Album Notes

Louisiana born Painter & Musician, Tony DuPuis, is a very unique artist. He began playing drums at 3 years of age and has continued to expand his musical horizons from keyboards, guitar, drums, percussion, voice, writing, arranging, and producing many styles and genres of music. From solo drums, solo piano, jazz, pop, world music and beyond, he has emerged as an extremely well rounded, world-class artist. Tony has also spent time doing drum clinics and master classes across America, landing endorsements with Sonor drums, Paiste cymbals, and Promark drumsticks. His background, from drum corps, to jazz band, and symphonic work, has given him numerous musical perspectives. Tony has been written up in several international percussion magazines including: Paiste Cymbalism, Sonor News and Modern Drummer. He was awarded 7 musical scholarships (including USL, Lamar, Northeastern La., Northwestern La, & LSU) and attended McNeese State University. Tony was "feature drummer" for MSU Jazz and Marching Band and has performed with the Lake Charles Civic Symphony. He received the John Philip Sousa Award and was a member of the National Association of Rudimental Drummers.

In 1982 he recorded his first solo album "Night Visions" with his jazz group Infinity. "Night Visions" had radio airplay from coast to coast. In 1985 he released his second major album "Heading West". This album also received major national airplay resulting in tours and concerts with major artists such as Spyro Gyra, Roy Ayers, and many more. In 1986 he was given two Louisiana music awards including "Jazz Artist of the Year" and The Rusty Mayne Jazz Award from KRVS radio in Lafayette. Tony also won the 1986 National Drum Set Competition in Jackson, Mississippi sponsored by George's Drum Shop and Tama Drums. The internationally esteemed drummer Dom Famularo, of New York, was one of the Judges.

In 1995 Tony co-wrote and co-produced a world music CD called "Rainforest Magic" with musicians James Ranka and Terry Dominque. This album also received much national radio airplay and was featured in a DuPont Corporation film. 1999 was a big year for Tony in music, releasing two CDs: "Trilogy"(with Rocky IV music co-producer Ed Fruge'), and a solo Christmas CD entitled "Christmas Time"(featured on Good Morning New York). Both received airplay rotation at over 300 stations in four countries, resulting in numerous radio and television appearances, as well as concerts. "Christmas Time" is still played each year on many Louisiana radio stations every holiday season !!!

2003, 2004 and 2005 are monumental years for Tony as he is releasing four new CDs nationally. "Prayers For The World" is a world music single. Spiritual in nature, "Prayers" was written at the beginning of the Iraq war, layering Prayers for Peace in 7 languages representing some 16 cultures musically. "The Awakening" is a solo piano collection written by Tony. Each song is very peaceful and reflective. His newest CD, "Places in Our Hearts" will be released summer of 2005. This will be a benchmark CD for him as Tony has written, arranged, produced, sung and played most every instrument on this CD. It was 11 months in the making. "Places" will run the genre gamut from jazzy, bluesy, to "down home", yet is smooth, sophisticated, adult contemporary music. Don't miss this one!!!! Coming winter of 2005 is a new multi-movement percussion-based project that will be musically exciting and expressive with many globally inspired artistic realms !!!

Tony has also emerged as a very "different" artist with his unique paintings. Acrylics on canvas is his choice of medium. The paint is blown onto the canvas with various tubes, poured, sprayed or any number of unorthodox methods. At numerous art shows (both galleries and museums), and in reviews, Tony, using unusual "no brush" techniques, is wowing art lovers internationally with his very eclectic styles and subject matters. In October of 2004, Tony received the prestigious Mayor's Choice Award as the 2004 Southwest Louisiana Artist of the Year !!! Tony was also nominated for the 2005 Governor's Choice Art Award for Louisiana Artist of the Year. He is currently working on a book of short stories (fall 2005) to go along with 63 of his paintings. Each wonderful story, (passionate, spiritual, whimsical, or witty) brings you into the essence of the paintings as they directly relate to Art and Life.