You may not have heard of EMERALDE, the new Adult Contemporary Pop group but the duo, Mark Gasbarro and Margie Russomanno are music veterans. Both of these talented artists have been “behind the scenes” in Hollywood film and TV.
Mark is a pianist/composer/arranger and is one of the most sought after pianists in the showbiz arena. His piano playing and orchestrations have been featured on the Hollywood blockbuster hit film “Up” which won the Academy Award® for Best Score. In addition, you can also hear his works in the 2015 summer movies Jurassic World, Inside Out, and Tomorrowland. Margie, an excellent songwriter who has a distinctive voice has written for television and feature films and received over half a million YouTube views. Emeralde is also composed of a seven-piece back-up band.
As I was listening to their debut CD, “Wind and Shadows”, it was such a soothing experience and has the highly polished qualities of an Adult contemporary genre. Emeralde’s music is easy listening, soulful, fun and upbeat.
I had a wonderful opportunity to ask Mark and Margie questions about their debut CD.
PB: What is exactly your genre?
Mark: Pop Adult contemporary pop
PB: How did you come up with the name “Emeralde”?
Margie: When we first decided to become a group, Mark asked me what our name should be. I was stumped. I looked down at my hands and I was wearing a big emerald ring that I had designed. I was wearing a green T-shirt. I suggested Emeralde and he liked it! We thought it somehow reflected the style of the music.
PB: Have you performed as a duo before?
Mark: We’ve both been in other bands but this is the first duo partnership for each of us. We discovered in projects we were working on together, that we had common artistic ground that made the partnership the obvious thing to do.
Margie: Besides, it’s really a lot of fun! Mark is a funny nut and we laugh a lot.
Emeralde with their debut CD Wind and Shadows
PB: What can audience expect from your show?
Mark: Amazing musicianship, great original songs and a fun atmosphere.
PB: What do you like about performing in public?
Mark: I love playing music for people. I love feeding off the audience’s energy, the give and take between performer and audience. It’s what music is for. It’s a medium of artistic communication.
Margie: I love the outfits I get to wear! There is so much joy and unity when we are performing, a beautiful and magical bond that forms between the band members and the audience. Can’t explain it but it happens!
PB: Where do you get your inspiration/motivation to write beautiful songs?
Mark: The motivation seems to have been built in from birth, or shortly thereafter. Inspiration comes from everywhere. Life events, books I’ve read, people I meet or already know, a story idea Margie will come up with, nature, a memory, a hope, a reality.
Margie: Becoming an optimist was a hard won accomplishment. I feel a buoyancy in my soul and I want to grab everyone’s hand and keep them afloat. I hope our songs communicate that.
PB:About your debut cd, Wind and Shadows, what is your favorite track and why?
Mark: My favorites are: Spontaneous – the groove, the story, which I think is really fun, Margie’s vocal, pretty much the whole thing. Up For Air: the hopeful, anthemic quality, big vocals, big orchestra feel, the message of enduring friendship. When It Rains: the steady, hypnotic groove, the overall vibe.
Margie: My favorite cut is When It Rains. Rain has a dramatic effect upon me. My personalty is different. I become wildly energized and creative. I wrote the lyrics on a rainy day and then Mark created the most enchantingly, mesmerizingly romantic track conceivable! I still can’t believe how beautiful it is.
Emeralde the new Adult Contemporary Group
PB: Since you launched your CD and started to perform, do you have any memorable moments?
Margie: Once while performing in Santa Monica, in the middle of a song I saw an apparition the center of the club. It was about 10 ft tall! I kept telling myself I was imagining it (too many Grimm episodes) but it turned around and looked at me with glowing red eyes and started walking toward the stage! Turned out it was a crazy person in a tree costume on stilts but it was intense for a few minutes.
PB: What’s brewing in the future?
Margie: We are constantly writing new material. That’s one of my favorite things about this partnership. Mark had an endless capacity for creativity and we can write and record wonderful songs in a few days so I foresee a new CD in the future! We are also building an Emeralde Jewelry line. I am a jewelry designer and we are creating jewelry to coincide with our songs.
PB: Any words for the fans?
Margie: We are very grateful for the support of our fans! They are the reason we create and perform. I hope I get the opportunity to meet every single one in person and give them a big hug!
Mark: We are incredibly happy they like our music and get what we’re doing. Thank you to everybody and stay tuned for lots of new things.
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I love Emeralde’s cd!!!! Mark is an exceptional talent, always had been. Margie’s lyrics and vocals are just super! And the band is filled with outstanding musicians! They are a MUST SEE group.