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+
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.
Don Mclean & Lee Greenwood
Sunday, November 15, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJTwo iconic singers perform their hits and celebrate America’s 250 birthday! Singer/songwriter Don McLean is best known for the classic hit “American Pie,” as well as “Vincent” and “Castles in the Air.” Country superstar Lee Greenwood has seven top charting singles, including “I.O.U,” “It Turns Me Inside Out,” and the patriotic favorite, “God Bless the U.S.A.”
Song Of The Meadowlark
Sunday, November 15, 2026 @ 2:30pm
Highland Design Farm
159 Van Dyke Road, Hopewell, NJA meditative rock odyssey weaving reimagined contemporary songs, stream-of-consciousness poetry and live painting.
The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling
Wednesday, November 16, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJBlues guitar virtuoso Nick Moss and harmonica wizard Dennis Gruenling have been on a winning streak since they first joined forces in 2016. With relentless nonstop touring and the release of their Alligator Records debut, The High Cost Of Low Living, in 2018, The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling has been playing for wildly enthusiastic fans and winning over critics and radio programmers worldwide.
Michael Mcdermott
Thursday, November 19, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJMichael McDermott’s brand of rock n’ roll brims with the kind of well-honed style and wisdom that can only come from a career on the road and a pedigree in the studio. Effortlessly blending natural folk sensibility, pop hooks, and honest rock, McDermott’s music is as much for the outcast as the congregation. It’s an exploration of the dark corners of life’s journey and it resonates middle class truths through the passionate filter of a kid that grew up on Chicago’s Irish South Side.
10,000 Maniacs
Thursday, November 19, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ10,000 Maniacs – 45 Years of Timeless Music
EVENT PREVIEWS
Forte Piano Music Company presents Exquisite Contrasts: Haydn & Schubert Piano Trios
(PARAMUS, NJ) -- The Forte Piano Music Company presents a Piano Trio Concert - "Exquisite Contrasts" - Haydn & Schubert on Sunday, November 15, 2026 at 2:30pm. This program brings together two landmarks of the piano trio repertoire, revealing the evolution of the genre from the Classical era to early Romanticism.
Mahwah Museum Hosts "Les Paul from Start to Finish" with Jim Wysocki
(MAHWAH, NJ) -- Come to the Mahwah Museum on Sunday, November 15, 2026 for a discussion of a 29-year friendship, rare memorabilia, and the story behind Les Paul's home with Mahwah Mayor Jim Wysocki from his nearly three-decade friendship with legendary musician and inventor Les Paul. The event begins at 2:00pm.
Atlantic City Punk Rock Flea Market - Holiday Edition to take place on Sunday
(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- You can get your holiday shopping done on Sunday, November 15, 2026 when Anchor Rock Club hosts the Atlantic City Punk Rock Flea Market - Holiday Edition. The event runs from noon to 6:00pm.
Song of the Meadowlark takes place on Sunday in Hopewell
(HOPEWELL, NJ) -- Song of the Meadowlark takes place Sunday, November 15, 2026 at Highland Design Farm. This is a meditative rock odyssey weaving reimagined contemporary songs, stream-of-consciousness poetry, and live painting. Doors are at 2:00pm, showtime is 2:30pm.
Avenel Performing Arts Center presents Chris Smither
(AVENEL, NJ) -- Chris Smither will perform at the Avenel Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, November 18, 2026 at 7:30pm. Born in Miami, during World War II, Chris Smither grew up in New Orleans where he first started playing music as a child. The son of a Tulane University professor, he was taught the rudiments of instrumentation by his uncle on his mother's ukulele.
Rufus Wainwright to Perform with Princeton "Super-Orchestra" at McCarter Theatre
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- On Thursday, November 19, 2026 at 7:30pm, GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright takes the McCarter stage for one night only with the Princeton Playhouse Sinfonia, a dynamic new collaborative ensemble created specifically for this concert.
Princeton Folk Music Society presents Kate Taylor
(PRINCETON, NJ) — The Princeton Folk Music Society presents Kate Taylor on Friday, November 20, 2026 in an evening of upbeat and bubbling song filled with enthusiasm and love. The concert takes place at Christ Congregation Church in Princeton. Showtime is 8:00pm. A livestream option is available as well.
Private Eyes Brings the Greatest Hits of Hall & Oates to the Strand Center for the Arts
(LAKEWOOD, NJ) -- Few musical acts defined the sound of the late 1970s and 1980s quite like Daryl Hall and John Oates. On Friday, November 20, 2026, the Strand Center for the Arts will celebrate their extraordinary catalog when Private Eyes – The Premier Tribute To Daryl Hall & John Oates takes the stage for an evening of classic pop, rock, and blue-eyed soul. Showtime is 8:00pm.
NJPAC to Celebrate Ben Vereen's 80th Birthday with All-Star Concert on November 21st
(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents Ben Vereen's 80th Birthday Concert on Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 8:00pm. This special one-night only celebration is part of NJPAC’s 2026 TD James Moody Jazz Festival (November 6-22). Several of today's leading Broadway stars and vocalists unite for a spectacular birthday bash performance toasting the legendary actor/dancer/singer Ben Vereen who turns 80 on October 10, 2026.
Musicians on a Mission to Celebrate 16th Anniversary with Gala Concert at Jersey Shore Arts Center
(OCEAN GROVE, NJ) -- Musicians on a Mission (MOAM) will celebrate sixteen years of friends helping friends through music with a special anniversary gala and concert on Sunday, November 22, 2026, at the Jersey Shore Arts Center in Ocean Grove.
