Today we’d like to introduce you to Zachary Lucas.
Hi Zachary, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Belgium in 1981, and my father was a musician. My earliest memories all revolved around music, and I started playing young. Drums and piano, and then saxophone at ten. When I was twelve, my dad took me to a festival he was playing at. It was the 1993 North Sea Jazz festival, and it was a three day non-stop party of music and spirit. That was it for me. I was going to be a musician before that, but absolutely after that. My dad died the next year of cancer.
Music continued through middle and high school. Playing in a ska band and a hip-hop band in high school kept me busy many nights, including school nights. I received a scholarship to the New England Conservatory in Boston in 1999. There I co-founded the jazz fusion group Bootyjuice which kept me busy many nights. Including school nights. After graduating in 2003 I moved to New York and started a recording and touring career. Recording credits include: India Arie, Shaggy, Sting, Ryan Leslie, Eric Benet, Big Daddy Kane, Talib Kweli, Sly and Robbie, and others. I have toured extensively with the Youngblood Brass Band for the last twenty years, and have currently been working with West of Center films on a few different scoring projects.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road for me at all. Being a musician is not a smart career choice. This is known. You have to be willing to do a lot of work, much of it for free, for your entire life. But once in a while, it can be magic, and you will find yourself in a unique situation that simply would not have existed inside of a different career.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a musician and composer. I’ve been a loyal foot soldier type of touring musician with the Youngblood Brass Band for a long time, and have recently branched out to compose for video games and various film projects. I hope to do more film/documentary scoring in the future. I also play a monthly gig in Boulder on the first Friday of every month with the band Von Disco at License 1 (formerly Catacombs), which is underneath the Hotel Boulderado.
How do you think about happiness?
I like skiing and boxing. I find myself most balanced when I’m active.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://zachlucasax.com
