Cooper Union is a new local band bringing a classic sound to the Capital Region. The band was formed in the fall of 2005 by singer/multi-instrumentalist Tony Califano, who was searching for musicians to perform the songs he had written while in music school. First on board was bluesy guitarist Justin Fuld. Both longtime residents of Voorheesville, Tony and Justin had been jamming together off and on for a year before they decided to put together a band. After a brief search they connected with drummer Derek Dobson. Derek had just relocated to the area from New York City, where he had played with rock band The Corduroys. Derek brings a powerful, driving dynamic to the group. The instrumentation was filled out when bassist Shawn Charniga joined the group. Hailing from the Coxsackie area, Shawn has a subtle but muscular sound and experience in what he describes as “every kind of band imaginable.” With all of the pieces in place the band has been honing their sound and tightening up their arrangements. They count among their influences such diverse groups as The Band, Booker T & the MGs, Wilco and Parliament-Funkadelic. Cooper Union has a sound which hovers above a vast musical landscape of R&B, Country, Rock, Jazz and Funk without the schizophrenic trappings of a typical genre-bending band. Instead of approaching these facets of their musical personality as independent ventures, it is their goal to merge all their influences into a unified whole.

click images to read each member's bio!