There’s a catchy new song about a Connecticut pizza style and it’s such a toe-tapper, listeners may be able to burn off a half a slice.
The “New Haven Pizza Song,” as it is known for now, has a “rockability, swing” sound with guitar work like Brian Setzer of Stray Cats, said recording artist Lucinda Rowe.
Along with her husband, Mick Connolly, who does all the instrumentals, Rowe wrote the melody and recorded it in their professional Red Room Sound Studio in Torrington on behalf of New Haven-style pizza celebrity Frank Zabski.
Rowe and Connolly are national touring and recording artists who have worked with many stars, including with the likes of Stevie Nicks, Pat Benatar and Tony Bennett.
“I think this is a song that would be fun for the general public in Connecticut,” Rowe said. “It’s one of those jingles people wouldn’t forget.”
Rowe said can see it becoming a statewide fan fave like the song, “Christmas in East Haven.”
Zabski, founder of New Haven Pizza School and self-proclaimed “evangelizer” of New Haven-style pizza, had the vision for the song and wrote the lyrics.
He has energizing vocals in the recording along with his longtime friend Jim Pellegrino of Orange.
The song tells a brief history of New Haven-style pizza and gives shoutouts to many of the big names, including Sally’s, Pepe’s, Abate’s, Ernie’s, Zuppardi’s and Mike’s in West Haven.
The song even gives a nod to Zeneli Pizzeria on Wooster Street which, contrary to the others, serves Neapolitan pizza, the most popular style in the world.
Here’s why Zabski included them in the song: “I love what they do, I love the three brothers, they work really hard and most of all they had the you know what’s to open up a pizzeria across from World Famous Pepe’s with a different style and they are killing it.”
Foxon Park soda gets a nod too, because as the lyrics say, “Nothing beats a Foxon Park soda with a slice of ahbeetz.”
Zabski, who spent his earlier career years in the information technology business, has helped put New Haven-style pizza on the map, with the popular school, Facebook groups, a talk show focused on New Haven-style pizza and more.
Zabski, who had it on his bucket list to write a song, has a special place in his for heart for music, as he remembers the singing of his dear, late mom, Carol, whom he lost in childhood.
Sometimes he thinks of his mom and the new song: “Maybe she’s hearing it somewhere else, blasting the music.”
He describes the pizza song as a “whimsical history lesson” on New Haven-style pizza.
“I don’t know where this is going to go. It’s a niche song,” Zabski said. “It would be a great thing for tourism.”
He said if the song resonated with listeners beyond Connecticut and the pizza world, “That would be a dream come true.”
Zabski’s buddy Pellegrino said making the recording was such a blast, they “were like two kids in a candy store.”
“It’s the kind of song you can’t get it out of your head,” he said. “Some pizza establishments are going to wish they were on that song.”
Pellegrino and Zabski worked together in Zabski’s IT business for years and also owned Fired Up Pizza Truck together, but it became so popular they had to give it up to spend more time with their families.
Pellegrino said he grew up in Norwalk, but when it was pizza time his dad drove to Pepe’s in New Haven. When Pellegrino moved to Orange as an adult, one of the first things he thought was, “It’s closer to Pepe’s.”
Pellegrino said Zabski and his family are “fantastic” and he’s “rooting” for Zabski’s success.
One of the pizza businesses that gets a shoutout on the new song is Big Green Truck Pizza, owned by Liane Page.
“I love it,” Page said of the song. “It’s kitschy, it’s fun. It’s got a cute little beat. I love how they incorporate pizza places.”
Joe Elcuri, owner of Tipsy Tomato in Derby said he too loves the song.
“It has a good melody” he said.
Soon Zabski will lead a New Haven-style pizza making class at a Las Vegas expo that’s considered the Superbowl of pizza.
New Haven-style pizza has also been featured recently in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times, with Zabski’s endeavors part of the focus.
He also has a YouTube channel and “All About New Haven Style A’pizza” (pronounced Ah-beetz) Facebook page where he shares tips and answers questions on all aspects of making New Haven-style apizza.
Connecticut has become widely known for its pizza, in part because Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports has declared New Haven the pizza capital of the world for it’s no-flop, charred pies.
Listen to the song here: https://soundcloud.com/new-haven-pizza-school/01-new-haven-style-pizza-song-wav.
