By Danny Coleman
originally published: 02/27/2015
"It's a funny story actually," says the dynamic Jocelyn Arndt. "We were playing in a band at the Fonda Fair. We were assigned to play the beer tent; which was kind of cool and we notice this guy wearing a really weird hat. We noticed that he was really paying a lot of attention to us and as the set went on we saw him speaking with our parents..."
The guy in the hat turned out to be David Bourgeois of Bridge Road Entertainment who took an immediate interest in Jocelyn and her very talented brother Chris. That chance meeting and subsequent parental discussion led to the signing of a deal with Bourgeois and Bridge Road Entertainment which has produced a seven song debut disc entitled "Strangers In Fairyland."
"This is my first release with Davis and Bridge Road," says Jocelyn. "We are on a developmental deal. We recorded the tracks at White Lake Music in Albany, N.Y. and it was such an amazing experience."
Jocelyn and Chris grew up in a family where music was a constant. According to both, their parents diverse tastes nourished their appetite for their talents. "Our parents listened to everything," said Chris with a laugh. "They had a wide range of musical tastes. They would listen to Queen, Elton John, Shania Twain, country, rock, jazz and blues and if they were listening so were we." Jocelyn says that her parents were not only "Huge in their musical influences" but very much behind them as well. "As soon as Chris and I started playing together in elementary school our parents have been super, super supportive. They were always telling us no matter what you do make sure you do it well and do it to the best of your abilities."
Currently Jocelyn and her guitarist brother are enrolled as students in a school which some may be familiar with; Harvard University. These two academics have placed an emphasis on balancing their passion with their need to further their education; with Jocelyn focusing on being an English Major and Chris admitting that he's "Still searching." When asked why they chose Harvard, their response was; "Why not?" "We worked very hard in high school and our parents instilled that academics are very important," said Jocelyn. "We are totally all on the same page there," says Chris. "Even though I have zero idea what I want to do yet; I take random classes but I am sure I'll figure it out," he said with a big laugh.
What they've both figured out is their desire to write, play and perform music; their own music. "Strangers In Fairyland" is a well constructed, well produced and gutsy performance from Jocelyn with Chris playing some blistering guitar licks behind her powerful vocals. Arndt performs at a level both live and on this debut effort that is far above her years of experience; totally complimenting her all star cast of Gov't Mule's Danny Lewis on the B3 organ, Tony Miceli on vibes, Bourgeois on drums, a host of session players and a "Surprise guest" whose identity is being kept under wraps at this time. "We went in the studio with eight or nine tracks in mind that we had written to choose from and settled on seven for the disc," they explained. "Working with such talented musicians was just an unbelievable experience."
Talented studio players is one thing; so how is it working together as siblings? "You know what? Ninety nine percent of the time it's great," said a laughing Jocelyn. "We always have easy access during a stroke of creative genius," added Chris. "We definitely know how to keep one another in line; we don't allow each other to get too big."
Shall these talented young artists keep moving forward as they are; many things are going to get very big. Their music is hard driving, straight ahead rock 'n' roll that most younger players do not embrace; yet Arndt not only embraces it but squeezes it so tight that she leaves no doubt who is in charge. Jocelyn's command of her material is second to none and her desire to bring it home, drop it on a plate and serve it up is not only admirable but should be a model for her peers. "We are going to keep playing, keep pushing and writing music," she said as she pondered their next move. "This, music, it's our first love, it's really what we want to do; as David says, "We're going to throw the ball down field;" hopefully we'll score."
Jocelyn's music is available on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby and Spotify. To learn more about Jocelyn Arndt; please visit her web site at
www.jocelynarndt.com .
That's it for this week! Please continue to support live and original music and until next week....ROCK ON!
Amarones Windsor Inn
29 Church St. Windsor
(609) 448-7144
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. "Country" Ron Crites
Fri. 8 p.m. Larry D
Sat. 8 p.m. Sounds of The Street
Wed. 7:30 p.m. Robert Bruce
Big Shots Bar and Grill/Hebe Music Lounge
835 E Rte. 130 South, Burlington
(609) 267-1200
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic.
Blend Bar & Bistro
911 Highway 33, Hamilton
(609) 245-8887
Fri. 9 p.m. Rob Silvers & Sean Cox
Tues. 8 p.m. Triviajam
The Backstage at Championship Bar
931 Chambers St. Trenton
Fri. 7 p.m. Moxie and Rebel, Outbreak, Imankita, Still Searching, Parkwood. All ages, $10
Sat. 5 p.m. The Afraid Brigade, UMan ERA, Astrokatz, The Stonewall Vessels, Empty November, Canamara, The Damn Long Hairs. All ages, $10
Wed. 8 p.m. WU-Wednesday. Ages 21+, $5
Candlelight Lounge
24 Passaic St. Trenton
(609) 695-9612
Tues. 8 p.m. Acoustic Music Night feat. The Dawgs
Dog & Bull Brew House810 Bristol Pike (Rte. 13) Croydon, PA.
(215) 788-2855
Thurs. 8 p.m. Twin Ghost
Fri. (4 p.m.) Keli Vale Jazz Duo (9 p.m.) CP Duo
Sat. 9 p.m. Jack McTamney
Sun. (11 a.m.) Sunday Brunch feat. The Evolution (3 p.m.) Soul Custody
Mon. 8 p.m. Keith Lesnik Trio
Tues. 8 p.m. Sister Blue
Wed. 8 p.m. Joe Robinson
Fran's Pub
116 S. Main St. New Hope, PA.
(215)862-5539
Fri. 7 p.m. Luck Brothers Band
Sat. 8 p.m. Strange Brew Crew
Mon. 8 p.m. Open Blues Jam
All shows 21+
Halo Pub
4617 Nottingham Way Hamilton
(609) 586-1811
Sat. 7 p.m. Blue Jersey Band
Havana New Hope
105 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-9897
Thurs. 10 p.m. "Beat the Clock" DJ Dance party
Fri. 8 p.m. Hmfo (Hall & Oates Tribute). Doors at 6 p.m., $10 (advance)
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Shot of Southern
Sun. 1:30 p.m. Midnight Sun Orchestra
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. Honey Spot Blvd.
All shows 21+
John & Peter's
96 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-5981
Fri. 9 p.m. The Hyde
Sat. (3 p.m.) The Trip Dogs
Mon. 9 p.m. Open Mic. Night w/ Tim
Wed. 9:30 p.m. The Invitational
All shows 21+
JoJo's Tavern
2677 Nottingham Way Hamilton
(609) 586-2678
Wed. 10 p.m. Karaoke
Paint the Roses Tea and Café
37 West Broad Street Hopewell
(609) 466-8200
Sat. 11 a.m. Bryan Hill
Palermo's Of Hamilton
310 Klockner Rd. Hamilton
(609) 838-7979
50 Riverview Plaza Trenton
(609) 393-7300
Thurs. 10 p.m. "College Night" w/ DJ Paul Desisto
Fri. (4 p.m.) Happy Hour Buffet (8:30 p.m.) In The Cut Band
All Shows 21+
Spigola Restaurant & Lounge
3817 Crosswicks Hamilton Square Road Hamilton
(609) 585-5255
Sat. 8:30 Jessica DiDonato
Sunsets at Cream Ridge181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge
(609) 208-2500
Sat. 9 p.m. Tangled
Tavern On The Lake101 Main St. Hightstown
(609) 426-9345
Fri. 9 p.m. Kickback
Sat. 9 p.m. Sneak Attack
Wed. 8 p.m. Karaoke Night
The HOB Tavern
146 Second Street
(609) 291-7020
Sat. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Wed. 8 p.m. Open Mic. Jam Night hosted by Larry Archer
The Ivy Inn
248 Nassau St. Princeton
(609) 921-8555
Thurs. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Ron
Fri. 10 p.m. Diablo Sandwich Band
Sat. 10 p.m. The Goods
Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv
Wed. 10 p.m. "Theme Night" w/ DJ Rockn Ron
The Millhill Basement
300 South Broad St Trenton
(609) 989-1600
Fri. 9 p.m. You Vandal.
The Record Collector
358 Farnsworth Ave. Bordentown
(609) 324-0880
Sat. 8 p.m. Joe Keris & The Good Week (CD Release Party) / Evening Edition. All ages, Doors 7:30 p.m., $10 (advance)
The Sticky Wicket 2465 South Broad St. Hamilton
(609) 439-0007
Fri. 9 p.m. Undercover
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. Mike Brill
Sat. 9 p.m. The Shantys
Sun. 3 p.m. "Irish Sessions" w/ Kathy DeAngelo & Dennis Gormley
All shows 21+
Trenton Buzz
702 Pine St. Trenton
(609) 392-6000
Sat. 9 p.m. "Brown Sugar & Friends" Hosted by Bearded Hipster
Trenton Social
449 South Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-7777
Thurs. 8 p.m. Cinema Thursdays Presents: Iceberg Slim: "The Legend of Cool Disco Dan"
Fri. 7 p.m. First Friday
Mon. 10 p.m. Service Industry Night w/ DJ-Jay Kountree
Tues. 7 p.m. Open Mic.
Wed. 6 p.m. Dick Gratton
Triumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location)
400 Union Square New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-8300
Fri. 10 p.m. The Lawsuits. ($5 cover charge)
Sat. 10 p.m. Kings and Comrades. ($5 cover charge)
Sun. 7 p.m. Open Jam Night
Tues. 9 p.m. Challenge Accepted
Wed. 9 p.m. Matthew Szlachetka
All shows 21+
Wildflowers Inn
2572 Pennington Rd. Pennington
Sat. 9 p.m. Live Acoustic Rock
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke
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
Punch Brothers to Kick off 28-City Tour at Mayo Performing Arts Center on May 14th
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- The Grammy Award-winning Punch Brothers will begin a twenty-eight city U.S. tour on Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC). Tickets range from $53-$85. Showtime is 7:30pm.
McCarter Theatre presents Madeleine Peyroux's "WE ARE AMERICA: American Songs That Give Us Hope" on May 14th
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Madeleine Peyroux brings her WE ARE AMERICA: American Songs That Give Us Hope tour to McCarter Theatre Center on Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 7:30pm.
Westminster Choir College to celebrate 100th anniversary
(LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ) -- Westminster Choir College of Rider University is celebrating its 100th anniversary, marking a century of excellence in music education and performance. Centennial events in Lawrenceville and Princeton honor legacy while supporting future generations of musicians.
Jason Didner's New Album Celebrates Asbury Park's Resilient Spirit of Community
(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- Asbury Heart is Jason Didner's love letter to a city that refused to quit — and to the musicians, misfits, and believers who kept the beat going. Drawing on the sounds, stories, and personalities that transformed Asbury Park from a place of decay into an unlikely worldwide music destination, the album spans punk, soul, reggae, and heartland rock in the spirit of the Jersey Shore scene itself: eclectic, unguarded, and alive.
Looking for the Heart of Saturday Night? Eddie Skuller to bring the Ballads of Tom Waits to Hoboken
(HOBOKEN, NJ) -- Jersey City based singer Eddie Skuller will perform a personal tribute to the songwriting of Tom Waits on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at the 503 Social Club. Eddie returns for a night of classic Waits songs, interpreted by this skilled, masterful singer. A moving experience guaranteed!
The Newton Theatre presents The Wailers on May 16th
(NEWTON, NJ) -- The Wailers are celebrating 50 years of "Rastaman Vibration" with a tour honoring one of Bob Marley & The Wailers' most influential albums. The tour comes to The Newton Theatre on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 8:00pm.
Raul Midón Takes the Stage at the Grunin Center's Prima Theatre on May 16th
(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts welcomes Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and virtuoso guitarist Raul Midón to the Gia Maione Prima Foundation Studio Theatre on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 7:00pm. Tickets are $35.
The Masterwork Chorus presents "An American Tapestry"
(MADISON, NJ) -- On Saturday, May 16, 2026, The Masterwork Chorus presents An American Tapestry at The Concert Hall at Drew University. This is a musical journey through 250 years of Americana celebrating the the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Showtime is 7:30pm.
The Morris Choral Society to Conclude Season with Brahms Requiem on May 16th
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- The Morris Choral Society will perform their Spring Concert on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at St. Mary's Abby Church on the campus of Delbarton School. The soloists for this concert will be Soprano Cassandra Douglas and Baritone Charles Gray. The chorus will be accompanied by a full orchestra. Showtime is 7:30pm.
WP Presents Brings Unforgettable Fire to Shea Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday
(WAYNE, NJ) -- WP Presents the U2 tribute band Unforgettable Fire on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 8:00pm in the Shea Center for Performing Arts. Unforgettable Fire, or ‘UF’, was born on New Year's Day in 1995 as one of the very first U2 Tribute Bands to ever perform in America.
