Introducing The Layer Cakes!
The Layer Cakes formed to surprise and entertain the company at its annual kick-off event a few years back. Despite a wild and raucous reception, dreams of superstardom and stadium tours have eluded The Layer Cakes. Undaunted, the band takes every opportunity to get together to make good music and put a smile on a few faces. Worldwide adulation would just be the icing on their layers!
The Layer Cakes on the Odyssey in Boston Harbor.
The Music
Sweet Child O’ Mine (Guns N’ Roses)
Valerie (originally by The Zutons)
Shut Up and Dance (Walk the Moon)
The Band
Don Schuerman – Guitar, Vocals
Day Job: CTO and Vice President, Product Strategy & Marketing
Musical Influences: Bob Dylan, Stephen Sondheim, Bob Dylan, anything on a classic rock station, his dad’s collection of old bluegrass records, Bob Dylan, and enough hippy noodling (Phish, the Grateful Dead) to be kinda embarrassed about it.
Steve Rudolph – Drums
Day Job: Vice President, Strategic Client Engagement
Musical Influences: Art Blakey, Jack DeJohnette, Philly Joe Jones, Ray Barretto, Neal Peart, Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Gadd
Stephen Sanzo – Bass
Day Job: Pega Portal Editor-in-Chief
Musical Influences: Weezer, The Killers, Stevie Wonder, Journey, Rush, Peter Gabriel, Living Colour, Van Halen, Amazing Mudshark
Brian McCabe – Drums, Percussion
Day Job: Vice President, Americas Solutions Consulting
Musical Influences: Dick DiCenso, Kenny Hadley, Dave DiCenso, Alan Dawson, Buddy Rich, Tony Williams, Steve Gadd, Dennis Chambers, Max Roach, Jack DeJohnette, Steve Smith, John Bonham, Keith Moon, Stewart Copeland, Ringo, Charlie Watts
Ben Barton – Saxophone
Day Job: Manager, Sales Specialists, Customer Service
Musical Influences: Dexter Gordon, Joshua Redman, Kirk Whalem, Jamie Cullum, Harry Connick Big Band, JB Horns
Zulma Díaz-Buonopane – Lead Vocals
Day Job: Senior Executive Assistant
Musical Influences: Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, The Cranberries, Sting, 70’s disco, Diana Ross, KD Lang, Ed Sheeran, Mozart’s fantasy in d minor
Jeff Nicholson – Guitar, Vocals
Day Job: Global Head of CRM
Musical Influences: Zac Brown Band, Crowded House, Barenaked Ladies, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Foo Fighters
Tom Libretto – Lead Guitar, Vocals
Day Job: SVP, Chief Marketing Officer
Musical Influences: Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, GnR, Pearl Jam
Michael Brenner – Manager
Day Job: Vice President, Brand & Client Experience
Manager Influences: Reuben Kincaid, Artie Fufkin, Buddy Berkman
About Pega
Pega is the leader in cloud software for customer engagement and operational excellence. The world’s most recognized and successful brands rely on Pega’s AI-powered software to optimize every customer interaction on any channel while ensuring their brand promises are kept. Pega’s low-code application development platform allows enterprises to quickly build and evolve apps to meet their customer and employee needs and drive digital transformation on a global scale. For more than 35 years, Pega has enabled higher customer satisfaction, lower costs, and increased customer lifetime value.
