ROCK ON! This Week's Sound Bites...9/11/14
By Danny Coleman
originally published: 09/11/2014
"Really, I don't have any personal connection to anyone with epilepsy but I'm hoping to do some good for the cause."
Those are the words of Grammy winner and seven time Grammy nominee Paula Cole on her upcoming appearance in the Candlelight Concert for Epilepsy Awareness Series on September 20 in Ewing, NJ.
This talented songstress, whom "Rolling Stone" once called "An extraordinary songwriter with a gorgeous voice," is far removed from the days of her mega hit "Where Have All The Cowboys Gone," preferring the less travelled road of teaching at Berklee College of Music in her home state of Massachusetts and carefully choosing her performance dates.
"I was raised in Rockport, Massachusetts," explained the soft spoken Cole. "I wanted out desperately, wanted more, wanted to make it; so I wound up spending most of my adult life in New York City. It's funny how things come full circle isn't it? I'm back home now so that I can raise my daughter near family and grandma and grandpa," she said with a little laugh.
Cole's young daughter may be the reason she's back to her roots but one gets the impression that there's more beneath the surface of this seemingly relaxed artist. When questioned on her Grammy Award victory and nominations; Cole seemed slightly uncomfortable, even somewhat un-phased by it all. "My Grammy? It's resting on a high shelf, it gets little notice but it does make a good bookend," she said with that little laugh turning into a hearty roar. "Seriously though, it blew my mind at the moment. I mean it's a great thing to be recognized but I look at things differently now. I need to be true to my muse, my music, keeping the purity of art; I figured out that I can't get too depressed if I'm not liked. There were times before the accolades started coming my way that I wanted to give up but as a woman that's hard to do; so I kept trying. Now that there are no record company execs., nobody hovering over my shoulder in the booth: I can be true to myself even if it means I'm unsuccessful commercially for a while, I'm willing to accept that."
Cole has worked with some of the industries heavyweights. Peter Gabriel, Dolly Parton, Herbie Hancock and Annie Lennox have all either covered or asked her to perform with them. "That came out of the blue like a lightning bolt," she explained, referring to Lennox contacting her. "I was totally humbled. I adored Annie Lennox, she was a huge influence. I'm a Gen-X-er and I grew up essentially listening to her; when she contacted me it flipped my lid! I studied jazz, meeting Herbie and working with him, he's got such an innocence, a child like attitude; he's a hero of mine and it's all pretty incredible."
Cole is a methodic producer of material, releasing only six full length albums in just over 18 years; she doesn't rush things. "In 2006 I released "Raven," that was my first indie release. Major labels, well let's just say I wanted autonomy. As a matter of fact, I'm in the studio at the moment with my original band and I'm also using an upright bass player as I experiment a bit. I don't want to say too much but there will be some new music coming from me. Being in the studio again is nice but between teaching and being a mom things are moving at a much slower pace these days and that's good; I like it. Recording with these guys, they're dear friends and bad ass musicians so I can't ask for more."
Paula seems in no hurry to return to the touring life of a rock musician anytime soon. Preferring a take it slow and an as it comes approach; one can tell she's at a crux in her career. "I feel like time will tell. I had an abrupt assent, hits came fast, I was young and I didn't like the attention; it was really tough on my psyche. Emmy Lou Harris said to me, "Paula, it happened too fast." As I said earlier, I'd get too depressed if I wasn't well liked or received and I'd let that get to me; not so much anymore. I think moving forward, there will be more dialogue, more meaningful work, maybe less live shows so I can concentrate on more things."
"Less Live shows....," a quote that signals perhaps an extended break or possibly being selective about where and when she performs. One thing is for sure, Paula Cole will be performing at the Trinity United Methodist Church located at 1985 Pennington Rd. in Ewing, NJ. Opening for Cole will be Jersey shore resident, the amazing Emily Grove. Emily has two CD's to her credit and has shared stages with some of the largest names in rock music, along the coast line and beyond. Show Time is 7 p.m. and tickets are a scant $30 in advance. To purchase tickets or discover more about the series, please go to www.candlelightconcert.org. To find out more about Paula Cole, log onto www.paulacole.com. Emily Grove can be found at www.ourstage.com/profile/emilygrove.
That's it for this week! Please continue to support live and original music and until next week....ROCK ON!
THIS WEEKS CALENDAR LISTINGS
Alchemist & Barrister
28 Witherspoon Street Princeton
(609) 924-5555
Thurs. 10 p.m. Harry Nagy & The Dusty Rivers Band
Sun. 9 p.m. Ed Wilson
Wed. 10 p.m. Open mic. night
All shows 21+
Amalfi's Restaurant
146 Lawrenceville Pennington Rd. Lawrenceville
(609) 912-1599
Fri. 8:30 p.m. Kindred Spirit
Amarones Windsor Inn
29 Church St. Windsor
(609) 448-7144
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Scott Gager & Debbie
Fri. 8 p.m. Just Us
Sat. 8 p.m. Larry D
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Texas Hold'em
Wed. 7 p.m. FREE Salsa Lessons
Big Shots Bar and Grill/Hebe Music Lounge
835 E Rte. 130 South, Burlington
(609) 267-1200
Thurs. 7 p.m. Aly Cat, The Racket Boys, Hey Lady
Fri. 7 p.m. Joint Session, Knuckle Puck Time, (TBA)
Sat. 7 p.m. Siravo, Godshed Eyes, Allora Mis, The Wailing Kids
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic.
Blend Bar & Bistro
911 Highway 33, Hamilton
(609) 245-8887
Fri. 8 p.m. Jim Gaven
Sat. 9 p.m. Barry Wasserman, Daniel Satz, Daniel Buglio
Tues. 8 p.m. Triviajam
Candlelight Lounge
24 Passaic St. Trenton
(609) 695-9612
Sat. 3 p.m. Bob Smith Jazz and Blues (No cover-$10 minimum)
Chambers Walk Cafe
2667 Main St. Lawrenceville
(609) 896-5995
Fri./Sat. 6 p.m. Dick Gratton
The Backstage at Championship Bar
931 Chambers St. Trenton
Fri. 4 p.m. Monuments, Polyphia, Villains, Lionfight, Proletariat, Inventure, That Of A Lion, Extractus, Earthbound Immortal. All ages, $12/$14
Sat. 5 p.m. Sicada, Apatheist, Godless A.D., Road To Violence, Midnite Hellion, Fiakra, Seax. All ages, $8/$10
Wed. 4 p.m. Suffokate, Dark Sermon, Blood Of the Martyrs, Colossus, Impulses, Winchester, Circuit Of Suns. All ages, $12/$14
Chickie's & Pete's
183 US Highway 130 North Bordentown
(609) 298-9182
Tues. 8 p.m. Acoustic Music Night feat. The Dawgs
Dubh Linn Square
167 Rte. 130 North Bordentown
(609) 298-7100
Sun. 4 p.m.Billy O'neal
Tues. 9 p.m. Open Mic. Night hosted by Shaun Ruymen
Wed. Half Way To St. Patrick's Day
Fran's Pub
116 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215)862-5539
Sat. 7 p.m. Duane Chez Band
Sun. 3 p.m. Mayflies
Mon. 8 p.m. Open Mic Blues Jam hosted by Jimmy Pritchard
All shows 21+
Havana New Hope
105 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-9897
Thurs. Beat the Clock College Night DJ Dance Party
Fri. 9 p.m. An Evening with Rusted Root. Doors at 7 p.m., $35
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Fish Out of Water
Sun. 3 p.m. Ladies 2000
Mon. 10 p.m. Karaoke in the Bar w/ DJ Ron Sherr and Bridget
Wed. 8 p.m. Pat Foran w/ JB Kline, Gregg Cagno
All shows 21+
Ivy Tavern
3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton
(609) 888-1435
Fri. 10 p.m. Tangled
Sat. 10 p.m. The Dawgs
All shows 21+
John & Peter's
96 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-5981
Thurs. 9 p.m. The Danny B. Harvey Rockers
Fri. 9 p.m. Corkscrew
Sat. (3 p.m.) Chowder (9:30 p.m.) The Burgeoning
Sun. 3 p.m. Jamie Salvatore
Mon. 9 p.m. Open Mic. Night w/ Lauren
Tues. 9 p.m. The Silks
Wed. The Invitational (Featuring John & Peter's House Band)
All shows 21+
JoJo's Tavern
2677 Nottingham Way Hamilton
(609) 586-2678
Sat. 10 p.m. Kindred Spirit
Wed. 10 p.m. Karaoke
Palermo's Of Hamilton
310 Klockner Rd. Hamilton
(609) 838-7979
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke
All shows 21+
Patriot's Crossing
1339 River Rd. Titusville
(609) 737-2780
Sat. 7:30 p.m. Dan Zimmerman & The Torquebillies
Pete's Steak House
523 Whitehorse Ave. Hamilton
(609) 585-8008
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Crosswick
Sat. 9:30 p.m.Jeff Palmer & Friends
RHO Waterfront
50 Riverview Plaza Trenton
(609) 393-7300
Thurs. 9 p.m. College Night "Welcome Back Rider and TCNJ w/ DJ Paul Desisto
Fri. (4:30 p.m.) DJ Wes/Buffet (8:30 p.m.) The Eddie Testa Band
All Shows 21+
Sunsets at Cream Ridge
181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge
(609) 208-2500
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Deb & Mike
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Jumbo and The Flatleaver Band
Tavern On The Lake
101 Main St. Hightstown
(609) 426-9345
Fri. 9 p.m. Jam Lab
Sat. 9 p.m. Alter Ego
Wed. 8 p.m. Karaoke Night
The Cool Cricket
216 4th St. Fieldsboro
(609) 291-9110
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Sat. 9 p.m. New Dawn
Sun. 3 p.m. Bikes, Beers, Burgers, Bands w/ Polish Nannies
The Ivy Inn
248 Nassau St. Princeton
(609) 921-8555
Thurs. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Ron Sherr
Fri. 10 p.m. DJ Darius
Sat. 10 p.m. All For Bette
Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv
Wed. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Ron Sherr
The Record Collector
358 Farnsworth Ave. Bordentown
(609) 324-0880
Fri. 8 p.m. Iain Matthews / Joe Orlando & Friends. All ages, doors at 7:30 p.m., $20 (advance)
Sat. 8 p.m. Exotica a Night of Exotic Percussion. All ages, doors at 7:30 p.m., $15 (advance)
The Sticky Wicket
2465 South Broad St. Hamilton
(609) 439-0007
Fri. 9 p.m. War Machine
Sat. 9 p.m. DJ Aero
All shows 21+
The Sun National Bank Center
81 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 656-3200
Check web site for upcoming events
Tir Na Nog
1324 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 392-2554
Fri. 9 p.m. Galway Guild
Sat. 9 p.m. Mike Barniskis
Tues. 9 p.m.Bill Shannon
Wed. 9 p.m. Ed Wilson
All shows 21+
Trenton Social
449 South Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-7777
Thurs. 8 p.m. Cinema Thursdays Presents: "For No Good Reason"
Fri. 10 p.m. Friday night w/ Jay Kountree & Jaxx
Mon. 10 p.m. Service Industry Night w/ DJ-Jay Kountree
Triumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location)
400 Union Square New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-8300
Thurs. 10 p.m. DJ Trubblemaker
Fri. (5 p.m.) JD Eicher w/ Charlie Oxford, Christian Lopez. (10 p.m.) Dragon Fly. $5 (cover charge)
Sat. 10 p.m. Mustered Courage. $5 (cover charge)
Sun. 7 p.m. Open Jam Night
Tues. 9 p.m. Acoustic Grateful Dead w/ members of Splintered Sunlight
Wed. 9 p.m.
All shows 21+
Wildflowers Inn
2572 Pennington Rd. Pennington
Sat. 9 p.m. Live Acoustic Rock
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke
All shows 21+
About the author:
Danny Coleman is a veteran musician and writer from central New Jersey. He hosts a weekly radio program entitled 'Rock On Radio' airing Sunday evenings at 7:00pm EST on ThePenguinRocks.com where he features indie/original bands and solo artists.
EVENT PREVIEWS
Essex County Summer Players Orchestra present "Made in America" on August 2nd
(LIVINGSTON, NJ) -- As local residents and friends stroll, bike or jog around the Livingston Oval on Tuesday evenings this July, musicians from several community orchestras are gathering in the township's high school band room to celebrate works "Made in America."
Rising Sun Presents: A Funky Reggae Party on August 1st
(KING OF PRUSSIA, PA) -- Rising Sun Presents will celebrate summer with A Funky Reggae Party in Heuser Park on Saturday, August 1, 2026. The evening will feature performances from legendary acts Steel Pulse, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe playing Jimmy Cliff, and The Original Wailers ft. Al Anderson. The lineup also includes The Philly Reggae Allstars ft. members of Wareika Hill. Tabernacle & more, along with DJ sets from Solomonic Sound System (Rob Paine) and Traveler Sounds.
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center presents John Violinist on August 1st
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- John Violinist will perform at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC) on Saturday, August 1, 2026 7:30pm. John is an international violinist and performer who has fused the sound of classical music with the sound of today's popular music.
The Stone Pony presents John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band on August 1st
(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band return to The Stone Pony on Saturday, August 1, 2026. The band has been delivering their patented good time rock 'n' roll for more then 50 years now. This is an all ages show; doors are at 6:30pm.
Art, Poetry, and Conversation Unite at Monmouth Museum at Dunellen
(DUNELLEN, NJ) -- Jo-El Lopez will present a special edition of Art in Conversation on Saturday, August 1, 2026 at 2:00pm at the Monmouth Museum at Dunellen (266 North Avenue) in Dunellen. The free public event will feature an engaging artist talk by acclaimed abstract artist Bryant Small, followed by original spoken-word performances inspired by his artwork.
The Vogel presents Enjoy Every Sandwich: A Tribute to Warren Zevon on Saturday
(RED BANK, NJ) -- The Vogel presents Enjoy Every Sandwich: A Tribute to Warren Zevon on Saturday, August 1, 2026 at 7:30pm. This is another one of Pat Guadagno's popular tribute shows featuring an all-star cast. Limited tickets remain.
bergenPAC presents Buddy Guy on August 4th
(ENGLEWOOD, NJ) -- Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) presents Buddy Guy on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at 7:00pm. Buddy Guy remains a singular force in American music. Fresh off earning his ninth GRAMMY® Award in 2026 for Best Traditional Blues Album (Ain't Done with the Blues), the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and one of the last living architects of electric blues will celebrate a historic milestone with the Buddy Guy 90 Tour, featuring select headline performances across North America in 2026.
The Newton Theatre presents Adrian Vandenberg "My Whitesnake Years Tour"
(NEWTON, NJ) -- The Newton Theatre presents Adrian Vandenberg "My Whitesnake Years Tour" with Marco Mendoza, and Vinnie Moore on Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at 8:00pm.
Cape May Convention Hall presents Croce Plays Croce on August 7th
(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- A.J. Croce brings his Croce Plays Croce show to the Cape May Convention Hall on Friday, August 7, 2026 at 8:00pm. Son of the legendary singer songwriter, Jim Croce, A.J. purposefully waited thirty years to perform his father's music, only introducing his acclaimed Croce Plays Croce Tour when he felt there was a meaningful way to honor his musical legacy with depth, intention, and musical integrity.
State Theatre New Jersey presents Buddy Guy
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents Buddy Guy on Saturday, August 8, 2026 at 8:00pm. At nearly 90 years old, Buddy Guy remains a singular force in American music. Fresh off earning his ninth Grammy® Award in 2026 for Best Traditional Blues Album (Ain't Done with the Blues), the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and one of the last living architects of electric blues will celebrate a historic milestone with the Buddy Guy 90 Tour, featuring select headline performances across North America in 2026.
FEATURED EVENTS
