?>
ROCK ON! This Week's Sound Bites... 9/25/14
By Danny Coleman
originally published: 09/25/2014
A little more than a year ago, I wrote a piece called "Red, White and Blues" which was centered around the perceived death or near death of blues music as a viable entity. In the piece, I interviewed blues musicians from the Jersey shore to Trenton and beyond and to a player, they all agreed that the genre is unappreciated, under credited and extremely tough to keep on people's minds.
"All rock 'n' roll music is blues based," a former band mate once said to me as we contemplated where our musical futures would take us. "It's based on the old delta blues and there is not one song in today's rock music that can claim otherwise," he continued on. I recall scoffing at him at the time, due in part to my love of progressive rock bands which I'd grown up a fan of. Seriously, how do Genesis and Yes fit that mold? Kansas?
Recently I was fortunate enough to spend an hour with Randy Bachman of The Guess Who and Bachman Turner Overdrive. Randy's eyes lit up when he discussed the bands who travelled to his hometown of Winnipeg in his native Canada. "The bands were varied," he told me. "We got blues, rock, country and so many great acts." Bachman rattled off name after name of the classic performers who have shaped generations of musicians and bands who visited; all blues based.
Lately, despite its critics, many of which are from within the blues community; I've noticed a resurgence of the art. Performers who have attempted to distance themselves from their roots have returned, either in full force or are revisiting their old styles. then there are those who never left, veteran Trenton area rockers such as Ernie White, Paul Plumeri and the timeless Joe Zook are still going strong. The names Chuck Lambert and Jody Joseph are synonymous with the blues along the Jersey shore and still packing them in clubs where they perform steady or frequent engagements. Matt O'Ree, who headlined the recent Colts Neck Rock Festival is a stellar performer and blues/rock guitarist who is frequently sought after for studio work. Matt held the crowd spellbound even before being joined by Michael Ghegan and Bon Jovi band mate David Bryan.
Bar owners and venues however, still seem reluctant to bring the blues back into their fold. Patrons and staff alike tend to cringe for reasons unknown when the words "blues band" are mentioned. The irony of which, is that many of these same people also think that Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote "Call Me The Breeze." "Oh man, a blues band? This should be a long depressing night," was overheard chatter between two bar tenders at one venue. "I hope these guys rock a little, I mean it is the blues," was another.
These same detractors fail to realize that the classic rock cover bands which they love to go see are doing blues music all night. ZZ Top, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Joe Walsh, Rolling Stones, Allman Brothers, Beatles and Lynyrd Skynyrd are all rooted firmly in the blues.
Simple truth is, my band mate was right. Rock, rock 'n' roll and beyond has roots deeper than what's seen on the surface. The interpretations of material which arose from the deep south and delta regions of this country have been grasped upon by generations of musicians who have made "public domain" their own. A recent sold out Bordentown City performance by James Cotton, one of the greatest blues harp players of all time; further shows the power of the blues.
So, the next time you're humming along or watching your favorite band, try and remember from whence it came and give a nod to those who made it possible.
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. Paul Plumeri Band
Sun. 9 p.m. Kenny Cunningham
Wed. 10 p.m. Open mic. night
All shows 21+
Amalfi's Restaurant
146 Lawrenceville-Pennington Rd. Lawrenceville
(609) 912-1599
Sat. 8:30 p.m.(TBA)
Amarones Windsor Inn
29 Church St. Windsor
(609) 448-7144
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Scott Gager & Debbie
Fri. 8 p.m. Lonnie Youngblood
Sat. 8 p.m. Tony Malandro
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. 8 p.m. A Thousand Days (Video Shoot Party)
Fri. 7 p.m. Heroes In Error, ELI, Memories of March
Sat. 7 p.m. Vital Stats, Mantic, Our Feathered Friends
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic.
Blend Bar & Bistro
911 Highway 33, Hamilton
(609) 245-8887
Fri. 8 p.m. Sharon Lia Band
Sat. 9 p.m. Mike & Steve
Tues. 8 p.m. Triviajam
Candlelight Lounge
24 Passaic St. Trenton
(609) 695-9612
Sat. 3 p.m. James Stewart Sax Quartet. (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. 7 p.m. Know Your Enemy, The Illusionist, Demo Team, They Call Us Death, Isolation. All ages, $8/$10
Sat. 5 p.m. Suspect, Government of Sheep, RISK, No Left Turn, Jump For The Sails, Tie Goes To the Runner. All ages, $8/$10
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. 9 p.m. Trivia Night
Fran's Pub
116 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215)862-5539
Thurs. Drag Show
Fri. 8 p.m. Under A Ton
Sat. 7 p.m. Slim Chance & The Gamblers
Sun. 3 p.m. Billy Walton Band
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. 8 p.m. The "Original" Asia w/ opening act Sammy Flow. Doors at 6 p.m., $75 (general admission)
Sat. 8 p.m. Lez Zeppelin. Ages 21+, doors at 6 p.m., $25
Sun. 6 p.m. JB Kline Band
Mon. 10 p.m. Karaoke in the Bar w/ DJ Ron Sherr and Bridget
Wed. 8 p.m. Pat Foran and Friends
All shows 21+
Ivy Tavern
3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton
(609) 888-1435
Fri. 10 p.m. Gunsmoke
Sat. 10 p.m. Soul Custody
All shows 21+
John & Peter's
96 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-5981
Thurs. 9 p.m. Midwestern Exposure
Fri. 9 p.m. Ammunition
Sat. 9:30 p.m. John Beacher & The Common Ground
Sun. (3 p.m.) Miss Pumpkin's Drag Show Benefit for Poor Paws Rescue (9:30 p.m.) Weird Hot
Mon. 9 p.m. Open Mic. Night w/ Tim
Tues. 9 p.m. DJ Aggreschen
Wed. The Invitational (Featuring John & Peter's House Band)
All shows 21+
JoJo's Tavern
2677 Nottingham Way Hamilton
(609) 586-2678
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
Fri. 7:30 p.m. Bill & Joe of Two Man Trio
Sat. 7:30 p.m. Shawn Would
Pete's Steak House
523 Whitehorse Ave. Hamilton
(609) 585-8008
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Ernie White & Tom Reock
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Mr. Lucky
RHO Waterfront
50 Riverview Plaza Trenton
(609) 393-7300
Thurs. 9 p.m. College Night "Welcome Back Rider and TCNJ w/ DJ Jeff Scott
Fri. (4:30 p.m DJ Wes / Buffet (8:30 p.m.) Musicology
Sat. 9 p.m. Summer After Party w/ DJ Troopa Traloopa, DJ Suga and Selecta Bam Bam
All Shows 21+
Sunsets at Cream Ridge
181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge
(609) 208-2500
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Melanie & Sonny
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Tangled
Tavern On The Lake
101 Main St. Hightstown
(609) 426-9345
Fri. 9 p.m. Far Cry
Sat. (3 p.m.) Pumptoberfest (9 p.m.) TBA
Wed. 8 p.m. Karaoke Night
The Ivy Inn
248 Nassau St. Princeton
(609) 921-8555
Thurs. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Ron Sherr
Fri. 10 p.m. Jam Lab
Sat. 10 p.m. DJ Joey El
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. Ricky Byrd / Kasim Sultan. All ages, doors at 7:30 p.m., $18 (advance)
Sat. 8 p.m. Jet Weston & His Atomic Ranch Hands. All ages, doors at 7:30 p.m., $12 (advance)
The Sticky Wicket
2465 South Broad St. Hamilton
(609) 439-0007
Fri. 9 p.m. Never Enough
Sat. 9 p.m. Fully Loaded
All shows 21+
The Sun National Bank Center
81 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 656-3200
Check web site for upcoming events
The Trellis Outdoor Bar & Patio
30 Rte. 156 Hamilton
(609) 581-6782
Fri. 8:30 p.m. F2 and The Anchovy Brothers
Tir Na Nog
1324 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 392-2554
Fri. 9 p.m. Birmingham 6
Sat. 9 p.m. Mike Brill
Tues. 9 p.m. Ian Patrick Gentles
All shows 21+
Trenton Social
449 South Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-7777
Thurs. 8 p.m. Cinema Thursdays Presents: "See You Next Tuesday"
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. The Fustics
Fri. 10 p.m. Izzy and The Catastrophics. $5 (cover charge)
Sat. (1 p.m.) Jake Hertzog (10 p.m.) Hot Day At The Zoo. $5 (cover charge)
Sun. (1 p.m.) Jake Hertzog (7 p.m.) Open Jam Night
Tues. 9 p.m. Acoustic Grateful Dead feat. members of Splintered Sunlight
All shows 21+
Wildflowers Inn
2572 Pennington Rd. Pennington
Sat. 9 p.m. Live Acoustic Rock
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke
All shows 21+
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
The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Jonatha Brooke
(TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Jonatha Brooke on Friday April 24, 2026 at 7:30pm. The singer-songwriter merges evocative folk, melodic pop, with an edgier roots rock sensibility.
MPAC presents The String Queens on April 24th
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Praised for its authentic, soulful, and orchestral sound, The String Queens (TSQ) is a dynamic trio that creates stimulating musical experiences that inspire diverse audiences to love, hope, feel, and imagine! The String Queens come to Mayo Performing Arts Center, Friday, April 24, 2026 at 8:00pm.
Sweet Honey in the Rock Brings 50+ Years of Music and Message to McCarter Theatre Center
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Sweet Honey in the Rock, the GRAMMY-nominated vocal ensemble celebrating more than 50 years of artistry, returns to McCarter Theatre Center on Friday, April 24, 2026 with its signature blend of socially conscious and spiritually uplifting music. Showtime is 7:30pm.
Outpost in the Burbs presents Rhett Miller of Old 97's
(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- Outpost in the Burbs presents Rhett Miller on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 8:00pm. Rhett is a revered singer-songwriter known for his more than three decades fronting the popular rock band Old 97's who were honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2025 Americana Awards at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.
Clint Black Brings His Back On The Blacktop Tour with Special Guest Gareth to CarteretPAC on April 25th
(CARTERET, NJ) -- Clint Black Brings His Back On The Blacktop Tour with Special Guest Gareth to the URSB Carteret Performing Arts and Events Center on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 8:00pm.
The Chapin Family presents: Harry Chapin’s Greatest Stories LIVE
(WAYNE, NJ) -- The Chapin Family presents: Harry Chapin’s Greatest Stories LIVE on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at the Shea Center for Performing Arts. In the long rich history of Family Groups in American Roots Music, this family has a special place. When these singers, songwriters and extraordinary live performers come together, magic happens. Showtime is 8:00pm.
Sold-Out Cabaret Returns: The Light Between – A Modern Cabaret Comes to Lincroft on April 25th
(LINCROFT, NJ) -- After selling out 200 seats in just days, The Light Between – A Modern Cabaret returns for a special encore performance Saturday, April 25, 2026 at The Earth Room at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Monmouth County. Created and performed by PJ Casbar and Tom McCormack, the show blends original music, musical-theater favorites, and modern pop into a character-driven cabaret evening that moves between humor, storytelling, and moments of theatrical surprise. Showtime is 7:30pm.
The Newton Theatre presents Kashmir: The Spirit of Led Zeppelin - 55/50 TOUR
(NEWTON, NJ) -- Kashmir: The Spirit of Led Zeppelin brings its 55/50 TOUR to The Newton Theatre on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 8:00pm. The tour celebrates two groundbreaking albums - the 55th anniversary of Led Zeppelin IV and the 50th anniversary of Presence. This tour promises an unforgettable journey through the soundscapes that have influenced generations and continue to inspire.
João Bosco Quartet - 80th Birthday Celebration of Brazilian Music Legend João Bosco to take place at McCarter Theatre on April 25th
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center presents the João Bosco Quartet in a special performance celebrating the legendary Brazilian artist's 80th birthday and more than five decades of groundbreaking music-making on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 7:30pm. Presented in association with Brazil LAB, this performance celebrates João Bosco’s extraordinary career.
Albert Music Hall presents a Modern Country Music Show on Saturday
(WARETOWN, NJ) -- On any given night at Albert Music Hall, audiences are more likely to hear early honky-tonk or the songs of Johnny Cash than the modern country sounds of artists like Luke Combs or Miranda Lambert. That will change on Saturday, April 25, 2026, when the Hall leans into the modern era with a special show dedicated to new country music.
