Pittsburgh local music spotlight: Mike Urick and the Modelaires

Mike Palm
Monday, Sept. 1, 2025 8:05 a.m. | Monday, Sept. 1, 2025 8:05 a.m.

Mike Urick and the Modelaires

Mike Urick and the Modelaires released “The Polish Club Sessions” in 2022.

Mike Urick feels like is he is carrying on the legacy of his grandfather, Mike Cilli, with his band, Mike Urick and the Modelaires.

“He was a great musician and an amazing person,” Urick said. “We were really close when I was young and I grew up listening to his music. I would always see the joy on people’s faces when they listened to his music and I want to spread joy just like he did.”

Cilli performed with the original version of the Modelaires, a dance band that performed from the 1940s to the 2010s. And now Urick is keeping it going with a new version.

“The original Modelaires were amazing because they could play any genre of music but make it sound like their own style. They didn’t stick to just one era but really drew from 70 years of music,” he said. “If you think about it, most genres of music are danceable as long as they have a solid steady beat. So we play music from the original band’s heyday but we also expand that repertoire in ways that we think the original group would have were they still performing today.

“When you see us, you might hear Glenn Miller, Santana, Paul Simon, the Mills Brothers, Weezer, Creedence Clearwater, Patsy Cline, Taylor Swift, Blood Sweat & Tears, Talking Heads, Mighty Mighty Bosstones and more all in the same set. We’ll even throw in an original or two. But we’re going to put a unique Modelaires spin on each tune.”

Urick said the group prides itself on its live performances and is working on a collection of music that captures the energy of the live show, with hopes for an early 2026 release, if not sooner.

“I love the variety of songs that we play — our repertoire really relates to a broad audience. There’s something for everyone,” he said. “In fact, some people that used to see the original Modelaires are regulars at this new band’s shows. We have people of all ages that enjoy our shows because they’re so infectiously fun. You never know what surprises we’re going to throw into the mix at a live performance.”

Urick filled in TribLive on what else we should know about Mike Urick and the Modelaires:

Band: Mike Urick and The Modelaires

Band members: Mike Urick (vocals, trumpet, cornet, noseflute, percussion); Brian Anater (tenor sax); Marley Best (alto sax, clarinet, flute); Tom DeCarlo (drums); Chris Dufalla (trombone, vocals); Alex Lipinski (bari sax, alto sax); Carmen Marotta (keys, vocals, melodica, percussion); Randy Miller (bass, vocals); Nick Payne (trumpet, sound, stage manager); Dylan Riley (guitar)

Founding story: Mike Urick and The Modelaires was founded in 2021. I’m the grandson of Mike Cilli, who performed with the original Modelaires band. The original Modelaires were a regional dance band that performed from the 1940s-2010s. The original band played all types of music from swing to traditional Italian music to classic rock. The current band continues that tradition of playing a variety of music as long as it’s fun, fits the energy of the live show and works with the band’s instrumentation. The group was formed at the same time that the Neon Swing X-perience band was ending its 24-year run and includes several of its members.

Origin of band’s name: When the original band was formed in the 1940s, the story is that there was a booking agent around Jeannette that gave many of the bands their names. This agent named the original Modelaires and the band didn’t even necessarily know why. The current group’s name was inspired by the original Modelaires band.

For fans of: Horn rock, hot jazz, Americana, Mardi Gras-inspired New Orleans music

Influences: Louis Prima, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Huey Lewis, Louis Armstrong, Peter Gabriel, Chicago

Releases: “The Polish Club Sessions” album, 2022

Next shows: Sept. 6, Latrobe Italian Festival; Sept. 13, Greendance Winery in Mt. Pleasant; Sept. 19, Saint Vincent College Performing Arts Center concert series

How to find them: Mike Urick and the Modelaires can be found on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Three other Pittsburgh area bands to check out: The Polkamaniacs; Rosie and the Jammers; and Just Call Fred

Favorite pizza shop: With 10 members, it’s tough to agree on just one pizza shop. As a group, we tend to support the venues that hire us. So, that said, Bloom Brew (they’ve won awards!) and Four Seasons Brewing both have great pizza. But, we also eat pizza from places that don’t have live music — each band member has a favorite, but we do have a sweet spot for Jioio’s and Lilja’s.

Mike Palm is a TribLive digital producer who also writes music reviews and features. A Westmoreland County native, he joined the Trib in 2001, where he spent years on the sports copy desk, including serving as night sports editor. He has been with the multimedia staff since 2013. He can be reached at mpalm@triblive.com.

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