Sam Abuschinow: Musician, Singer, Entertainer
Born in Munich, Germany, Sam grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended
high school in Jackson, New Jersey, where he played clarinet in the school band. Later,
after graduating from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania with an A.B. in
Geology, he began his professional musical career performing in local rock bands.
Playing guitar, keyboards, drums and harmonica, Sam decided playing bass guitar was
what he wanted to do.
Expanding his musical horizons, Sam joined various jazz groups, playing in P.F. & the
Flyers, the Alan Gaumer Quartet, Sax Fifth Avenue and the Allentown Jazz Ensemble.
He also performed numerous times at the annual Celebration of the Arts Jazz Festival in
the Poconos. He became a member of Pulse, a Lehigh Valley-based popular club band,
which eventually took to the road. He later joined Tony Tillman & the East Coast Brass,
a show band that toured all over the eastern U.S., including Atlantic City showrooms.
Sam had the opportunity to write soundtracks for four films, among them "Actors"
and "Diogenes," which were featured at the Toronto Film Festival and regularly on the
New Jersey Cable Network. More recently, he provided original music for the
independent film, "An Illicit Act."
Tiring of the road, Sam joined Thea & Co., the premier show group of Pennsylvania's
Pocono Mts. In this group, he learned the finer points of performing in shows, as well as
getting more singing responsibilities. This group eventually became Joey Casella & the
Company, of which Sam is still a member after twenty years.
Continuing to perform in band, show and studio venues, Sam has also written eight
solo shows for himself. These shows are a fun-filled blend of music and humor, and are
usually based on a theme. He records his own backing music for these shows, many of
them on which he plays all the instruments.
An avid Philadelphia sports fan, Sam enjoys living in Pennsylvania with his wife,
Fran, and their cats.
