0097 JNB Notes Fall.qxd - Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation

Transcription

fall 2005
Table of CONTENTS
President’s GREETING
Rhonda Mano Interview
5
The Soundman
6
Outside the U.S.
7
Open Mike
11
Red Bank Jazz & Blues Festival
12
Blues in Print
15
Ray Gomez
16
Roxy Perry
17
Carol Moog Interview
19
COVER PHOTO: Horn player Khadafi Khan from Ray Rodriquez
and Swing Sabroso at the Red Bank Jazz & Blues Festival.
Photo by Mike Kazmeirczack.
JERSEY SHORE JAZZ AND BLUES FOUNDATION
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Dennis Eschbach, President
Fred Reilly, 1st Vice President
Lou Acevedo, 2nd Vice President
Joan Ferraro, Secretary
Amy Caro, Treasurer
Fletcher Barkley
Steve Chrepta
Tom Cuchiarra
Jeff Ginsberg
Mel Lowe
Steve Pszczola
JSJBF ADVISORY BOARD
Nicky Coppola, Past President
Mark North, Past President
Cheryl Cummings
Michelle Farlow
Hon. Joe Kyrillos, Jr., Senator,
13th Senatorial District
Hon. Edward J. McKenna, Jr.,
Mayor, Red Bank, NJ
Hon. Adam Schneider, Mayor,
Long Branch, NJ
STAFF
Ronnie Gardstein,
Director of Communications
Diane Sickles,
Membership Administrator
25 Bridge Avenue Suite 150
PO Box 8713
Red Bank, NJ 07701
732 933-0541
[email protected] & www.jsjbf.org
JAZZ & BLUES NOTES
A quarterly publication of the
Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues
Foundation © 2005 Jersey Shore
Jazz and Blues Foundation
Ronnie Gardstein, Executive Editor
Suzie O’Kane, Contributing Editor
2
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Mike Barris
Andy Bernstein
Chris Buono
Jeff Cafone
John Coleman
JPat Dalton
Dennis Eschbach
Jeff Ginsburg
Joe Hughes
Doris Lazur
Perry Leandro
Joe Lang
Jerry Pashin
Steve Pszczola
T.J. Wheeler
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Mike Kazmierczak
GRAPHIC DESIGN
AND PRODUCTION
Leigh Stoecker Graphic Design
www.leighstoecker.com
PRINTING & PRODUCTION
Shorewood Packaging, a
business of International Paper
Supreme Bindery Service, Inc.
JSJBF MEETING SCHEDULE
Monthly membership meetings
are held at 8 pm, on the third
Wednesday of each month at
the Ocean Place Resort & Spa,
One Ocean Blvd., Long Branch.
Meetings begin with business
and end with a jam session
open to all.
JSJBF NEW & RENEWING MEMBERS
WELCOME NEW INDIVIDUAL
& FAMILY MEMBERS
Deborah A. Adams
Michele Barkley
Coleen Burnett
Mark Bolton
Jahad Campbell
Michael Cava
Eddy Cooper
M. Daley
Mari DeSanto
Mario De Voogt
Lillian & Michael DiPiazza
Mark W. Farrell
Lee Frankel
Carol E. Gay
Alan & Bethany Gnauck
Lisa Goocharan
Cheryl Greefield
Alexander V. Ingham
Will Ismaeal
James Krauthein
Linda Marina & David Leon
Lauren Mangiola
Patricia Mosca
Gina Neglio
Richard Petrucha
Jackie Roglieri
Jim Rothe
Stephen Sala
Karen Lee Schwarz
Richard Skelly
Mitch Stark
Tim Travers
Elizabeth Ziek
…AND NEW ARTIST MEMBERS
Nu-Horizon
Octavia & The Earth Blood Blues Band
Phoenix Rising
Roger Girke Band
VooDUDES
If you joined JSJBF since the spring issue of Jazz & Blues Notes and
we left you off the list, please don’t get annoyed, just call 732-933-0541
or email [email protected] and we’ll include you in the next issue.
NOTE TO ALL JSJBF MEMBERS: Please send your current email
address to [email protected] so that we can keep you up-to-date on jazz
and blues news as it happens.
ADVERTISING & PUBLICATION
Your advertisement belongs in Jazz & Blues Notes!
For jazz and blues bands, it’s a great way to keep your name out
there for potential bookings.
For retailers, venues and service providers, it’s an unparalleled
means of reaching a sophisticated audience that makes the music
a key part of its life.
For everyone, it’s a great way to support the important work of the
Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation.
The magazine will reach more than 5,000 jazz and blues fans and
music business pros. Contact us today to advertise in the Winter 2005
issue. Advertising and copy closing date is November 15. Call
732-933-0541 or email [email protected] for rates and specs.
Greetings,
As we enter the fall, I hope you had a wonderful summer and had an
opportunity to hear and see some of the terrific jazz and blues bands
that filled the region with live music.
The Red Bank Jazz & Blues Festival, Long Branch Sunday Night
Series, Reckless Steamy Nights at the Red Bank Woman’s Club,
Guitarbeque, Red Bank StreetLife, Festiblues de Montreal, Whole
Foods Music Series, and Beachfest all featured our member bands
and made up one great summer of music for 2005.
Our Membership Drive kicks off this September and with that I’m
excited to announce that starting on Wednesday the 21st, we will be
moving to a new venue for our monthly membership meetings. I’d like
to welcome the Ocean Place Resort & Spa in Long Branch as our
new partner (thanks to Mike Tidwell and Barry Stein). Our meetings
will still be on the 3rd Wednesday of each month (except for
December) and will continue to feature a member band and an open
jam. So why don’t you come out to the meeting and have a bite to eat,
enjoy a drink at the bar, see some friends and listen to the band!
September’s meeting may very well be outside on the patio
overlooking the ocean.
From the Executive Editor:
Quite a few musicians put down their intruments and sat at
computers to write the pieces that appear in this issue of Jazz &
Blues Notes. I think that you will appreciate the information and
opinions they have shared.
Long-time Jazz & Blues Notes Editor, Suzie O’Kane has been freed
up from the task of putting together the magazine so that she can
spend more of her time and tremendous talents on covering jazz and
blues. I am grateful to her for her guidance and support. I am awed
at what she accomplished solo, and look forward to her continued
support of the publication, as Contributing Editor.
As we go to press, a benefit for victims of Hurricane Katrina is in the
works. We hope you support it. Please check www.jsjbf.org for more
information, and contact us at 732 933-0541 or [email protected] if you
would like to get involved.
Play on,
Ronnie
Ronnie Gardstein
In addition, at the Ocean Place this fall, we will be starting the Ocean
Place Music Series. Beginning September 10th, member bands will
perform from 8:30 pm to 12:30 am, every other Saturday night through
October. Admission is free. Junior Mack Band starts it off on 9/10, it’s
The Tonemasters on 9/24, Stringbean and the Stalkers take the stage
on 10/8 and The Voodudes finish it off on 10/22. The Ocean Place is a
beautiful venue to visit on a Saturday night. Grab your friends and
listen to some great music. Mark your calendars now!
We have many other great events coming up this fall as well. There’s
the International Blues Challenge regional semi-final competition on
October 9th at a number of venues, and regional finals on the 23rd.
Coming in November, don’t miss Jazzberry Park at the Wonder Bar as
well, which benefits the JSJBF's Community Youth Ensemble. You’ll
find more about these events in this issue of Jazz & Blues Notes.
For the first time ever, JSJBF membership dues will be due in
September for the following year. This change will make it a lot easier
for us to keep records and for you to know when your dues are
coming due. Speaking of dues, it’s really important to be a paid
member of the Foundation. Dues money goes towards our programs
and our operations, which include office space, phone, insurance,
mailings, newsletters, our storage space, etc..
So, if you have never become a member or have let your membership
lapse, why not come back and help us keep the music alive by
renewing your individual, family, band, business membership now!
For information on all JSJBF events, go to www.jsjbf.org, or call the
office @ 732-933-0541.
ISSUE
PUBLICATION DATE
CLOSING FOR ARTICLES AND ADS
Spring
3/15
2/15
Hope to see all of you at these important meetings and entertaining
events this fall.
Summer/Festival
6/1
5/1
Keep Jazz and Blues alive!
Fall
9/15
8/15
Sincerely,
Winter
12/15
11/15
Dennis
Dennis T. Eschbach, President
Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation
jazz & blues notes - fall 2005
3
November is
JAZZBURY PARK FESTIVAL MONTH
BY JEFF GINSBURG
Planning for the second annual Jazzbury Park
Festival is well under way. This year’s event
will move three blocks north to the wonderful
Wonder Bar and will kick off at 3pm on
Sunday, November 6th or 13th. Plans will
be finalized shortly.
Jazz guitarist Jerry Topinka and his students
have already committed to perform for us
again this year. Last year, the kids, who
included vocalists and instrumentalists, were a
high point of the show. No surprise, as Topinka,
a seasoned professional who regularly
performs with guitar legend Les Paul, at the
Iridium Club, in New York City, is also an
accomplished teacher, who runs a music
school at Freehold Music Center. Other
performers are being contacted by the event’s
producers Jeff Ginsberg, Tom Cucchiara, and
Amy Caro, and will be announced shortly.
The Wonder Bar offers a warm atmosphere
and friendly people, who welcomed our
request to hold the second annual event in
their recently renovated space. As a contribution
BY JERRY PASHIN
to our cause, they have agreed not to charge
us for use of the room. All they asked in return
was that we tell everybody that the Jazz
Lobsters were playing there every Wednesday
night throughout the summer.
In a time when so many have seen their reality
checks bounce, Rhonda Mano, owner of
Giamano’s, has seen her assets grow. This
lady has the vision and courage to venture
down the path not often taken, and has been
successful where others have failed. Rhonda
has established a refreshing menu of jazz,
blues and reggae all served up in one of the
finest restaurants on the Jersey shore.
The first annual Jazzbury Park Festival was a
huge success made possible by the generous
participation of countless JSJBF members who
donated time, material, and love. Thanks to them,
our first event raised a tidy sum that has been
used to support the Foundation’s educational
programs including the Community Youth
Ensemble under the direction of John Brown.
This year’s event will continue to support youth
and education programs within the Foundation.
While other jazz venues have
closed their doors, Rhonda’s
business grows.
The Wonder Bar is located at the corner of
Fifth and Ocean avenues, in Asbury Park,
across from Howard Johnson’s and Convention
Hall. Purchase tickets in advance for $15 by
calling JSJBF at 732 933-0541, or visiting
www.jsjbf.org. Tickets are $20 at the door.
For more details, contact: [email protected].
She offers musical delicacies to her patrons in
a hip environment. From Robert Johnson to
Satchmo to Bob Marley to Billie Holiday, you’ll
find it all at Rhonda’s place. In my view, it’s
Giamano’s for the best in musical entertainment
provided by the best musicians in the area.
Rhonda has expanded live music to six nites
a week to satisfy the insatiable appetite of
devotees who come out to support their
favorite artists, and check out new ones.
Jerry Topinka (right) will headline
at Jazzbury Park
Yes, It’s Time to Join, It’s Time to Renew
Before interviewing this lovely lady, I was only
able to speak to her briefly. The times I played
at Giamano's with Debbie Willis, or jammed
with Terraplane Blues, or the great Willie
Mitchell, I noticed how she was in control of
the restaurant’s operation. Her staff was
always cordial and gracious to the musicians,
making them feel comfortable and welcome.
A musician will never find more respect than
when playing at Giamano’s.
Enclosed is my tax-deductible, one-year membership fee. Please send my JSJBF membership
card, T-shirt (first time members), subscription to Jazz & Blues Notes, invitations to special
events and more, to:
Name: __________________________________________________________________
Street: __________________________________________________________________
Town: ________________________________ State: ___________ Zip: _______________
E-mail: _______________________________ Phone: _____________________________
Individual: $35
Family: $50 (One T-shirt only)
Band: $65 (One T-shirt only)
Full-time Student: $20
Lifetime Member: $300
(Businesses, please ask for membership packet)
New member
BY JOE LANG
Renewal
Mastercard
Visa
American Express
Account Number:__________________________________________________________
Security Code: _________________________ Expiration date: ______________________
Signature:________________________________________________________________
Little Milton Campbell
My check to Jersey Shore Jazz and
Blues Foundation is enclosed:
Mail completed coupon to:
SEPTEMBER 7, 1934 - AUGUST 4, 2005
25 Bridge Avenue
PO Box 8713
Red Bank, NJ 07701
4
You may also fax to 732 933-9455 or join
online through the membership page of
www.jsjbf.org
First Time Members T-shirt
Size M L XL XXL
I’d love to get involved, please contact me.
Rhonda hails from Brooklyn where she spent
her formative years. She moved to Jersey and
except for several years in Vermont, has spent
most of her life here. She currently resides in
Ocean Township enjoying life with her family,
including two beautiful grandchildren.
Prior to her involvement in the restaurant,
Rhonda had little experience in the business.
She only cooked at home. She did well in real
estate. She and her husband Frank moved the
restaurant to its current location from a smaller
site. Sadly, Frank passed on, and did not see
Gaimano’s flourish. Rhonda’s daughter Adriana
and son Stefan played key roles in shaping the
new Giamano's.
Rhonda sees the upstairs music lounge as
a warm and homey environment and I say,
“Amen to that.”
As Rhonda puts it, “bring on the jazz and you’ll
feel as if you were in a speakeasy.” Originally,
the area was a cigar bar with music. The
cigars left, but the music stayed. Thank you
(gasp, gasp)!
In Giamano’s, Rhonda has made many references
to Jamaica, the island that is her second home.
She has fallen in love with the island’s people,
culture and music, and visits frequently.
Jamaicans are “strong and positive amidst
the daily poverty and misery they live with,”
according to Rhonda.
The food at Giamano’s is nothing short of
superb. Described as “traditional, rustic
Rhonda Mano (center) son Stefan and
daughter Adriana are keeping live music
alive at Giamano’s in Bradley Beach.
southern and northern Italian cuisine,” the
meals are prepared in grande style by Master
Chef Stefan. The kitchen features imported
seafood and organic meats. Did I mention the
extensive list of fine wines? Quality and
consistency are always the main ingredients.
While other jazz venues have closed their
doors, Rhonda’s business grows. Why?
Simple. She has set her course and remains
true to it. She adheres to her convictions and
is not swayed by passing trends or the
myopic views.
Come down to Giamano’s and take in some
of the best music on the Jersey shore. For
reservations and music information, please
call 732 775-4275 or visit www.giamanos.com.
Giamano’s is located at 301 Main Street, in
Bradley Beach.
The New Jersey Jazz Society-THREE DECADES AND 800 MEMBERS
My company has a matching gift program. A form is enclosed.
Charge my:
Rhonda Mano:
SERVIN’ UP JAZZ & BLUES AT GIAMANO’S
Nominated for 21 Handy Awards
Winner of 6 Handy Awards
1988 Blues Hall of Fame Inductee
In 1970, a gentleman named Jack Stine
conceived of the idea of holding a concert in
memory of the great jazz clarinetist Pee Wee
Russell, with the proceeds being used to fund
a jazz scholarship at Rutgers in the name of
Pee Wee Russell. The initial Pee Wee Russell
Memorial Stomp was held on February 15,
1970, the first anniversary of Pee Wee’s death.
Two years later, the event had grown to the
point where Stine sought assistance from a
friend named Bill Cleland. Between them, they
decided that it would be a good thing to establish a group dedicated to the performance,
promotion and preservation of jazz, and in
October 1972, the New Jersey Jazz Society
was incorporated.
Today, almost 33 years later, NJJS continues to
function as a vibrant and vital organization.
With about 800 members, NJJS produces two
major events, the Pee Wee Russell Memorial
Stomp in February, and Jazzfest in June;
publishes a well respected monthly magazine,
“Jersey Jazz;” provides four scholarships each
year to college students who are studying jazz
full time in New Jersey; and presents
Generations of Jazz, a one-hour program on
the history of jazz, to elementary and middle
school students, among its many activities.
In conjunction with the Institute of Jazz
Studies at Rutgers-Newark, NJJS established
the American Jazz Hall of Fame. To date,
about 200 jazz greats have been inducted into
the Hall. We are currently in the process of
developing a website for the hall, with the
objective of having it on-line within a year.
There will be general information about the
Hall, and a page devoted to each inductee,
with biographical information, pictures, and a
select discography.
It is our goal to expand our presentation of jazz
concerts and programs, and to seek more
ways in which to further jazz education.
For further information about the New Jersey
Jazz Society, including membership information and forms, go to the NJJS website at
www.NJJS.org. Check out the listing of jazz
concerts posted on the site.
Joe Lang is the president of the New Jersey
Jazz Society and writes extensively for “Jersey
Jazz,” the society’s monthly publication. He
spent about 20 years in the retail record
business, eight of them as the owner of The
Hit Parade, a used record store in Red Bank
(1985-1993).
5
The Soundman: U N S U N G H E R O O F L I V E M U S I C
BY JOE HUGHES
The soundman is an often forgotten and
unsung hero of live music, whose work is of
great importance to musicians and fans alike.
A knowledgeable, informed and experienced
soundman can very often mean the difference
between a mediocre gig and a fantastic gig so
interfacing appropriately and professionally
with the soundman is pivotal.
As the frontman for the band Goldenseal, I
have had the honor to work with some of the
best soundmen and play through some of the
best sound systems around. These stages
include local places like The Stone Pony, The
Saint, The Bitter End, The Surf Club, The
Brighton Bar, The Court Tavern and The Bitter
End, as well as The Cup in Linden, and Kenny’s
Castaways in New York City. Overall, the
soundmen in these clubs are very interested in
providing bands and musicians with the best
sound possible. They take tremendous pride in
their work.
... the star of the show is not
the band or the lead singer,
it is actually the fan.
A musician can help these noble board jockeys
do their jobs. Over the years, I have developed
some helpful techniques. While some of these
concepts are pretty basic, I find that sticking to
the basics never steers me wrong.
Arrive Early/ Be Prepared/
Communicate
I always try to arrive at a gig early. I
immediately touch base with either the
soundman or other club personnel who can
advise where equipment can be stored or if it
can go right on stage. This past summer when
Goldenseal opened for Better Than Ezra, the
soundmen were so excellent they actually
helped with load-in and load-out. Jacko of the
Brighton Bar is notorious for lending bands a
huge helping hand with equipment and
transitions. Joe Harvard of The Saint, the great
soundmen at The Stone Pony and
Joe at The Cup all come to
mind as people (many are
fellow musicians) who really
care about bands and their
sound.
Remember that essentially we are
guests in someone else’s house - space
often filled with very expensive equipment.
Giving some thought in advance to where you
will be positioning your amps and drums
6
relative to each other, and what kind of sound
needs you have, is also helpful. Remember that
the soundman doesn’t know that three of you
are singers, one of whom is the drummer,
unless you tell him so. Oftentimes there is
much pressure to transition bands and the
quicker you can communicate your needs to
the soundman, the quicker he can attempt to
fulfill them.
I always do an equipment check at home
before I go to a gig so that last minute
problems with equipment don’t crop up. For
instance, I check the batteries in my pedals
and guitar and make sure my strings are in
good shape. (Don’t change your strings right
before a gig if you can help it though or you
will go out of tune.)
Soundcheck Time
If you are lucky enough to get a soundcheck,
make the most of it. Pick a song which you will
not be playing in your set and which uses all
vocals and all instruments. Don’t be afraid to ask
for more monitor if you need it. There is nothing
worse than singing in a band and not being able
to hear your vocals. Discuss the overall sound
with your bandmates and if you need more of
something ask for it before you leave the stage.
Make sure the drummer can hear the lead
singer, as many bands key off the vocals.
Have a good friend of the band who knows
the sound you are looking for listen from
different spots in the room during soundcheck.
Discuss any comments and communicate them
to the soundman. He will no doubt endeavor to
make your wishes come true.
It’s Miller Time/ Real Good,
Not Real Loud
Soundmen hear lots of bands. They will always
have a great story for you and may have some
great comments about the band, which can be
useful. Make them feel appreciated and they
will work extra hard to give you the best sound
possible. I always try to learn the soundman’s
name for the next gig and on occasion have
been known to buy him or her a beer. I have
seen soundmen treated like
second-class citizens by some bands and
always felt that was not the way to go.
Remember that the star of the show is not the
band or the lead singer, it is actually the fan
that shells out money to see you or drives 20
miles to your gig. If you treat the soundman
with respect, he will treat your fans with
respect and give them the best show possible.
That’s what the game is all about. I try to
never forget that no matter the level, it all
comes down to this: success is gratitude;
gratitude is success.
If you are lucky enough to
get a soundcheck make the
most of it.
I have seen bands and players that compete
with each other in terms of volume and
bands that seek a perfect blend of volume,
instruments and voices. I think most music fans
agree that the latter manage to survive the test of time and continue
to get the good gigs. Treat the
soundman with respect and
professionalism and you will
undoubtedly play some fantastic gigs at some great clubs. And
who knows, you may even make
some fans among them.
Music fans, which all of us are, the
next time you hear a band say
“please give it up for the soundman,”
I know you will.
Joe Hughes is the frontman for
the rock band Goldenseal and is
a lawyer by day at Borrus,
Goldin, and Foley. Email
[email protected]
for music issues. Contact him at
732 422-1000 www.borrus.com
and [email protected] for
legal issues.
Outside the U.S.
BANDS TALK ABOUT THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF CROSSING THE BORDER
Editor’s Note:
With the JSJBF having embarked on its first
international blues exchange, and several
member bands having traveled to festivals in
Canada this summer, it seemed a good time to
gather wisdom from some of the foundation
member bands that have traveled outside the
country. There were definitely hassles. It’s
clear that to most folks, the people that they
met made the experiences outstanding. Here
are their reports:
JPat Dalton has made extended
trips to China:
During my last trip to China, I had a job playing
music at an Irish pub in Shanghai, six nights a
week for two months and I call this my “day
job” over there. I played solo and did all kinds
of stuff including a lot of Celtic stuff.
I got out of work just after midnight so several
nights a week, I would go out to some of the
other bars in town, ones catering to jazz and
blues. I had gotten friendly with the house
bands so basically I would roll out of work, and
then get on another stage and play harmonica
for the rest of the night. After some time, I was
being recognized as “that harmonica player
from the Cotton Club.” I was interviewed and
was featured on a site called www.chinaharp.com if you can believe it.
During my “off hours”, I developed
relationships with some of the local Shanghai
music industry. This led to a few spots on a
show called “Live It Up Shanghai,” an English
language program with an audience of mostly
Chinese college kids. Near the end of my stay, I
had the distinct pleasure of performing at their
listener party and signing autographs and such.
On my next trip over I hope to get a booking at
the House of Blues and Jazz, a famous little
club owned and operated by a famous Chinese
actor named Lin Dong Fu, whom I became
quite friendly with. If all goes as planned, I will
be flown over there with a band to play jazz
and blues music and be a band leader six
nights a week for about three months.
I look forward to this because Dong Fu is
always there. He loves music more than most
people I have ever met making it a pleasure to
perform for him. It also will give me a chance
to really dig into standards and give them a go.
Of course, I will be doing my own compositions
as well, but you know, Gershwin, Ray Charles,
Miles Davis, John Lee Hooker, Charles Mingus, etc.
House of Blues and Jazz will be my day job as I
try to get more things going on Chinese radio
and TV again. I would like to explore working
with some Chinese pop musicians and see
what happens.
I do not have memories of any one major
problem in international gigs, with the
exception of ego. Many players cross the
border and they get to thinking, despite
whatever gig it is they have waiting (whether
scheduled or not) that the trip makes them
bigger then their colleagues back home. They
wait at the crossing for their cell to ring with
an unexpected call, so they can make some
large statement like, “look, I just got to the
airport actually, yeah it's cool, I got this gig in
Switzerland...” I guess people need to realize
that as exciting the prospect of international
gigging sounds (and I am not exception,) we
should not let it get to our heads.
Arranging the proper visas is always a good
idea if the employer is paying you above the
table. If it is all door deals, or percentages of
bar tills, or just some cash guarantee, a lot of
times nobody reports any of it. The Swiss and
the Chinese are sticklers for rules, so take
care of these things with more than a month
lead-time if possible.
One unanticipated contract
issue arose in Switzerland. I
was given room and board for
the month of my booking, but at
the end of the month upon
receipt of my pay, the taxes
that had been taken out
actually included the room and
board being treated like
payment, so hence, Swiss
accounting practices led to me
being taxed on my “free room
and board”.
Pretty much everyone took
care of me in ways I had
expected, some more than
others. I found that the
equipment I used worked fine
with everything else. I didn’t
have language problems
involving either business or
technical matters. As bad
as this sounds, everyone is
speaking English everywhere,
or at least someone is.
I will be bringing a CD with me
this October, but I might just
mail them over to avoid any
questions at the crossings
about legal stuff.
I was met with curiosity by
many people about being a U.S.
citizen. But strangely, a lot of
people thought that I was from
a lot of other countries, like
Ireland and Italy.
Lou Acevedo with JPat Dalton, JSJBF’s 2005
acoustic “Battle” winner.
If audiences spoke a different language,
the in-between talking was filled with more
simplistic language mixed sometimes with bits
of whatever language the audience spoke
I played well over 100 international gigs, there
were too many unanticipated experiences to
list. The best aspect of the experience was
meeting people.
(continued on page 8)
Bill Cosby
SATURDAY OCTOBER 8th - 4PM/8PM
One of the world’s best known entertainers
makes a rare stop. Come enjoy hilarious stand up
comedy and see why this five-time Grammy
winner has been a family favourite for over
thirty years! You’ll double over with laughter!
Gordon Lightfoot
OCTOBER 26th- 8PM
“If You Could Read My Mind” “Sundown”
“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”
“Carefree Highway” “Rainy Day People”
“The Way I Feel” “Early Morning Rain”
NOVEMBER 8th - 8PM
“Saturday in the Park” “Beginnings”
“Feeling Stronger Every Day” “25 or 6 to 4”
“Colour My World”
PS - On November 9th Chicago will also be playing the
State Theatre in New Brunswick call 732-246-7469 or
online at www.statetheatre.com
Hall & Oates
NOVEMBER 29th - 8PM
“Rich Girl” “Kiss On My List” “Sara Smile”
“Maneater” “You Make My Dreams”
“One on One” “Say It Isn’t So” “Private Eyes”
and so many more!
4th Annual Brian Setzer Orchestra
Christmas Extravaganza
DECEMBER 4th
Michael FeinsteinLinda Eder
3/19/06
Celtic Women
4/26/06
For Tickets Call
732-842-9000
www.countbasietheatre.org
Presented by AM PRODUCTIONS
7
Outside the U.S.
(continued from page 7)
The VooDUDES have done tours in
Switzerland, Greece and several trips
to Canada. Andy Bernstein advises:
If you’ve done contracts yourself, as we have
in the VooDUDES, you have to think through
what you want and what extra steps have to
be taken to achieve those things in another
country, i.e. lodging and food.
All work permits and visas were taken care of
by the promoters who brought us in to perform.
This is particularly important in Canada, where
the musicians union successfully lobbied for a
protective tariff for incoming players. Those
tariffs can be steep, and are generally tied into
the work visas, so you want somebody else
carrying that freight.
Transportation presents one of the most
obvious examples of currency exchange rate
issues. You’d need to know the exchange rate
of the country you're gigging in and write that
into a contract to ensure that you’re receiving
the correct fees.
In our tours of Switzerland and Greece,
promoters fulfilled their responsibilities as we
expected, for the most part. Canada seems to
be, in many ways, more like the States and
some promoters threw us a curve ball now
and then.
We actually fared better in Ontario Province
booking our own tour, and having a club owner
in Ottawa for whom we were doing multiple
nights, take care of the work visa and tariffs.
When we went to Quebec Province for a week
in Montreal, we actually stayed in the club
owner’s loft above the club. At first, I thought
he was getting off cheap, but I realized the
Quebecois have a communal idea of the arts.
He threw parties for us to meet his friends
and sent us out on tours of the city. They
wanted to share the entire “band-on-the-road”
experience with us. It was sort of a Francophilic version of Haight-Ashbury.
We took everything with us to Canada and
didn’t need adapters or any equipment
different from the States. An interesting aside:
we were returning from Canada about a week
before the Oklahoma City bombing and were
stopped by American soldiers at Customs.
Turns out they were from the bomb squad at
Fort Drum, New York. They checked out all the
equipment. The incident has always fed my
paranoid fear that they know something was
going to happen, just not exactly what (and
Timothy McVeigh was a former soldier from
Upstate New York).
In Switzerland and Greece, we specified the
equipment we needed in contract riders. We
8
did however take converters for own personal
use. And, I did have to carry my own rubbord.
For the advance business, we had no
language problems. The promoters and their
representatives spoke English. Once over
there, it was a different story in Switzerland.
Former bassist Ron Tullier spoke some French,
as I do, so we seemed to work things out.
Having family from France, I do know that they
want you to try to speak their language, so I
worked out an icebreaker: “Pardonez-moi. Je
suis un stupide Americian. Parlez-vous Anglais
pour moi s’il vous plait?” (Excuse me, I am a
stupid American. Would you please speak
English for me?)
The French loved it! Almost every one of them
was able to speak some English to me, or by
having said it loud enough, somebody else
came up who spoke English and translated.
It was harder in the German sections of
Switzerland, but then again they didn’t seem to
have as much of a problem with you speaking
English to them from the get-go.
In a 10-day Greek tour, I only met two people
who didn’t speak any English (and one was an
Algerian peddler to whom I spoke my bad
French. Most Greeks have some family or
close friend living in the US; consequently, our
language is widely taught and spoken there.
Foreign countries do want you to pay sales tax
and sometimes tariffs on merchandise such as
CDs. I didn’t encounter any copyright issues.
When you’re playing American roots music,
people in other countries think you're more
authentic. Consequently, being from “the
swamps of Jersey” is a legit as being “born on
the Bayou.”
Trying to get European audiences up to dance
rather than sit and listen intently and clap after
each solo was a bit disconcerting--especially
when we shared a stage with a French pop
band that sounded like they were playing
cartoon music. The whole room would sit
there, stare at us like we were giving a lecture,
then jump to their feet, and start “vogueing” to
the other group.
Anglo-Canadians dance to the stuff, but
French-Canadians view The VooDUDES' music
as part of their heritage and seem to imbue it
with a little more importance than it deserves.
However, they are a lot less serious than their
Euro cousins and can be more easily induced
to party.
We had great experiences like jamming with
Ottawa’s New Orleans Band Mumbo Gumbo
Voodoo Combo, at the Canadian Parliament
Building in Ottawa. The most unanticipated
aspect of the international experiences was
having Swiss customs do a full strip-search
and orifice check in the Geneva Airport.
In Greece, Dave Ambroxy was left at a club in
the middle of nowhere, outside the city of
Karditsa. After the show, the road manager
did not do a head count before the bus took
off. In Canada, the promoter put us in London,
Ontario’s version of the “No-Tell Motel.” I went
up to my room and found one of the local
“working girls” working there.
In July, the JSJBF received the terrific news that
the New Jersey State Council on the Arts had
granted it $54,000, for the 2006 Red Bank Jazz &
Blues Festival. This is a substantial increase from
previous funding, and it will enable the JSJBF to
expand its educational programming related to the
festival. We say BRAVO and THANK YOU to the
NJSCA for helping us keep the music playing!
Suzie O’Kane reported back from
her trip to Canada with Roxy Perry:
obtaining some Canadian currency in advance
is a good idea.
To those preparing to tour outside the U.S.
for the first time, as they say, “forewarned is
forearmed.” In August, I joined Roxy Perry and
her band on a trip to Carleton, Quebec, on the
Gaspe Peninsula, for the five-day Maximum
Blues Fest. I traveled with Roxy and half the
band in a spacious 8-seater van, and the
journey to the festival was an event in itself.
Not being a long distance road traveler, I could
not anticipate what a15-hour road trip would
feel like. Some things to keep in mind…
Rev. Bob McCarton of Breakin’ The
Bondage Blues Band wrote:
Arriving at the New York/Canadian border
at about 3 a.m., ours was the only vehicle
crossing. As a rule, you are asked about the
purpose of your visit in Canada, the length of
stay, and are asked to present passports,
which we did. We were then asked to get out
of the vehicle and take a seat inside the
customs office, while officers reviewed our
papers and made several phone calls to verify
information, check records, etc. While we
waited inside, the agents were busy going
through bags, boxes, suitcases, music and
video gear, and counted every CD to determine
how much tax should be charged against
potential sales at the festival. All of this added
about an extra hour to the journey.
When we were permitted to enter Canada,
the roads were pitch dark with absolutely no
streetlights or signs of life aside from the
endless pine trees that rise on high hills above
both sides of the road. A note of advice,
prepare and study your directions and road
maps well in advance; being certain that
you’re headed in the right direction will provide
a sense of needed security just about the time
when the night journey seems to be without end!
We reached Carleton at about noon. There is
precious little English spoken in Quebec, but
we found the people to be very friendly, and as
there were many tourists present for the
festival, we enlisted the translation services of
some very helpful bi-lingual blues fans! Also,
My band made it back from the Christian Blues
festival we played in Vancouver, BC, Canada
and it was not without incident.
Starting Jan.1, 2006, a passport will be required
to travel between Canada and the USA.
Lead-time should be no less than 90 days. The
passport people told me this. Presently a
government issued picture ID card (driver’s
license) and birth certificate is all that is required.
Because we were a band, a work permit
had to be issued. This was obtained from a
Canadian immigration office, which is located
at every border crossing.
Our promoter was a dream to work with. His
entire staff bent over backwards for us. When
the hotel gave our rooms away because of a
SNAFU on their part, the promoter booked
upgraded rooms for us. Two people per
room/meals included-Carte Blanche.
They supplied every piece of equipment we
needed. I just had to bring my harps, my
guitarist and bass man needed to bring their
axes, and the drummer needed his sticks.
There was a complete backline featuring
custom built amps (even custom built harp
amps) and a Hammond C3A organ with Leslie
speakers. How cool is that?!?!?!
We had no language problems involving
either business or technical matters, and there
were no misunderstandings about who was
responsible for what. They did it all for us.
We just had to play and play we did!!!
We didn’t bring any CDs only because I had
none to bring (I’m working to get the $300+
together to get another 100 printed), however,
the promoter did have available for us a USA
shipping address that would have brought our
CDs over the border and to the festival.
We encountered no copyright issues. They
asked permission to record and video one of
our songs for use on their sight. Seeing as I own
all the rights, I didn’t have a problem with this.
The audience enjoyed themselves with all the
bands regardless of national origin. There
were four American acts, one Brit, and six
Canadian acts. I spoke with my best Bronx
accent and gave off with a few “fugetaboutit’s”
and they ate that up. EH?
The most unanticipated aspect of the
experience was the 4:00 am hassle we got from a
Canadian Border officer--little man with a badge.
Other than the border hassle, the hospitality
and kindness were awesome. We were not
wanting for anything. Food, transportation,
money exchange, they handled everything.
Plus, after we played our hour-long set and
were packing up to make room for the next act,
the head promoter came up and invited us
back for next year. Done deal!! All in all, we
had a grand time and a wonderful experience.
Chris Buono traveled as a side-man:
The German tour was with a NYC funk band
from the 90’s called D’Tripp. The Canadian run
was with New Jersey locals Brown for NXNE.
Crossing into Canada we said we just going to
hang with friends. Germany was a different
story. They pulled aside the Jamaican bass
player to see if he had any “pot”. We were
constantly asked questions throughout the
country especially in Munich. We were
actually asked to stop playing in the street in
front of the Glock because we had no permit
and we “looked” like Americans.
Most every border I’ve crossed wants to know
what you're doing and if you’re coming to their
country to make money. I have not had to
arrange visas or work permits.
There were always unanticipated issues in
contracts. I had half a European tour canceled
W ELCOME SIORA, A NEW JSJBF
MEMBER BAND . F ROM LEFT TO RIGHT :
R APHAEL C RUZ ( PERCUSSION ), S TEVE
B ESKRONE ( BASS ), P HYLLIS C HAPELL
( VOCAL ), D AN K LEIMAN ( PIANO ) AND
J IMMY C OLEMAN ( DRUMS ).
because the road manager/booking agent
was an ass. I never experienced any major
misunderstandings about who was responsible
for what. I’m always a sideman so I don’t do
anything but play.
On the technical side, everyone has to have a
110 to 220 adaptor for parts of Europe.
Being an American had a big impact on
audiences. They ate it up. The more American
we seemed, the more they loved. If audiences
spoke a different language, it never affected
performances, especially for the New York City
based funk band I went out with to Germany.
ANY other audience is better than a totally
American audience is. Our culture is gone. Any
crowds with depth are always from abroad.
The best aspect of the experience was the
people. The most unanticipated aspect of the
experience was the lack of sleep.
A few other travelers checked in
with brief messages-Lou Katy combined performing with relaxation:
I’ve performed on a number of cruise ships
while in the Caribbean and Alaska as well as
doing a couple of shows on Crystal Cruise’s
M/S Harmony in the Pacific Ocean shortly after
exiting the Panama Canal. I also sang “My
Way” with a mariachi band in Guadalajara
Mexico at a private party. He reports that
during his free daytime hours, he pretty much
had the run of the ships, as long as he kept a
low profile.
Philadelphia’s Carol Moog happily reports:
The Carol Moog Band just came back from
performing at the Tremblant International Blues
Festival in Canada to a truly overwhelming
reception! [She talks more about it in the
interview that appears on page 19.]
Ken Sorensen of Stringbean and the Stalkers
relates: On trips abroad, I found local
musicians by sitting in with other bands and
then they were happy to play with me.
9
The foundation’s support of
YOUNG MUSICIANS MAKES A DIFFERENCE…
Open Mike A COLUMN ON MUSICIANSHIP
BY
To all those wonderfully gifted
souls who encouraged and
supported Casey to share
his soundDear Mr. Eschbach and Foundation,
We are so truly grateful to youespecially to you, Lou & Joan,
I just want to stop and thank you for
Candy & Sandy & the Mack-etteschoosing me as the Michael Goforth
& to you NickyScholarship winner. This money will
A word from the Book of Life:
Dear Foundation Members,
help my studies at University of the
“He will play and you will feel
Arts in the fall, like you wouldn’t
b
e
t
t
e
r
…
”
(
S
a
m
u
e
l
1
6
,
1
6
)
Thanks again for the scholarship
believe.
and the great experience you
K
ATHEE
AND
R
OBERT
C
ALLAN
gave me at the Red Bank
Thank you so much!
festival It was definitely a time
to remember. Thanks again!
CAITLIN CIVITANO
See you at the next meeting.
MIKE BARRIS
The Missed Opportunity
“Waiter! May I have my check, please?”
to be rid of her - I had my innings with her, but
I didn’t want - I never intended - “
“I - okay. If you say so.”
“I was as surprised as you were, when I heard
she had died. When I saw you in the common
room, I had to tell you.”
“You’re a good man. Got a pen? Here’s the
address.”
“Certainly, sir. Your friend didn’t show up?”
“Died. Don’t say it. It sounds so - so - “
zzzzz
“No. And she’s not my friend. She’s my unusually cruel and unmerciful college
professor.”
zzzzz
“New York College of Music, guitar department.”
“Hi. My name is Joe Malone. I’m a student
in Dr. Phillips’ guitar class. I had a lunch
appointment with her today, but she didn’t
show up. Can you tell me why?”
Sincerely,
CASEY CALLAN
her the card. It’ll be a nice gesture. You’ll feel
good about it later.”
“Dr. Phillips - had a bad fall. She slipped in her
office as she was going out this morning, and
hit her head on the side of her desk. She’s in
Roosevelt.”
“You look wiped out, man.”
“I tell you, Bert. It’s a puzzle to me. I do
everything I can to please her, but I just can’t
find a way! It’s like - she has it in for me, you
know? I thought we’d get it together over
lunch, but that didn’t happen, and now I can’t
stop thinking about her!”
“Ah, listen, man. Maureen Phillips is a tough
broad. I know: I worked with her, back in the
‘fifties. We did studio jobs together. You should
have seen the city then. There was so much
work for musicians! As far as Maureen Phillips
goes, there was never a more professional or
respectful person toward the music. You
should cherish this time with her, man. You
won’t see her kind come this way again.”
“Oh, God. How is she?”
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“She’s in intensive care. She’s unconscious, as
far as I know.”
“Oh, Jeez. She accepted my invitation to meet
to talk about my playing. She’s been pushing
me to - extend myself and I’ve been in hell
trying to satisfy her. We’re like oil and water.”
“Dr. Phillips is a wonderful teacher. She was
one of the pioneering women jazz guitarists.
Did you know that?”
“Yes. It’s all some people talk about in class.
She played with everybody - Dizzy Gillespie
and Benny Goodman and just about any other
old jazz luminary you can name. What is she 70, 80?”
“Seventy-five. If you’d like to send her a card, I
can give you the hospital address.”
“A card! From me? Are you kidding?”
“That’s good advice, man. Ain’t nothin’ wrong
with that. We can all always get a little better.
All always get a little better. Just let the past
go. Focus on your craft. You’re good now. But
listen to the prof. She's a smart lady. A very
smart lady.”
“Life is short, isn’t it, Bert? You’re here one day,
gone the next.”
“Why would I be kidding? Don’t you think it
would make her feel nice, to wake up and
see your card? Think how you’d feel if you
were in her shoes! You aren’t a friend of hers,
are you?”
“Easy, brother. I turn 85 next week.”
“Well, no, I…”
“God, it’s all right, Frank. Thanks for telling me.
You were in her class last year. You lived
through her methods. Wow, I certainly wanted
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to pry. Do me a favor. Send
10
“Bert, I really love working with you. Playing is
my retreat from school. But - I know we’ve got
to get back on the stand in a minute - you don’t
know how this person has got under my skin. I
can’t eat, can’t sleep, can’t even breathe. I’m
going crazy, trying to make her happy. I used to
be a big-shot guitar player in high school, you
know. I was a star. The kids loved me. But Dr.
Phillips is trying to teach me all over again how
to play the guitar. She says I don’t feel enough.
She wants me to slow down and be more
mindful of what I play. Can you believe that? I
thought I was very into it.”
zzzzz
“I’m sorry, Joe, I thought you’d want to know.”
“Look. She gave you nothing but grief. Now
you’re off the hook. Don’t worry about her. She
was a strange bird. Those dumpster dresses,
that hand-made jewelry. She looked like a bag
lady. You can thank the stroke caused by the
head trauma she suffered after she fainted and
hit the desk.”
“I didn’t want - this to happen to her. I was
starting to see that it’s pointless to try to
change other people. You can only change
yourself. I wish I’d known that before. I miss
her already. She got me to move my butt. She
probably never even saw my get-well card.”
zzzzz
“Ladies and gentlemen, as our memorial
service in this vast sanctuary draws to a close,
let us sum up Maureen Phillips’ life and work in
a sentence. That sentence is from her obituary
that ran in Tuesday’s New York Times: ‘Ms.
Phillips was one of the genuine characters of
the music business, with her red hair and
trademark cigarette tucked inside a long
cigarette holder she liked to sport on stage.
But she was regarded by her peers, women
and men alike, as a musician’s musician,
whose love for her work and the guitar shone
through in every note.’”
“Oh…”
“Excuse me, young man. Would you care for a
Kleenex? I’m sorry, I couldn’t help hearing you
sniffle, what with your sitting so close to me.”
“Thank you, ma’m. I didn’t expect to get so
emotional today. I didn’t think I would make a
fuss. I didn’t think I would actually cry. I
shouldn’t even be here. The truth is - I didn’t
even like her.”
Mike Barris is a guitarist and writer based in
Elberon. He will teach the Fall installment of
his non-credit course at Brookdale Community
College, “Perfectly Frank: An Appreciation
of the Music of Frank Sinatra,” at Brookdale’s
Lincroft campus from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Wednesdays from Oct. 26 to Nov. 9. To
register, call 732-224-2315, using course
code XHUMM 041.
11
R e d B a n k Ja z z & B l u e s Fe s t i va l 2 0 0 5
T.J. Wheeler -
Palmieri Turns Up The Heat
AT RED BANK FEST
BY MIKE BARRIS
More than 40 years ago, Eddie Palmieri
became a hero to Latino music fans for the
way he fused the rhythms of his Puerto Rican
heritage with the jazz influences of pianists
Thelonious Monk and McCoy Tyner.
Like any good revolutionary, Palmieri doesn’t
stand still. As his headlining set on Sunday at
the CD101.9 Red Bank Jazz & Blues Festival
showed, the pianist, bandleader and seventime Grammy winner is still restlessly seeking
out stylistic innovations.
From the opening number, “Palo Pa’ Rumba” (a
1984 album title track that won a Grammy as
best Tropical Latin Performance), Palmieri’s
septet was full of musical surprises and
syncopated passion, coaxing listeners down
from their seats on the hills in Red Bank’s
Marine Park to dance uninhibitedly in front
of the stage.
Palmieri’s septet was full
of musical surprises and
syncopated passion, coaxing
listeners down from their
seats on the hills in Red
Bank’s Marine Park to
dance uninhibitedly in
front of the stage.
Before his set, the Jersey Shore & Blues
Foundation, which organizes the free festival,
presented the 68-year-old native of the Spanish
Harlem section of New York with a lifetime
achievement award. The honor was bundled
together with the surprising announcement
that the diminutive Latin-jazz star would not be
appearing with La Perfecta II, a revival of the
noted 10- to 12-piece band he first formed in
1961, as advertised, but rather a seven-man
group dubbed the Eddie Palmieri Jazz Ensemble.
12
ON THE ROAD TO
RED BANK FESTIVAL 2005
BY STEVE PSZCZOLA
he received tremendous rhythmic support from
Jose Claussell on timbales; Joe Santiago on
bass guitar; Little Johnny Rivero on congas and
Orlando Vega on bongos.
They set the stage for spectacular, fiery solos
by trumpeter Brian Lynch and trombonist
Conrad Herwig.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said,
“Music is the universal language of mankind.”
---- T.J. Wheeler speaks that language fluently.
Eddie Palmieri on piano.
T.J. Wheeler
Near the end of the 90-minute set, singer
Herman Oliveras, another La Perfecta II
member, joined the band, bringing things to a
pitch on the closer, “Azucar,” from the 1965
album “Azucar Pa’ti (Sugar for You).”
Palmieri no doubt benefited from having the
table set for him by the preceding act, Ray
Rodriguez Y Swing Saboroso, a Latin-jazz
orchestra which works the tri-state area.
Saboroso's infectious salsa beat had people
dancing in heat that exceeded 80 degrees.
Jason Ricci play harmonica with the band.
Deb Calahan
Palmieri’s appearance marked a rare nod by
the festival organizers to jazz fans. Traditionally
the lineup tilts sharply toward the blues.
Nevertheless, the weekend lavished lots of
attention on the genre, spotlighting changes
in the music through its two headlining
blues artists.
In her 90-minute show Saturday,
gravel-voiced soul singer/songwriter E.C. Scott sang of women
“in control.”
The characters peopling her original songs are
pro-active and deeply self-aware - light years,
in evolutionary terms, beyond the more passive, emotionally dependent female figures of
songs immortalized long ago by singers such
as Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday.
No matter. What listeners got was a mighty
band indeed, powered by what was essentially
La Perfecta II’s rhythm section.
Scott’s performance was good in most
respects - the native of Oakland, Calif., fronts
her highly polished band with energy and soul,
and works the crowd hard to give listeners a
memorable experience. As a singer, her best
trait is her phrasing, which gracefully and
easily exposes deeper nuances of meaning in
the lyrics. However, she lacks an abundance
of drive, a shortcoming that impairs her
overall impact.
As the heavy-handed Palmieri hammered out
the complex lines that underpinned the tunes,
In fact, the show generally seemed to lack the
natural electricity that makes live performances
Vendor booths
E. C. Scott
so exciting. Scott’s five-man backup band was
flawless technically, displaying studio-quality
precision, but you could have heard as much
listening to one of Scott’s CDs. Not that the
crowd seemed to mind the lack of live fireworks.
T.J. Wheeler opens his educational sessions
and performances as a complete stranger to
almost every person in attendance, but it takes
just a few short minutes for him to connect
with his audience. He might open with a quote
from a legendary blues or jazz performer, a
story, a joke, or a piece of music history. From
that point on, he takes you on a trip through the
African and Delta root origins of blues and jazz,
accomplishing that journey with teaching,
entertaining, and audience participation.
In delivering his “Hope, Heroes, and Blues”
program, T.J. enables young people to
experience the emotion and joy that is the
music born in the hearts of blues and jazz
performers. T.J. personifies the timeless
link between generations and people of
different backgrounds.
Our teenage JSJBF
member band, Outside
the Box, had the
privilege of performing
with T.J. Wheeler several
times during his stay. They were
amazed at what they could
learn from him, and took
every opportunity to gain
that knowledge.
T.J. Wheeler stayed with us
for a few days leading to
the Red Bank Jazz and
Blues Festival 2005, and the
weekend of the festival.
Many of us personally enjoyed meeting
T.J. and his wife, Nadine, because they
are wonderful people. I certainly count
myself among those who found them
to be two of the nicest people I have
met in my life.
cd101.9 Ladies
Within a short timeframe, we watched many
people enjoy the magic. Young students,
We all enjoyed T.J.’s performing
and teaching, and recognized it
for the rare experience that it
is. His visit with the Jersey
Shore Jazz and Blues
Foundation left many people
asking the same question…When is
T.J. coming back?
The crowd listens in the in the shade.
Killer Blues Band
The crowd dances in the afternoon sun.
In just a few days, T.J. Wheeler educated
and entertained hundreds of young students,
including the young people in the JSJBF Youth
Ensemble Program, and students in Red Bank’s
primary and middle schools.
Jason Ricci - reigning harp master
Friday saw harmonica prodigy Jason Ricci, the
other blues headliner, pushing the envelope,
taking the music well beyond its traditional limits.
The moments spent watching T.J. Wheeler
perform are among those moments in your life
that stay with you long after the performance is
over. T.J. reaches out and involves you on a
personal level, transporting you to the heart of
the music. Whether you have a deep love for
blues and jazz, or just a casual interest, he
makes you a part of the music. For blues and
jazz aficionados, the music lives in your soul …
and T.J. knows how to bring it out.
educators,
school
administrators,
operations
staff, and
thousands
of festival
attendees
listened, sang, clapped their
hands, and danced, while some
played jug band music on
stage with T.J..
With unbelievably fast, melodic blowing and
an ever-changing, liquid tone, Ricci sprayed
rain-drenched listeners with a fusillade of
notes that demanded attention.
Mike Barris is a correspondent for the Asbury
Park Press. This article originally appeared in
that publication on June 7, 2005. It is reprinted
with permission.
All photos by Mike Kammierczak.
13
Education That’s O U T S I D E
Nationally renowned music educator and
performer T.J. Wheeler’s appearances in the
Red Bank public schools prior to the festival
introduced blues and indigenous instruments
to a diverse, young audience. His work with
young musicians in JSJBF youth programs was
memorable and inspiring for students and
teacher alike.
Jeffrey Cafone, a fifteen year old accomplished
guitar and vocalist from the teen aged blues
band, Outside The Box, participates in the
JSJBF’s Community Youth Ensemble and
worked with Wheeler before and during
the festival.
These messages from T.J. Wheeler
and Jeff Cafone to the board and
members of the Jersey Shore Jazz
and Blues Foundation tell the story:
T.J. WHEELER & NADINE
I wanted to express my sincere thanks to all of
you for producing such a fantastic Blues, Jazz
and Diversity outreach series as part of your
recent blues and jazz festival.
My “Hope, Heroes & the World” has reached
over 250,000 children in over four continents
around the world, over the last 15 years. Your
series and the focus at the festival itself, on the
music as a window into the humanities,
diversity and Black history was among the
best that I’ve had the opportunity to work
and perform with.
The student group Outside The Box was
especially inspiring and I enjoyed performing
with them very much.
In this era, when music, arts and humanities
are being cut from the budgets and schedules
of our schools nationally, your program fills an
important void in the next generation's sense
of character, values and history.
Both my wife Nadine and I loved our
accommodations, and all of the staff and
volunteers were very gracious and kind to us
during our stay. Hope to see y’all next year.
zzzzz
JEFF CAFONE
Mr. Wheeler, in my eyes, is a blues and jazz
deity. His playing touched our band on an
individual and personal level. We met T.J. at
the El Lobo Negro Gallery of the Arts merely
two days before the annual Red Bank Jazz and
Blues Festival. The whole band, as well as
14
THE BOX
other patrons of the JSJBF Community Youth
Ensemble sat and listened intently while Mr.
Wheeler educated us on the history of the
blues. The information that was delivered was
an amazing experience. Who knew that there
was so much history in the music we play
everyday? Who knew that the simple 1, 4, 5
pattern that forms the basis of our whole
musical success was rooted in drum music
hundreds of years ago?
It is important to picture the scene not as that
of a classroom lecture, but as an interactive
experience. The lesson was accompanied by
frequent playing of the guitar, African drums, a
washtub bass, and (my personal favorite) the
Diddley Bow, which is a homemade, one-string
instrument used by blues musicians who could
not afford manufactured guitars. Audience
participation was a large part of T.J.’s
educational delivery.
He handed out various African instruments, the
washtub bass, and the Diddley Bow, which I
quickly offered to play. We were now part of
T.J.’s jug band. Once the music started, a smile
steadily crept onto the face of every person
in the room. I plucked the one-stringed
instrument and slid the heavy steel slide with
the same confident enthusiasm as when I play
my own six-string guitar. Mr. Wheeler made
sure to accommodate every instrument
exclusively by giving each person a solo.
It was honoring and comforting to see him
glance over his shoulder and give me a
supportive and encouraging nod as I took
mine. We were excited as a band when T.J.
gave the approval for us to perform with him
at the festival that coming weekend.
In total, we played with Mr. Wheeler four times
throughout the three days of the festival. With
each performance, we grew closer and more
in awe of him. He was a wealth of knowledge
and information, and he had the friendly
attitude and instrumental skill to back it up.
Every time I stepped of the stage with him, I
learned something new. It was very honoring
to be on the same stage with someone who
could play guitar so well.
I thoroughly enjoyed exchanging licks with him
in a friendly guitar duel during a few songs.
Inevitably (and not surprisingly) he always
won! That however was not the point. The
point was that he gave me the prospect that I
could someday play like him. Furthermore, he
showed me that I was able to stand on the
same stage as him while playing the same
song in the same key with the same approval
from the crowd. He gave me the courage by
acknowledging my name as well as the rest of
the band after each individual solo. He gave
the bass player the courage and confidence to
take a bass solo, something that he had never
done before. By the end of the weekend, we
took a look back on the days that had gone by
and at the same time looked towards the days
that lay ahead.
Who knew that the simple 1,
4, 5 pattern that forms the
basis of our whole musical
success was rooted in drum
music hundreds of years ago?
Playing with T.J. Wheeler was one of, if not the
greatest experiences of our young lives. I
would love to have another chance to perform
with Mr. Wheeler again in the future. I am
excited for him to see how much we will have
improved throughout the year. I know that
there is so much more for us to learn from him,
not only about the music, but about life.
Hopefully, he can draw something from the
experience too. It must be superbly rewarding
to know that you made a difference in four
teenagers’ lives. Not only our lives, but the
lives of the other children he has reached
with his educational programs. He is a true
visionary in the further preservation and
expansion of the blues. He is not only a
teacher, he is a friend. He is a friend to us
and a friend to the blues.
To Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation Board of Trustees,
Members & Support Staff:
On the eve of our trip to Montreal, to play at The Festiblues, I would like to personally thank
you for the support you have showed my band.
Over the years, the JSJBF has been there to help us in many different ways. The most
important aspect of this relationship has not been through music but through the
friendships that I’ve been able to have with so many great people.
Once again, I, all of the members of The Chuck Lambert Band and our families would like to
thank everyone associated with the JSJBF.
Book REVIEWS
Dan Aykroyd, a.k.a Elwood Blues,
TALKS WITH THE GREATS OF BLUES & ROCK
ELWOOD’S BLUES
INTERVIEWS WITH THE BLUES LEGENDS & STARS

Selected discography
of essential blues
tracks
By Dan Aykroyd, Ben Manilla with B&W photos throughout
Publication Date: October, 2004, $17.95, Backbeat Books

Transcripts of the
hilarious skits
performed by Dan
Aykroyd, a.k.a.
Elwood Blues, on
The House of
Blues Radio Hour
Ray Charles * Ruth Brown * James Cotton * Buddy Guy * John Lee
Hooker * B.B. King * Taj Mahal * Charlie Musselwhite * Koko Taylor *
Junior Wells * Aerosmith * Eddie Van Halen * Robert Plant * Carlos
Santana * Bob Weir * Marcia Ball * Johnny Winter * John Mayall * Keb’
Mo’ * Susan Tedeschi * Shemekia Copeland * Blues Traveler * and more!
Born in the Delta 100 years ago, the music known as the blues has
meandered through Mississippi juke joints and Chicago nightclubs,
Texas roadhouses and Memphis studios, and on to concert halls
worldwide and back again, each twist in the road producing a new
permutation of this timeless music. Elwood’s Blues is the story of the
music makers along those roads, the artists who have created, reenvisioned, and remembered the blues.
The blues found its way onto The House of Blues Radio Hour in 1993,
ushered in by host Dan Aykroyd and producer Ben Manilla. Every week,
the award-winning radio program has brought in-depth artist profiles
and the complete spectrum of blues music to millions of listeners across
North America. Now--for the first time--these insightful, entertaining,
and historical interviews have been compiled for you to study and
enjoy--come along for a ride with the blues!
Elwood’s Blues features:

Interviews and biographies of the blues’ greatest artists, past and
present, plus the rock stars who keep the tradition
Ben Manilla is
president of the
award-winning Ben
Manilla Productions,
whose shows include
the long-running House
of Blues Radio Hour
and the 13-part
documentary The
Blues, the most widely
distributed special in
the history of Public
Radio International.
For nearly three decades Dan Aykroyd has brought his brilliant comedic
and dramatic style to films and television. As members of the cast and
writing staff of Saturday Night Live, Dan and John Belushi introduced
Jake and Elwood Blues, the Blues Brothers, to an enthusiastic public.
A portion of the proceeds from Elwood’s Blues goes to the nonprofit
Blues Foundation, www.blues.org.
On B.B. King’s
8 0 YEARS OF THE BLUES
On September 16, 2005, blues legend B.B. King celebrated his 80th
birthday. Backbeat Books marked this milestone with the publication of
B.B. King: There Is Always One More Time.
heavyweights like Doc
Pomus, Dr. John, and
Eric Clapton.
The inaugural entry in Backbeat’s Lives in Music series, There Is Always
One More Time combines biography and discography, charting B.B.
King’s life from his childhood in rural Mississippi up to his first studio
session. Each album of King’s distinguished career is then analyzed and
critiqued, with first-hand interviews with producers and key musicians
bringing the story of these sessions and recordings to life. The book
contains complete and detailed information for each recording session,
including dates, producers, engineers, mastering engineers, studios,
musicians, songs, and songwriters.
David McGee, author
of Go, Cat, Go: The Life
and Times of Carl
Perkins, The King of
Rockabilly, is senior
editor of Pro Sound
News and country
music editor for
barnesandnoble.com.
A veteran Rolling
Stone contributor and
former curator for the
Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame and Museum, he
lives in New York, NY.
In There Is Always One More Time, author David McGee shows how
B.B. King persevered in his quest to bring the blues to a wider audience,
chronicling the studio experiments that led him to broaden his sound
and expand the very definition of the blues. The book narrates
fascinating career and life events, from the wild fistfight that led King to
christen his guitar “Lucille” and his participation in the 1974 Ali-Foreman
match known as the “Rumble in the Jungle,” to the recording of his
signature song “The Thrill Is Gone” and his relationships with music
For more information,
visit www.backbeatbooks.com
Good Blues To Ya!!
Chuck Lambert.
15
ROXY PERRY AT
Ray Gomez Guitar
Thrills at GUITARBEQUE
BY JOHN COLEMAN
JSJBF member blues masters get ready
to take your shot in the all-out Battle of
The Bands to represent the JSJBF at
the International Blues Challenge,
January 26-28, 2006.
Fighting the weekend traffic, I made it barely
in time for the end of John Jorgenson’s set,
which was regrettable, as the little bit I was
able to catch sounded very sweet. Ray Gomez
was placed in the 6 p.m. Friday time slot, and
despite the crowd just arriving, Ray gave his
customary no-holds-barred performance - a
full set of awesome original music, (and a
single Beatles tune, “Ticket To Ride,” for a
little added icing on the cake!)
Another high point of the concert repertoire
was the tune, “Everybody’s Looking For Love.”
Ray intro'’d the piece saying, “We’re gonna do
something sweet… Then, maybe it’ll turn into
something else - God knows what!” And that,
it did. This guitarist’s music never behaves as
one expects. A bluesy love song crescendos
into the most tasteful fusion arrangement
imaginable; every note rendered with blissful
expressive tone and color.
“We’re gonna do something
sweet… Then, maybe it’ll
turn into something else God knows what!”
Accompanying on bass was Frank Gravis,
and on drums Lionel Cordew, both formidable
New York artists whose playing perfectly
complimented Ray’s guitar work.
The audience clearly enjoyed the all-too-rare
local appearance of this brilliant guitarist and
gathered around the stage at the end of the
show to talk with Ray and express appreciation
for the outstanding performance.
Aside from an exciting schedule of artists and
bands playing the festival, Guitarbeque™ also
16
CARLETON QUÉBEC - AUGUST 3-7, 2005
Blues Bands
Get Ready For
THE INTERNATIONAL
BLUES CHALLENGE
The 2nd Annual Guitarbeque Festival took
place in Bradley Park, opposite the beach
and boardwalk in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
Replete with food vendors offering every kind of
barbequed delight and professional barbeque
teams competing for a $10K prize, the festival
kicked off on Friday afternoon, July 29th.
At the outset of the concert, Ray mentioned
that he hoped his recent bout of tendonitis
would not affect his playing. What
tendonitis?!! Not a single note of “Westside
Boogie” was skipped, blurred or misplaced to
any degree and as always, it was a thrill to
hear this masterpiece played live onstage!
The Maximum Blues Festival International
The winners will need to pack their bags
for a trip to the competition
in Memphis, Tennessee.
ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC BLUES
PLAYERS ELIGIBLE
There will be competition
in two categories:
Blues Band (3 or more musicians/vocalists)
& Solo-Duo (1 or 2 musicians/vocalists)
Ray Gomez
featured professional guitar workshops which
ran concurrently just across the street from
the park at the Asbury Park Convention Hall &
Paramount Theater. On Saturday, Ray offered
a workshop where attendees were invited to
“Bring out your best with creative instruction
from Guitarist Extraordinaire, Ray Gomez, in
which he explains and demonstrates how not
to get stuck in the clichés and assists you in
bridging the gaps between blues, jazz and rock
with emphasis on the groove.”
…Talking with some participants after the
workshop, it was clear that Ray once again
delivered the goods! “… A thoughtful and
valuable lesson.” “…Rare opportunity to
practice side-by-side with one of the greats.”
…”You can’t get this kind of instruction from
any book, video or DVD!”
Only in it’s second year, Guitarbeque was a
fun festival with top talent that is worth
noting on your calendar for next year. Hey,
maybe we’ll be lucky enough to catch a
repeat performance of Ray Gomez…
Whad’ya say, Guitarbeque?!
Until then, you can find Ray on the Web at
www.raygomez.com.
Independent music correspondent John
Coleman is a long-time fan of blues & jazz
fusion. Occasionally, he takes a little time-out
from the daily grind to check out the best of
the local music scene. John’s been known to
wield a pretty mean guitar himself at area
blues jams like Roxy Perry’s, Green’s and
Jimmy’s Seaside.
SEMI-FINALS--SUNDAY OCTOBER 9
After applications have closed, venues
for the competition will be announced.
The number of bands that sign up will
determine the number of participating
venues. Wristbands will ensure
admission to all venues on October 9th.
FINALS--SUNDAY OCTOBER 23
At a location to be anounced
FUNDS RAISED AT THE LOCAL
BATTLES WILL OFF-SET BAND
EXPENSES FOR THE MEMPHIS TRIP
All bands that apply will receive Ballots.
Fan votes count for 50%. The Judges are
responsible for the other 50% of the
scoring. All bands must follow IBC rules.
All Bands that apply will be given a set
of rules. Backline will be provided by the
JSJBF. Check out more IBC info at
www.blues.org/ibc
Band membership in JSJBF must be
current for you to be eligible to compete.
Please call Diane at 732 933-0541 or email
[email protected] to check
your membership status or to renew.
October 2nd is the final date to
signup for the IBC competition.
Sign up at the September 21st
membership meeting at the Ocean Place
Resort & Spa in Long Branch or by
emailing Lou Acevedo at
[email protected] or Tom Cucchiara
at [email protected].
All submissions will receive
a confirmation.
BY SUZIE O’KANE
The five-day Maximum Blues Fest is held
annually at Carleton-Sur-Mer, the municipal
beach on Carleton, Québec’s Gaspe Peninsula,
which lies above New Brunswick. Maximum
Blues is Eastern Québec’s largest summer
musical event and features artists of every
blues genre from across North America. Each
year, blues fans await the spirit of Howlin’
Wolf to give his blessings to the lovely village
of Carleton where he arrives to watch over
the festival.
Roxy Perry headlined opening night on August
3rd. The stage, with props, backdrops and
lighting evoking a juke-joint atmosphere, was
set beneath a huge open-ended tent, looking
out to the St. Lawrence Estuary. The setting
was gorgeous! The audience gave a rousing
welcome as Roxy and the band opened the
show with “Back In Bluesville,” the scorching
title track off her current CD release.
Band personnel included guitarist Tim DeHuff,
Pat Marafiote on B-3 and keyboards, Eric
Merovitch on sax, Bobby Fusco on bass, Linda
Geiger on drums, and of course Roxy on
harp and vocals. This big band gave the
audience a big sound, following up with the
upbeat tunes “Whole Dog” and “Get It,” and
the mellow-sweet “Midnight Train.” And
when Roxy blew the first few notes of “House
of the Rising Sun,” the crowd cheered their
enthusiastic appreciation for this classic
blues anthem.
the smiling faces in the dancing crowd, it was
clear that this audience got what they came
for - and then some!
Special thanks go to Festival Organizer, Pierre
Ménard and his expert staff, including sound
engineer par excellence Pierre DuBerger, and
Hélène Lemieux who managed one of the
finest band hospitality facilities I have ever
seen. Organization, stage management,
lighting, equipment and personnel for this
festival were all of the very highest caliber Compliments to one and all at Maximum Blues
Festival de Carleton!
The second half of the show featured a mix of
well-known blues classics, which really got the
house rocking. With the audience jammed in
shoulder-to-shoulder and back bleachers full,
Roxy Perry and band
gave a full tilt concert
and were called back
The Ocean Place Resort & Spa Events
for more on standing
ovation. At the finale,
The Board of Trustees of Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues
Roxy was called back
Foundation would like to announce an expanded partnership with
one more time to sign
The Ocean Place Resort & Spa, in Long Branch, New Jersey.
the festival’s “Wall Of
Fame,” a tradition that
The City of Long Branch & the JSJBF have been fortunate to be
started some 13 years
able to utilize The Ocean Place as an alternate venue for rainago at the Maximum
outs in The Long Branch Summer Beach Series & Beachfest.
Blues’ first edition.
Looking around at all
Starting Saturday evening, September 10, 2005, we begin a
terrific new bi-weekly Blues Fall Series at The Ocean Place.
All shows are from 8:30 pm to 12:30 am.
Sat. September 10
The Junior Mack Band
Sat. September 24
The Tonemasters
Sat. October 8
Stringbean & The Stalkers
Sat. October 22
The VooDudes
The Ocean Place will also host monthly JSJBF membership
meetings. Membership meetings are held on the third
Wednesday of the month. Meetings start with business at 8
pm, include a jazz or blues performance by a featured band,
and end with a jam session open to all.
Wed. September 21
This meeting is also JSJBF vice
president Lou Acevedo’s birthday
party, featuring B.D. Mylo &
The Go Daddy’s
Wed. October 19
Meeting featuring Richard Reiter
& His Band
Wed. November 16
Meeting includes a seminar for Band
Leaders from Sonicbids. Music by
Phoenix Rising Latin/Jazz with Flutist
Andrea Brachfeld
Please come out and support these shows. Their success will
determine whether we can add more shows thru the fall &
winter. The Ocean Place Resort & Spa is located at One
Ocean Boulevard, Long Branch. Visit www.oceanplaceresort.com. For information about the shows and meetings,
please visit www.jsjbf.org or call 732 933-0541.
17
JSJBF Goes International
THE CHUCK LAMBERT BAND RECEIVES A RESOUNDING
WELCOME AT FESTIBLUES INTERNATIONAL DE MONTREAL
BY DENNIS ESCHBACH, DORIS LAZUR
AND STEVE PSZCOLA
encore. From “I’ve Got My Mojo Working,” to
“One Way Out,” the band demonstrated why
blues is loved internationally.
In support of our first international blues
exchange program, we enjoyed traveling to
Montreal to watch The Chuck Lambert Band
as they performed at Festiblues, which took
place at Parc Ahuntsic. This was the second
event in an international blues exchange
program, which began with Montreal favorites,
The Blues Berry Jam, appearing as a featured
band at our Red Bank Jazz and Blues Festival
2005. The Red Bank audience loved the
performance of our friends from Quebec on
that warm Saturday afternoon in June. Those
of us who attended Festiblues also got to
enjoy them again.
The lineup for Festiblues was an impressive
collection of Canadian, French, Danish,
and American blues bands. The event has
grown over the past eight years with the
help of the City of Montreal and many hardworking volunteers.
The Chuck Lambert Band was chosen by
Festiblues to make the trip to Montreal, and
at 10 pm on Saturday, August 20th, Chuck
Lambert, Gary Funicelli, Chris DiCicco, Vinnie
Puryear, and Mike O’Rourke opened to
thousands of enthusiastic blues fans. The
energized crowd warmly welcomed one of our
favorite local blues bands, and demanded an
On Saturday afternoon, Dennis and Steve also
attended the first edition of a professional
meeting to discuss issues faced by organizers
and promoters when trying to accomplish the
mutual exchanges between festivals. Key
topics included improvement of cooperation
from governments, and finding sources of
tour financing.
Our entourage of JSJBF “blues diplomats” for
the weekend included Dennis Eschbach, Doris
Lazur, Steve Pszczola, Marianne Roper, Charlie
Cox, Lori Martin, Joie Sciandra, Laurie Hanlon,
Luanne Lohman, and Priscilla O’Rourke. During
the event, the Mayor of Montreal, and other
Canadian and American officials greeted us.
It is notable that the featured festival music
acts began in the late afternoon, because it
presented the opportunity to enjoy the sights
and culture of Montreal during the earlier part
of the day. Beautiful architecture, delicious
cuisine, fine wine, and entertaining street life
all contributed to a very memorable trip. The
quaint shops of Old Montreal, boat rides on the
St. Lawrence, and of course, “La Musique,”
made this an adventure worth repeating.
Festiblues is a wonderful event in a beautiful
city! We look forward to attending next year,
and we hope that many other JSJBF members
will join us.
High-Octane Harp:
JAZZ & BLUES NOTES INTERVIEW WITH CAROL MOOG
BY RONNIE GARDSTEIN
Your Web site says that your musical
influences are varied and include Sonny Terry,
Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Paul
Butterfield, Hank Crawford, Fats Domino, Mose
Allison, Muddy Waters, Dinah Washington and
James Cotton. What ties this diverse group of
musical greats together for you?
MOOG: I think it is their earthiness. They have a
deep blues feeling for me…long deep notes.
Hank Crawford plays sax like a harmonica. I
would play along with Paul Butterfield records
and it started to fly. Mose Alison and
Butterfield felt sardonic. I listened to Sonny
Terry’s old records with Brownie McGee again
and again. After I started playing the harp, I
realized that Mose Alison’s early work on
piano, his white blues, was a bridge.
You have appeared with many notables such
as Saffire, Ronnie Earl, Guy Davis, Kelly Joe
Phelps and John Hammond. What stands out in
your memory of those or other performances?
MOOG: At the Tin Angel, I opened for Delta
player Guy Davis and played with him. It was
challenging to play his way. John Hammond
was very gentle to talk to.
Who were your teachers?
MOOG: At the Chestnut Cabaret, in Philly, I
played with John Lee Hooker, Edgar Winter,
Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Koko Taylor, and
John Mayall. It was powerful company.
This summer you performed at the
International Blues Festival of Tremblant, in
Canada. The festival’s Web site said,
“American harmonica player Carol Moog
heads “his” own high-octane trio of musicians
who throw themselves, heart and soul, into
their performances. With this group, it’s all
about passion, living on the edge and…
virtuosity! This is one band that will leave you
winded!” That’s a terrific description, but it
indicates that you are a man. Is there a presumption
that such a big sound must be coming from a man?
MOOG: In this case, it was just an error but I
think there is sometimes surprise. I don't know
why. I don’t have an answer. I’m partial to big
fat sounds. I like low harps and my sound is
18
deep, low, fat and big. When I played piano
and sang for myself, my voice was high. It
surprises people that such a big fat sound
comes out of a skinny woman.
What instruments have you played?
MOOG: As a child, I studied classical piano.
Whenever I was upset I would just go play and
it was very healing. I was painfully shy and I
performed in recitals that my mother arranged.
I had some jazz piano lessons but I was
frustrated. I couldn’t seem to improvise. I felt a
gap between what I heard and I what I could
play. In college, I bought a harmonica. I found
that I could replicate the sounds on blues
records. It gave me solace. If I was feeling bad,
it transformed me. I loved the form, the voicing,
the sound, the predictability. It ordered me.
Did you get any flack for switching to the
blues harp?
MOOG: Oh, no...my mother is a special person.
In her 60’s, she took up the drums.
Do you enjoy playing acoustic harp?
MOOG: I’ve played a lot of acoustic at the
Caribou Café. I love old, boring blues, deep,
depressing blues. I could play it all night. I love
the coffeehouse sound of acoustic. I love to
shape the sounds with my right hand and use the
silence. Moving my hands shapes the notes and
nuances. When I play electric, I hold the mike
against it to keep an airtight seal. My hands are
small so there I have less ability to move.
Watching you perform, you seem to give
yourself totally to the experience. You seem to
be in a state of complete and energized focus,
with a high level of enjoyment and fulfillment.
How far into the music do you go when you
are really cookin’?
MOOG: For me, it has always been about playing. When I was new at the Chestnut Cabaret
in Philadelphia, I experienced applause coming
toward me as a physical sound wave. It affected
me physically. I got it that it was a visceral,
physical experience, but that’s not what has
drawn me. I just love to play. I never get tired of it.
While playing together with people, how do you
communicate where you want the music to go?
MOOG: I’ve had some wonderful partners. We
can slip into something that takes over. We
pass it back and forth. There is an intuitive
communication. When I reach a place that it’s
over, my partner knows it. The breathing
changes. The sound goes from lyrical to
rhythmic. There is an arc or several arcs.
With Don Evans, there is an obvious musical
language we share. We are very close and it
happened very early.
In April, you performed at JSJBF’s Harpin’ Help
with Mikey Junior and The Stone Cold Blues.
How did that come about?
MOOG: I first heard Mikey Jr. at an open mic at
the Rusty Nail blues Jam. We enjoyed each
other’s playing. We connected, playing off
each other. Harpin’ Help was very satisfying.
Mikey and I both play with power and
expression and we gave each other room. We
played a strong version of Muddy Waters’ “I’m
Ready.” I respect Mikey’s playing, enjoyed
playing for a new audience and benefiting a
good cause. My husband’s family lives in Red
Bank. They heard me play at a club for the first
time. I would love to play at the Red Bank festival and Harpin’ Help was a chance for people
to hear my music.
You seem to embrace variety. How important
is that to you?
MOOG: I love to travel, to disappear into
different cultures. I’m not that adaptive to the
world but with the blues…I’ve even played
with a tribe in New Guinea.
How have you made these musical
connections?
MOOG: My husband and I share a love of live
music. I always travel with three or four harps.
In places where I have heard blues playing, in
India or Tunisia, I played. I hear the style and
try to figure out the key, and get a sense of
the atmosphere. I look at the faces of the
musicians and gauge their receptivity. Most
of the time there is no harmonica, so there’s
a place for me. I pick up on it if there is a lot
of ego. If there is, I’m not attracted to it. t’s
a barrier and I don’t want to go there. If it
feels good, I wait for a break and tell them
I’m an American blues musician. I say, ‘May
I sit in.’ I love playing so much, that I will play
almost anything.
Has it ever backfired?
MOOG: Once, I had a pure humiliating
experience of my incompetence, I like to say
I was stuck on the A Train.
How do you relate to lyrics?
MOOG: When I play ballads, I play the words.
When I play “Summertime,” I am playing those
feelings. For the old deep blues, the words are
there. For other things, it's more the sound
(continued on page 21)
19
Killer Blues Band
The nationally renown Red Bank Jazz &
The Big Picture
Blues Festival and its more than 150,000
JSJBF connects musicians and fans with the jazz and blues
scene well beyond the Jersey Shore. We sponsor bands to play at
music fans, international headliners and
and music events in other parts of the U.S., and have
scorching newcomers is only a part of what festivals
recently begun an international band exchange. JSJBF is a member
of the Blues Foundation and the Monmouth County Arts Council.
JSJBF offers its members and the entire
music community.
w w w . j s j b f. o r g
w w w . R e d B a n k Fe s t i v a l . c o
Heritage and Future
The Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation began informally back
in 1988 when a few local music fans met in a nite club and plotted
out the first Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Festival. Since then JSJBF
has grown in numbers and range of activities. Our goal is to
preserve, promote and perpetuate jazz and blues in the Jersey
Shore region, through performance and education.
Jazz ‘N’ Blues In the Schools
We offer a variety of in-school, educational assemblies, clinics and
workshops. Our performers and presenters bring musical history
to life, help school bands bend the standards into jazz or blues,
offer writing guidance and much more. Volunteer music educators
provide weekly classes to the next generation of headliners
enrolled in JSJBF's Youth Jazz & Blues Ensemble.
Scholarships and Awards
Having lost jazz and blues comrades both young and old, we honor
and celebrate jazz musician Tal Farlow and promoter Michael
Goforth with memorial scholarships that ensure that the music they
loved will play on through talented young performers. The annual
Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes artistic integrity over the
course of a career. The Award of Merit honors a New Jersey
resident for extraordinary support of jazz or blues.
Benefit Performances & Community Events
Each year JSJBF’s Harpin’ Help raises funds to benefit a local
charity. Throughout the year, JSJBF assists local organizations by
arranging music for community events.
members receive:
- Monthly alerts about upcoming events and news of importance
to members. (You’ll want to receive these emails!)
- Discounts on JSJBF events and at area music venues.
- United Teletech Credit Union membership eligibility.
- JSJBF T-shirt for new members.
- Subscription to Jazz & Blues Notes, and more.
JSJBF Supports Its Member Bands
- Performance opportunities
- Promotional packages
- CD compilation
- Booking incentives with local clubs
- www.jsjbf.org link to your band site, and more
Check Us Out
Monthly meetings are held on the third Wednesday each month, at
a location that offers live jazz or blues. What other meetings start
with business at 8 pm, and end with a jam session open to all?
WWW.JSJBF.ORG is your link to the music, the bands, the festivals
and fund raisers, a calendar of the best jazz and blues at the shore
and beyond, plus a wealth of links to interesting and helpful sites.
Pitch in and help
JSJBF’s many active volunteers are serious about enjoying the
music and supporting JSJBF’s projects and events. Who says you
can’t have fun while working hard with a bunch of great people?
Opportunities include events, promotional activities, fund raising,
outreach, educational programs and more.
How do we get it all done?
JSJBF is run by an elected board of trustees, committees, and
other volunteers. A core staff provides professional management and
operational support. JSJBF is a NJ nonprofit 501(C)(3) organization.
TRIP TO MEMPHIS FOR IBC
BY PERRY LEANDRO
I have been fronting my group, the Killer Blues
Band with my electric violin, since 1994. My
band mates and I have been members of the
Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation for
quite a few years. Having recently turned
50 years of age, I can vividly remember
professional musical life before the JSJBF was
on the scene and I’m here to tell you that I
deeply appreciate the wonderful work the
foundation does on behalf of the musicians.
With the help of the foundation we have been
able to expand our musical horizons and fan
base by being included in such great activities
as the Belmar Seafood Fest (1996), the
Riverfest (2001), hosting membership meetings,
attending jam sessions, as well as being
recommended for quite a few gigs.
Last year I sent in a CD to be considered for
the battle of the bands for the IBC in Memphis.
In November, we played at Lance and Debbie’s
Wonder Bar in Asbury Park and had a blast
playing and jamming with the likes of Filthy
Rich, Chuck Lambert, The Incinerators, and Hot
Monkey Love. All the bands played like stone cold
pros, and I’ll never forget jamming with Chuck
that night. When we won, all the musicians
warmly wished us luck down in Memphis.
This was my first trip to Memphis and Beale
Street. For blues lovers, this is really an
alternate universe, with blues clubs every 10 or
20 feet apart that actually sell beer right out
the windows to people on the street! On the
first night, we went to dinner at a Cajun
restaurant that had an amazing Hammond B3
organ player who swung and rocked while we
had dinner. That night JPAT Dalton arrived on
the scene. Pat was the acoustic competitor,
and we were roommates for the weekend.
Pat is an intensely talented young entertainer
who wails the blues with real passion and
commitment! We became fast friends.
The next morning, all the groups and musicians
were told to gather at a hotel lobby where we
were given our performance locations and
times. We drew the New Daisy Theater with
the 11 p.m. time slot. Band members Mike
Antol, Jeff Kisseli and I spent the day resting
up and schlepping our gear to the venue. I
was pleasantly surprised at how friendly and
accessible everyone was; after all, we were
in the same boat, and with over 100 acts
competing we all knew that the most important
thing was to simply do your best and most
importantly have fun.
During some of the waiting time, I cruised
down Beale Street soaking up the countless
blues acts, blown away at the high quality of
the musicianship. When it came time to
play our set, I was very impressed with the
soundmen and how well they did their job For you musicians out there, you can dig the
importance of this!
The next day I decided to check out the jams
sessions, some of which start as early as
noon! When I walked into one of the clubs, it
turned out that the cat that was running the
show had caught our set the night before. As
soon as I walked in the door with my axe over my
shoulder he announced my arrival over the mike
to the whole club, “Here is that fiddler from the
Jersey Shore - Come on up and plug in, Bro!” I
can’t tell you how great it felt to be treated so
well by such great local Memphis bluesmen.
That night we played our last set of the
competition. When we didn’t make the final
cut, I went back to the room and passed out. I
guess that after all these years in this business,
I have learned that all you can really do is your
best and let the cards fall where they may.
The next morning I shook off the cobwebs,
grabbed my violin and went back out to Beale
Street. I played with some more of those
fabulous Memphis bluesmen (and women). It
was musical heaven, the real reason for any and
all of you players in Jersey to make the trip to
down to the IBC next year and bring your
instrument! Also
make sure that
you guys and gals
who are in JSJBF member bands as well as solo
and duo acoustic acts send in your CDs to enter
into next year’s competition. You have nothing to
loose and everything to win - I can testify to that;
can I hear an Amen?!
I want to thank Lou Acevedo, Joan Ferraro,
Nicky and Candy Coppola, Dennis Eschbach
and Tom Cucchiara for treating us so well and
making our trip truly memorable. And finally, I
want to express my gratitude to the other two
men who comprise the Killer Blues Band, Mike
Antol and Jeff Kiseli - two of the coolest!
High-Octane
Harp:
(continued from page 19)
than the lyrics.
Is there a performance space that is most
magical to you?
MOOG: At Tremblant, there was so much
energy. People kept thronging in, hundreds of
people near the stage. It was sunny and hot
and the light was glistening through the green
grass like neon. It was a perfect little space. It
is a ski resort and there were cable cars that
were going up and down. There were baskets
of flowers. People seemed mesmerized. Don
Evans, my partner, said, “Play Summertime.” It
is a piece that I played on the piano and sang.
It is a musical and emotional thread. I played
to the people I was telling them what I was
feeling. There was a standing ovation that just
went on and on. I could feel it physically. I did
something I had never done before. I held up
my arms. I walked out of my shyness. It
changed me.
What’s next? Have you recorded?
MOOG: Well, I have a live demo CD. I have
made all the business arrangements for my
bands since the 80’s. But for me, it has been so
much about the playing. I haven’t focused on
recording. I would want the music to feel live.
I wouldn’t want it to be orchestrated or too
polished….the studio can kill it. Maybe
Tremblant has pushed me into it.
Jazz & Blues Notes
Quarterly newsletter offers informative and entertaining writing on
our favorite music and the folks who make it, great event coverage
and photos of all the fun.
JSJBF programs are made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council
on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the
Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. JSJBF receives support
from the Bunberry Company, DW Smith, LLC, International Paper Company and many
other generous friends.
20
Nicky Coppola and Lou Acevedo with electric “Battle” winners, The Killer
Blues Band.
21
Opening Remarks BY NEW JERSEY STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS MEMBER
LAUREN
VERNON
AT THE RED BANK JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL
On behalf of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and its Chair
Carol Herbert, it is my great pleasure to bring you warmest greetings
and best wishes. The Red Bank Jazz and Blues Festival has become
one of the great cultural highlights of the year and a rite of spring if you
will -- and we commend the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation
board and staff, for the remarkable job they do.
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts is proud to provide
substantial support for the Festival each year, however local business
support is essential to the success of the Jazz and Blues Festival.
We applaud your generosity, commitment and support of the arts here
in Red Bank.
Tourism is New Jersey’s second largest industry. Cultural tourism is a
major contributor and Red Bank has become a big part of it all.
Programs like the Red Bank Jazz and Blues Festival, as well as the
many arts institutions and art events are what help to attract more and
more people to Red Bank and give it a competitive edge. And through
the fine attention Red Bank has given to incorporating the arts into all
aspects of its economic development plan, this city has been literally
transformed into a leading arts and cultural tourism destination point as
well as one of the most hip places in all of New Jersey.
But that is only part of
the story. All throughout New Jersey the
arts and history are
increasingly at the
center of the civic agenda. They improve our children’s education. They
attract and retain industry, which places high value on the quality of life
in a region. They beautify our towns. They celebrate cultural diversity,
teach tolerance and build pride in New Jersey and America. They also
contribute over $1.5 billion to our economy, support 17,000 jobs and
return $90 million in state tax revenues.
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts is proud to be a leader in
supporting the arts in our state, particularly when that support helps
exceptional programming such as the Red Bank Jazz and Blues Festival.
To learn more about other New Jersey arts programs and events visit
our interactive web site www.jerseyarts.com or call the toll-free hotline
1.800.THE ARTS.
On behalf of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, congratulations
to the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation, and, best of luck in the
years to come.
Affinity Federal Credit Union Welcomes
Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation to its Field of Membership
We are excited to announce that Affinity Federal Credit Union membership is now available to all
members of the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation.
Affinity is a full-service financial institution offering a full range of financial products and services, including consumer loans, investments,
mortgages, insurance, auto services, and retirement services. For more information on Affinity’s products and services, branch and
surcharge free ATM location, hours, directions and more, visit our website at www.affinityfcu.org.
Since 1935, Affinity has been offering superior financial services with a member-oriented focus. We are different from other financial
institutions because we are a not-for-profit cooperative owned by our members. Instead of maximizing profits, we pass them on to our
members in the form of high-yielding accounts and low-interest loans. To date, Affinity has over 116,000 members from more than 800
companies and organizations, with total assets in excess of $1.3 billion.
Affinity is the largest credit union in New Jersey and operates 19 branches throughout the state.
OFFERS FOR NEW MEMBERS:
When a new member opens both a checking account and a savings account, Affinity will give the member $5.01…$5.00 for deposit into the
savings account and $0.01 for deposit into the checking account. These are the amounts needed to keep the accounts open.
Affinity will also give new members $25 for signing up for Direct Deposit. Once the member signs up for Direct Deposit of their net pay
into their Affinity Checking Account, $25 will be added to the account upon verification.
ACCOUNT ACCESS:
Members have a variety of ways to access their accounts 24 hours a day, seven days a week - from anywhere in the world! With Internet
Home Banking and services like FREE Bill Payment and deposit@home, members can fill just about all of their banking needs from home or
on the road. Plus, members can access their accounts using AUDREY, our 24-hour automated telephone service.
For those in search of a more personal touch, members can call our Member Service Center at 800-325-0808. Of course, they can also
always come and see us in person at one of Affinity’s 19 branch locations, found throughout New Jersey.
Affinity also belongs to non-surcharge ATM networks. And, we are part of a network of credit union branches allowing members to access
their accounts at a number of other credit unions in New Jersey, across the United States, and around the world.
There is an Affinity Federal Credit Union branch in the Country Square Shopping Center, 1860 Route 35 South, Middletown NJ, 07748.
Lobby hours are: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday, 8:30 am - 4 pm, Thursday, 8:30 am - 6 pm and Saturday, 9 am-12 pm.
SPECIAL NOTE: Come and see us at the Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation monthly meeting on Wednesday, October 19th,
at the Ocean Place Resort & Spa. Refreshments will be available - we’re looking forward to seeing you there!
22
ATTENTION ALL BAND LEADERS --- Mark Your Calendars
The Benefits of Going Digital
(Only serious musicians need come to this seminar)
All of us on the JSJBF Board invite you to our November 16 Monthly Meeting
The Ocean Place Resort & Spa LoungeOne Ocean Boulevard
in Long Branch Meeting to start promptly at 8 pm
e have enlisted Jim Schultz of Sonicbids of Boston, Massachusetts to conduct a seminar on Electronic Press Kits. Jim will speak
about and demonstrate the benefits of going digital. Most major Festivals no longer take in CD press kits. JSJBF will soon stop
accepting CD press kits for Red Bank or Beachfest.
W
The benefits to your band and your music far outweigh the nominal costs. You will no longer have to mail CD press kits, the savings on that
alone is worth it! Just come and listen to Jim Schultz’s presentation.
For your musical pleasure, Phoenix Rising featuring Flutist Andrea Brachfeld will be playing Latin/Jazz.
Here’s the electronic press kits concept, in Sonicbids’ own words… Sonicbids is a simple alternative to the endless clutter of physical press
kits that is exchanged daily between musicians and the people who promote music.
Our main product is the Sonicbids Electronic Press Kit (EPK™). It’s an easy-to-use, web-based graphic interface that
contains all the basic information on a musical act such as music, photos or date calendar. The EPK™ can be emailed
to anyone with a click of the mouse or submitted in online promoter accounts through a virtual “Drop Box”.
We appeal to both sides of the musical spectrum: the people who make music and the people who promote it.
We help musicians cut promotion costs, look professional and increase exposure; and we help event
promoters by enabling them to take online submissions in minutes and by making their job simpler.
Our users include:
Independent and professional musicians
Agents and managers
Club owners and festival directors

Song competitions and music conferences
Music magazine editors and publicists
The rapidly growing size of our network and widening acceptance of our product have helped us quickly
become the leading online submission platform for some of the world’s best-known music professionals.
JERSEY SHORE JAZZ AND BLUES FOUNDATION
25 BRIDGE AVENUE SUITE 150
PO BOX 8713
RED BANK, NJ 07701
WWW.JSJBF.ORG