Former Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts classmates Christian Navarro of Netflix’s “13 Reasons Why”and Jersey City-based pop songstress Evangelia co-wrote and perform a duet on the single “Hello Again,” which recently was released as a video. PHOTO BY NOLEDGE PRODUCTIONS
This week’s Scene Report also features Parlor Mob, P-Funk North, Ser Xerri, Mike Daly & the Planets, Ferentz and the Felons and more
For years, Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts has cultivated an impressive depth of talent that includes Emmy nominees Kristin Davis (“Sex in the City,” “Melrose Place”) and Calista Flockhart (“Ally McBeal,” “Supergirl”); Sebastian Stan, Captain America nemesis Winter Soldier; internationally acclaimed film director Cheryl Dunye; Tony nominee Kevin Chamberlain (“Dirty Blonde,” “Seussical,” “The Addams Family”), former Prince/Jay-Z trumpeter Lee Hogans, and David Seamon and Daniel Swern, the composer and producer of the award-winning off-Broadway show “The Eleventh Hour” about the New Brunswick basement scene in the face of the apocalypse.
Two more famous Mason Gross grads, Christian Navarro and Brandon Flynn of the hit Netflix series “13 Reasons Why,” recently lent their rising star power to their old college buddies Evangelia and Cook Thugless.
Now based in Jersey City, Bridgewater-raised Evangelia continues her growing dominance of the music universe with her latest video for the single, “Hello Again,” featuring Navarro as co-writer of their duet. Navarro recently told Billboard how he was discussing on FaceTime with his former classmate the need for a better way into his character, teen rebel Tony Padilla. At which point, Evangelia picked up her guitar and suggested they write a song about it. The results were released as a single in April and a video that Billboard premiered on June 8.
A couple of weeks after Evangelia’s latest video dropped, New Jersey’s most YouTube-friendly band, Cook Thugless, released one of their best clips for a fierce new tune entitled “Lockjaw.” Flynn and Mason Gross classmate Shyrley (“The Get Down,” “Pacific Rim 2”) star as artists struggling with success and fame (Shyrley has appeared on three previous Thugless tracks, including the recent clip for the funny “DAT MOFK”). Shyrley also joins Cook Thugless rapper JeanLouis on the vocal track, ad libbing over the co-frontman’s punk-like grit.
P-Funk North front man-bassist David Sloyan and drummer-percussionist Ryan Weil are keeping The P-Funk North Show alive with help from guitarists and fellow North Plainfield natives Tam Garcia from Garden State Line and Milan Lazistan from Milan & the Sour Goat. They have no signs of slowing down.
Upcoming shows include June 28 with Badfish at The Stanhope House; July 6 at The Stone Pony as the official after-party band inside the club for Rebelution/Stephen Marley/Common Kings/Zion I/DJ Mackle on the Summer Stage; July 11, Brighton Bar, Long Branch, Yellowman, and Garden Grove Musical, Sept. 8, Westfield River Brewing Co., Southwick, Mass., with Badfish, Roots of Creation, Bumpin Uglies and more.
P-Funk North also are working on new studio tracks helmed by Weil at his Weilhouse Productions. They also play monthly on Saturdays at Blackthorn Restaurant & Irish Pub in New Brunswick ...
Ferentz and the Felons will celebrate the release of their CD, affectionately entitled “Hudson County” in honor of their home base, as is a hard-hitting but poignant single/video about reluctantly leaving home. The June 29 Rock-it Docket show at FM in Jersey City also will feature Sammy Kay Band, Young House and Mercy Union, an excellent new local super group featuring members of The Scandals, The Gaslight Anthem and Rocky & the Chapter. Proceeds will go to Young New Yorkers, a nonprofit that keeps juveniles out of jail by mentoring them with art.
