Chappaqua’s John Cirillo, Mickey Rosen of Briarcliff Launch Music Venture; joined by Cirillo’s fellow Fordham alumnus Adam E

Chappaqua’s John Cirillo, Mickey Rosen of Briarcliff Launch Music Venture; joined by Cirillo’s fellow Fordham alumnus Adam E

 Award-winning sports public relations executive John Cirillo of Chappaqua were joined by Briarcliff’s Mickey Rosen and Cirillo’s fellow Fordham University alumnus Adam E to announce their joint musical venture on Saturday night, June 2, at Lexington Square Café in Mt. Kisco, New York. Back from the Dead Music LLC was launched by Cirillo to move the young artists forward through public relations, marketing and public concerts. The duo have taken Cirillo’s lyrics and put them to music.

Six songs – The Troubadour, Hey Professor, Newport, Sweet Honey, The Wine Bar and The Sojourn – were performed at the dinner concert an intimate group of 40 family members and friends. 

Cirillo is an adjunct professor at Fordham, where he met Adam E, while Rosen and Cirillo were united at Saw Mill Club East, where Rosen was a trainer, and at Vine & Company in Mt. Kisco, a liquor store that Rosen manages.

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano issued a proclamation congratulating Cirillo on the enterprise. Cirillo began his public relations career under Tim Rooney at Yonkers Raceway in 1981, as has been Empire City Casino’s media consultant since its opening in 2006.

Significance of “Back from the Dead”: It is a story of true-life miracles: Adam E, in a coma for two months, given a one percent chance to live. When he survived, doctors said he’d never walk again, yet he marched to the Fordham University stage to gain his diploma. Mickey Rosen is an adopted son of El Salvador, rescued to Westchester from a drug-ravaged and gang-infested country by two loving parents, shaping a new life and vibrant music. In a twist of fate, the young musicians connected with sports maestro John Cirillo, who emerged from a self-described “musical cocoon” after three decades as a sports industry leader. This is the story of Back from the Dead Music.

Back From the Dead Music, LLC. is a full-service company with the primary goal of pushing forward, guiding and inspiring the careers of young musicians through branding, public relations, marketing, social media, and performance bookings. The musicians will also collaborate on music and vocal accompaniment for the vibrant, story-telling lyrics of founder and executive director John Cirillo, while at the same working on their own original music.

Adam E is a singer-songwriter with diverse and eclectic musical influences that span generations – from John Denver (he sang Leavin’ on a Jet Plane in his debut on a British television series as a teenager) to Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder (he performed with them on the Kennedy Center stage) to Michael Jackson and David Bowie. Those influences helped to build a unique style that makes its presence felt in every soulful performance today.

Mickey Rosen’s father Peter’s Eric Clapton CD collection mesmerized the youngster in his pre-teen years, and had an emphatic and immediate impact on his love for music. His parents’ love for the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine and Hard Days Night albums were next, and that enchantment led him to the Yardbirds, and many classic rock artists. Piano and guitar lessons followed, not to mention break-dancing a la Michael Jackson, to build his strong and deep style of today.

John Cirillo’s first memory of music was his mother singing Dylan’s Blowin’ in the Wind at age six. Little did he know that Dylan would become an icon, and deeply influence his lyric-writing. Sixties stars like the Byrds on American Bandstand and The Ed Sullivan Show followed, but an exclamation point was put on his love for music when he was mesmerized by the Southern California rock era of the Jackson Browne and The Eagles, his all-time favorites who inspire his life and lyrics every day.

Back From the Dead Music, LLC.

About the Company

Back From the Dead Music, LLC. was born in a perfect alignment of the planets, a script that even the most visionary Hollywood film producer would toss to the cutting room floor. It is the story of a relationship forged between award-winning sports public relations executive and Fordham University professor turned lyricist John Cirillo, and two accomplished musicians of enormous talent – Adam E, a former Cirillo student at Rose Hill now based in Washington, DC, and Mickey Rosen, Westchester neighbor, physical trainer and manager of Vine&Company in Mt. Kisco.

Cirillo calls the duo his “co-conspirators” because of their unfeasible, storybook connection, strong bond, and mutual admiration, respect and inspiration.

Goals and Services

Back From the Dead Music, LLC. will have the primary goal of pushing forward, guiding and inspiring the careers of young musicians as a full-service company: branding, public relations, marketing, and performance bookings. The musicians will also collaborate on music and vocal accompaniment for the vibrant, story-telling lyrics of Cirillo, while at the same working on their own original music.

 

Adam and Mickey: Already front and center

Adam E and Mickey Rosen are the charter member collaborators and clients in the new venture. Accomplished musicians with lofty aspirations, Adam was invited to play the Kennedy Center Awards with two legends – Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles; Mickey was asked to jam with the iconic B.B. King, and was a member of a band which once opened for the legendary Gregg Allmann.

 

Adam E has already put forth a lovely marriage of music and words in the form of Hey Professor (encompassing Cirillo’s 20-year journey in the Fordham classroom), The Wine Bar [The Ballad of Johnny Cigar] and Newport – while Rosen brings to life a trio of stories – The Troubadour (Cirillo’s original lyric-writing which began in 1984 when he was public relations director for the New York Knicks, and wasn’t completed until this year, three decades), Sweet Honey and Memories Are Everywhere.

 

Cirillo’s soon-to-be-released eponymous debut album Songs of The Troubadour: Bourbon Cherries will include all six compositions in collaboration with Adam and Mickey. Says Cirillo: “Songs are simply stories; music makes them magic.”

 

How They Met: Planets Aligned

 

Hey Professor: On March 27, 2017, an out-of-the-blue Facebook message from Adam to his old sports professor 10 years after graduation fueled a renewed friendship, inspired songwriting and finally the three collaborations. It read in part: “Hey Professor, not sure if you remember me…I think about you and talk about the class every time I watch boxing or baseball with my friends..I am also a professional songwriter, that’s my passion, and it’s super fun.” The rest, as they say, is history. The Fordham duo caught up on lost time in life-in-the-fast-lane style, visiting on July 4th weekend in New York City and later in July in Newport with their ladies; Adam’s better half Valerie hails from Rhode Island, where John and his wife of three decades have vacationed annually for more than 20 years. The song Newport was born on that night after an intoxicating evening of storytelling and renewed friendship. Later, Cirillo penned The Wine Bar on a journey to Saratoga, and finally Hey Professor, inspired by Adam’s salutation in his message of unification, a common opening line from students of yesterday and today. Cirillo is most proud of Adam E.

 

The Broken Guitar String: Two chance, overheard conversations at Vine&Company wines and liquors in Westchester brought Cirillo and Rosen into collaborative combustion. The first: Rosen was talking with a co-worker about his music, when Cirillo interrupted and asked for him to look at some lyrics, which he did and was impressed. But managing the store was time consuming, and Rosen wasn’t even able to get to the local music store to fix a broken string on his guitar. The second: Rosen, again chatting with a co-worker spoke about an Eastman Grand Concert Acoustic Guitar on sale at the music store. Cirillo, ceasing the opportunity presented by the his guardian angel, said why don’t we go over to pick up that pretty little Eastman as your first payment. They two have be collaborating ever since. Irony: the first time Rosen played the Troubadour for the lyricist was March 27, 2018, one year to the date that Adam had reached out to his old professor. Planets aligned indeed.

 

Their Stories: Real Life Miracles

Adam’s Story: Adam E is a singer and songwriter based in Washington, D.C. He has been involved with music since childhood. At age 9, he learned to play the piano and discovered his passion for singing as a cast member of “Children’s Choice,” a popular children’s British television show, filmed in Saudi Arabia. Later, he helped create his high school a cappella group, and sang at the Kennedy Center Honors beside Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles. During this time, he started writing music, and this passion has continued through today.

Adam’s personal achievements are nothing short of miraculous. During his senior year of high school, he fell critically ill with Acute Viral Milo Encephalitis, an infection of the fluid in the brain and spinal cord. After holding on to life in a coma for two months, overcoming a 1% chance to live, Adam was told he would never walk again. After three months of rehab, perseverance, and the support of his close friends and family, Adam walked across the stage at graduation with his Chamber Choir by his side. Shortly after, Adam made a full recovery, moved to New York City, and graduated from Fordham University with a degree in Business Administration. Adam credits his recovery in part to the role music played in his life by keeping him motivated through that difficult time and giving him a sense of purpose.

Since then, Adam has made music his priority. He writes for his own pop/rock band called Adam E Project, and he writes as an independent artist. He recently joined Living the Dream (LTD) Unlimited, where he works with a team to write and license music. LTD is a full-service entertainment company specializing in music publishing & licensing, touring & merchandising, and film & television. Adam is currently involved in several projects, and always working to expand upon his portfolio.

 

Mickey’s Story: Mickey Rosen is an accomplished musician who has opened up for the legendary Gregg Allmann, jammed with the icon B.B. King, and performed live a a bevy of venues. That he was able to live that dream, though, is a miracle in itself. Adopted from the ravaged nation of El Salvador, infested by drugs and gangs, by a loving family in Briarcliff, New York, he wonders every day what his life might have been and how fortunate he was. New York, His parents infused the music of Eric Clapton, the Beatles and other rock artists, and a musician was born at a young age, yearning to learn the piano and taking guitar lessons. Mickey lives in Ossining, New York, is a manager at Vine & Company wins and liquors, a personal trainer, and a former competitive mixed martial artist and break dancer.

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