About US...

Kirk Larente has always had a keen ear for music and an innate understanding of what makes a song truly special. Growing up, he immersed himself in every aspect of music creation, from the melody to the production. This passion naturally led him to Vanguard Studios in Chelsea, where he worked as an assistant engineer under the guidance of the legendary Mark Berry.

Despite never taking formal lessons, Kirk taught himself to play the keyboard with a lot of help from his friend, Mark Garni. His dedication and talent shine through in his self-taught skills and innovative approach to music. Driven by a desire to create something different from what he was hearing on the radio, Kirk set out to write his own music. His journey has been fueled by a mix of frustration with the status quo and a deep love for crafting unique, heartfelt songs.

Kirk Larente

Mark Garni began his musical journey at the age of ten, gaining knowledge of both the piano and the organ. His talent quickly became evident, leading him to play for his church and school Masses, as well as various other celebrations. By the age of 16, Mark landed his first paying job as the organist for Chelsea Community Church, a position he held for nine years.

Mark's dedication to his craft led him to study under Julliard’s own Elier Suarez, a renowned figure in classical music. Under Suarez's guidance, Mark honed his skills and deepened his understanding of musical theory and performance. As his musical prowess grew, Mark expanded his repertoire, playing in rock bands and performing cocktail piano at numerous NYC restaurants and bars. Despite his diverse experiences, he always harbored a dream of becoming a rock star. To achieve this, Mark knew he had to create his own music, bringing his unique vision and passion to life.
And a Big Shout out to his wife Sandra for her creativity in designing our Logo.

Mark Garni

The Story of QCP

Quarantine Collaboration Project
Aka: (QCP)

A Musical Journey Reborn in the Pandemic

In the heart of Chelsea, NY, two friends, Kirk Larente and Mark Garni, began a journey fueled by their shared love for music. Growing up together, they played stickball, basketball, and later, drank beer and played pinball. But music was always at the core of their friendship.

Their friendship reached a new level when they started writing songs together in the mid-1980s. They would record their prized songs on a 4-track Fostex that belonged to Kirk. Both played keyboards and sang, but Kirk was a wizard of mixing and technology. Mark enjoyed playing "too much" as Kirk would laugh and tell him, "Dude, less is more."
They accumulated a repertoire of over 30 original tunes!

Despite Kirk’s move to Orlando, FL, in the 90s, the friends stayed connected, sharing and refining song ideas over the years. Sporadically, one would send the other a song idea, to which the other would add something and send it back.

When COVID-19 struck in 2020, forcing musicians out of studios, Kirk and Mark saw an opportunity. Having recorded remotely for years, they embraced the lockdown to revisit old tracks and create new ones. This surge of creativity led to the birth of the Quarantine Collaboration Project (QCP).

QCP is more than just a name; it represents resilience, innovation, and the enduring bond between two friends. During the lockdown, they ramped up their songwriting, resulting in over 45 tracks, each with its own video, available on YouTube and SoundCloud.

Today, QCP stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and the spirit of friendship.

Please Follow us on here and on X, Facebook, SoundCloud, and YouTube.

Share their music and join Kirk and Mark on their incredible journey so far and their new adventures yet to come.

Our Current
Music Collaboration Wall of Fame

Bruce is a long-time friend and bandmate, and jumped at the idea of working with us on several tunes. Most notably "That Christmas Feeling", "O Holy Night", and "A New Kind Of World" He brings his song-writing skills to the table every time, as well as his spot-on sense of harmony!

Bruce Copp

Joe Sweeney

Joe Lucenti

John Poullas

Joe, Kirk, and Mark go back to the early 1980s together. They recorded two demos together, "In This Alone", and "I Still Love You", at Park Ave Recording Studios! He is also Featured on "What Ever Happened to Rock and Roll".

Joe is also a long-time friend and bandmate who appeared on "It's Over" and is featured on "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", from a Christmas album of the same name, which he recorded with Mark several years ago.

Mike is Mark's cousin and is a songwriter. He wrote, "Best Friend I Never Had" and many other tunes, they can be found on his YouTube page under "Mike Gagliotti". He often collaborates with QCP.

Angelina is a first-time singer-songwriter
whom we approached to help us create two of our songs "Hey There", and "What You Mean To Me". She came up with the lyrics and recorded them on her phone and sent them to us. The rest is history, and we thank her immensely

Angelina D'Aquino

John is an amateur songwriter who came to us in 2005 with the song "It's Over" on cassette. With the help of Bart Cincotta on bass, Joe Lucenti on guitar, Mark on keyboard, and Kirk in the mixing and mastering department. We were able to clean up the recording and put it out for him.

Mike Gagliotti

Check out "Our Projects" page to see what we have done so far!

Bart Cincotta

Bart is also a long-time friend and bandmate with Mark and is featured on "Reflections" and a couple of other tracks that we have.