Saxophonists Nick Vallerio and Pete Spina established the City Rhythm Orchestra in 1985 and have been creating fabulous musical events ever since. Their efforts have earned them a reputation as individuals who bring a tremendous amount of energy and innovation to the business, and earned the band numerous awards including “Best of Philly” and “Best of the Main Line” several times.

Nick was born and raised in Montgomery County and graduated from the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts. He later received his Masters Degree from Temple University. He currently resides in Willow Grove, PA and has been teaching music for over 20 years. Pete is a lifelong Philadelphia resident and a graduate of La Salle University. He has been recognized for his work in music by many publications and is active in his South Philadelphia community, including serving as Music Director at St. Nicholas Church for many years.

In addition to leading the band for parties and events, Nick and Pete have taken the group throughout the county for many special concerts and shows. They’ve performed at prominent Philadelphia venues such as the Kimmel Center, Mann Music Center and Penn’s Landing, and traveled to New York City (Lincoln Center, Hudson River Festival, Irving Plaza), Washington DC (Glen Echo Ballroom, Clarendon Ballroom), Boston (Faneuil Hall, Swing City), San Francisco (Sweets Ballroom, Biscuits & Blues), Tampa (Bellevue Biltmore, Savoy South), and many other locales. They’ve also produced diverse musical acts such as opera companies, dance ensembles, classical groups, concert bands, jazz ensembles and others. They’ve served as the Executive Producers of the Old York Road Community Concert Series and currently head the American Music Foundation, Inc. which presents musical performances of classic American music.

Nick and Pete have also worked extensively in the recording industry. They’ve produced numerous CDs for the City Rhythm Orchestra and other groups with Limehouse Records and worked on many projects with Edison Recording Studios in New York City. In 2005 they released “Vibrant Tones” which aired on hundreds of jazz stations across the country and remained on the national charts for 18 weeks.

Since 1995 Nick and Pete have hosted weekly radio programs on various stations including WRTI 90.1 FM and WPEN 950 AM. They are also voting members of the Recording Academy, Inc., which presents the annual Grammy Awards.