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Jeff Epstein
Co-Owner
Like many agents, Jeff Epstein’s first agency job was in a mailroom. But he learned about booking as the drummer in a band he formed in Colorado rather than start his post-collegiate career in insurance. He got his first agency job in the mailroom of Associated Booking Corporation, where he was promoted to agent within six weeks and began booking artists like B.B. King, Anita Baker and Roberta Flack. There he met agent Jeff Allen, with whom he would eventually move to Universal Attractions Agency, and began booking James Brown, again in the Southern territory.
When Jack Bart, son of founder Ben Bart, decided to retire in 2007, Epstein and Allen made an offer for the agency which they co-own today, maintaining UAA’s rich legacy of booking, branding and promoting careers of legacy soul and R&B artists to a roster of heavy metal artists. Of all the highlights of his career, including working with Brown, Chuck Berry and other legends, one stands out. “We also had the ‘One Nation Under a Groove’ tour with George Clinton, and we were able to get Galactic and Fishbone at the show in Central Park in New York City, on the stage on a beautiful night, watching George and everyone else jam on stage was definitely one of the highlights of my career.”
Jeff Allen
Co-Owner
Like Epstein, Jeff Allen launched his career from the mailroom at ABC, which early on represented Louis Armstrong among others. As he rose to agent, he booked artists including B.B. King, Millie Jackson, Albert King, and Ashford & Simpson. Before long, he and friends John Regna, Margo Lewis, and Mitchell Karduna formed Talent Consultants International. It was at TCI that he became acquainted with James Crawford, one of James Brown’s Famous Flames, who introduced Allen to Brown. The road to UAA starts there, with Brown insisting Allen come aboard.
“I was barely 21,” Allen tells Pollstar. He said “I’d be his new manager. I get a call from Jack Bart and he says, ‘I handle James Brown. I’m his agent.’ So I met him for lunch. But it turned out I wouldn’t be a manager, I’d be an agent.” His most recent touring success was curating and running the “I Love The ‘90s” tour with Salt-N-Pepa and some of the biggest stars of the decade, selling out hundreds of shows and landing specials on PBS, Japan’s NHK and Britain’s BBC.
Nick Martucci
Partner
Nick Martucci is the General Manager at Universal Attractions, where he has shaped the agency’s growth for more than a decade. Martucci joined the UAA team in 2007. Martucci has guided the company’s expansion with responsibilities in all aspects of the business, including staffing, marketing, and strategic planning. In addition to running day-to-day operations for the agency, Nick is the responsible agent for UB40 and Arthur & Friends Live. In 2019, Martucci was promoted to partner at the firm.
“It continues to be an honor to add to the history of UAA. Jeff Epstein and Jeff Allen have been the most incredible mentors. I am eternally grateful for the confidence and support they have shown me throughout my career. I am looking forward to growing the company with Jeff, Jeff, and the team over the coming decades. You would be hard-pressed to find another team that matches the hard-working, supportive, and tenacious culture at UAA”.
Nick Szatmari
Partner
Nick Szatmari was made partner at UAA this year after starting as an intern in 2008. He helped develop the international booking department at UAA and has been the responsible agent for many of UAA’s top clients and tours, including Bobby Womack, Naughty By Nature, The Jacksons, rising star Miss Velvet & The Blue Wolf, and his client for the last 10 years, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic.
Nick and Jeff Epstein together conceived of and created the “One Nation Under A Groove” tour, and George Clinton’s retirement tour with Galactic, Fishbone and Dumpstaphunk. While 2020 brought good career news for him, Szatmari continues looking forward. Personally, I’m very proud of what this team accomplished together over the years and I’m looking forward the exciting future that lies ahead for our company.”
Adam Zagor
Partner
Adam Zagor is a graduate of the Fame school, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for Music & Art and Performing Arts, and went on to earn both Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music Performance from New York University. After working as a freelance musician for several years, performing at venues from Carnegie Hall to festivals all over the world, Zagor began his career at UAA in 2009.
Zagor quickly came to realize that his passion for the music business was behind the scenes – helping to organize and arrange concerts, events, and tours. In 2017 he became the first agent promoted to partner by Epstein and Allen. Zagor currently represents Erica Campbell, Festival of Praise Tour, Floetry, Je’Caryous Johnson presents Set It Off Live on Stage, Marsha Ambrosius, Mary Mary, Raheem DeVaughn and Tina Campbell.