummer and composer, with three nominations
and multiple awards, including the ASCAP Foundation Jazz Composer Award, the BMI Charlie
Parker Composition Prize and the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Residency Program at the
Kennedy Center.
His latest album, Bianca Reimagined: Music for Paws and Persistence (2024), featuring Nicole Zuraitis, won the 2025 GRAMMY® Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. Additionally, he was the featured drummer on the 2024 GRAMMY® Award-winning album How Love Begins, co-produced by Nicole Zuraitis and Christian McBride. His debut album, Dan Pugach Nonet - Plus One (2018), reached the top 20 in Jazz radio and earned a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocal for “Jolene” alongside Zuraitis.
Pugach’s nonet and big band regularly perform original music and arrangements at prestigious venues such as Birdland Jazz Club, The Blue Note, and Smalls Jazz Club as well as at international festivals and performing arts centers. The nonet also performed at the Chamber Music America National Conference.
Born in Israel, he served as the drummer for The Air Force Band in the IDF while attending the Rimon School of Jazz. After studying percussion in Rio de Janeiro, he moved to the U.S. in 2006 to pursue a career in Jazz drumming. Pugach holds a Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music, where he studied with Terri Lynn Carrington and Joe Lovano, and a Master of Arts from the City College of New York, studying under Mike Holober and John Patitucci.
Allison Rumley
Allison Rumley is a singer-songwriter that is deeply rooted in gospel and soul music. In 2016 she
self - released her debut album, “First Love” with the group and continued to promote the project by performing at venues such
as Pianos, Hat City Kitchen and The Knitting Factory.
She also co-leads the Big Beat Big Band, a 19-piece jazz orchestra that features Rumley’s smoky vocals and compositions. The band released their debut album in 2018 titled, “Sounds Good Feels Good” which was successfully crowdfunded. Jonathan Wildren of JW Vibe had this to say about the recording, “...the group’s true revelation is lead vocalist Allison, who is either the jazziest soul singer you’ve ever heard or the most soulful jazz singer…”
In addition, Allison was awarded the Mid Atlantic Arts Fellowship award for her songwriting in 2023. She has also performed as a background singer for recording artists Morgan James and Loren Smith.