By Danny Coleman
originally published: 08/27/2020
"I'm safe, I'm COVID free, it's a sunny day in Minneapolis and nothing has gone wrong today; I'm good," said a laughing Jonatha Brooke as she began discussing her latest effort entitled "The Sweetwater Sessions," her one-woman play, living in Minnesota and more.
Originally from the east coast, Brooke has bounced around the country on an artistic sojourn; searching for the right combination of venues, writers, collaborators and others to enhance her body of work. A body which includes more than just music; so, why Minneapolis?
"I am a Boston girl, I wound up here by way of Los Angeles and New York," she explained, "We covered both coasts pretty thoroughly and figured; why not try the middle? Minneapolis is an awesome city despite its recent troubles; it is a pretty great town. My husband grew up here so I wasn't afraid; I had been here quite a bit and had fallen in love with it. We were burnt out on New York and decided to have an adventure in a new place."
"Minneapolis is the best kept musical secret. There's so much good music going on here; Prince is from Minneapolis and he chose to stay here so that's a pretty good vote of confidence. There's a bunch of amazing musicians here, there's a really cool indie music scene with a lot of little coffee houses tucked into different neighborhoods and just a lot going on. There is a lot going on in the theater world too; I've been working on two musicals lately which is something I've been wanting to do a lot more of; it just feels like a really nurturing place to be creative."
When you're a touring musician or one in search of new audiences in an attempt to expand a fan base; it is often tough stepping outside of one's comfort zone and arriving in a new place or town can be either a blessing or a curse. Brooke says she could not be happier with this stop on the journey.
"It has been awesome actually; I have been completely embraced," she elaborated with sincerity. "When I moved to town, I was able to get a residency at this beautiful club downtown called The Dakota, I was able to bring my one-woman off-Broadway show to a small theater called The Jungle; I did a month's run there. Amazing musicians have embraced me, I got a grant from The McKnight Foundation which is one of the many great art foundations here that supports artists of all walks; visual artists, musical artists; it's a really artsy city and I'm very lucky to have found it and been embraced by it. I think they try and keep it a secret because they don't want too many people honing in on it (laughs)."
Success is measured in a multitude of ways and is often based on perspective; be it one's own or the masses but a key ingredient in success is tenacity. Brooke has been artistically multi-tasking and "The Sweetwater Sessions" is her most recent focus and example of her tenacity in the music industry
"I think it's album number 13 or 14 but who's counting," she said once again with a laugh. "The Sweetwater Sessions" grew out of a recording workshop I did in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the beautiful amazing studios of Sweetwater Sound. You may have heard of Sweetwater Sound; it's basically the Amazon of gear, of musical gear. They have guitars and tech gear and all sorts of stuff there but they also have this amazing world class studio where they do workshops for all sorts of stuff and I was lucky enough to do a recording workshop there and I decided as long as I was doing these amazing recordings; why not bring in my guitar player and make a record while I'm there so people can witness what it's like to go for a live vibe in the studio and see how it goes down? So, I got some amazing tracks out of it and that's how it happened."
"There are 11 tracks; one cover song which is The Beatles "Hide Your Love Away" and 10 from my very long and varied career (laughs). Sean Driscoll my guitar player and I did a really cool arrangement of it for a benefit at City Winery a few years ago and we were like, wow, this is cool, let's bring this one back; so, we put it on the record because it kind of rocks."
So, once again, the problem during these trying times is; how do artists get their products out there without gigs, concerts or physical contact with supporters? Brooke has been "Cooking" something up that has been well consumed internationally.
"Yeah that's the real clincher; I'm doing concerts from my kitchen every Monday at 2 p.m. central. So, that's a way without leaving home to have a world tour going on because people are tuning in from all over; Australia, Germany, France, the Philippines, Denmark, it's kind of exciting in a strange way. The pandemic has brought us closer in some ways; it brought the fans to me because I can't get to them and I've got these amazing supporters who are listening every week. We call it, "Contributing ticket price" to get into the show as it were and it's helping to sustain my life because I don't get unemployment. You can find these "Kitchen Covid Concerts" on my website, YouTube or Facebook and we are going to keep them up there so people can revisit all of them."
Fortunately for Brooke, she has other avenues to pursue that stoke her creative fires; one of which is the aforementioned one-woman play but she's also working on two more plays that she readily admits have her creative juices flowing.
"I'm doing mostly music right now but the play is something that I can pull out of my hat quickly. It is a very ergonomic one-woman piece; I tour with my cello player and my guitar player. I have done it around the country in Philly and Cleveland, now Minneapolis and in Arkansas so it is something that I'm still pursuing but for now it is a little bit on the back burner while I do this "Sweetwater Sessions" thing and also while I stay home because no one is going anywhere (laughs). The play is called, "My Mother Has Four Noses" and it's basically a 10-song love story about me and my mother and how I cared for her over the last two years of her life. So, it's comic, it's tragic and all of those things rolled into a story that I tell and then I weave songs in and out of my storytelling; it's pretty cool."
"There's a lot of music in the pipeline, I'm working on two different musicals with two amazing playwrights, one is called "Switched" which is about two women who are switched at birth and another one; the working title is "Tempest" which is about a female explorer back in the 1930's who gets lost in the ice and then revived later. That's really exciting; it's a little bit sci-fi and a little bit feminist and it's super exciting to explore this character and write her songs, sing in her voice; it's a challenge, it's a lot of stuff."
"Revived?" Like survival it's what every musician or artist hopes they do in their careers with every new product or release but in today's COVID climate it's not as easy; if it ever actually was such. True to form, Brook's tenacity continues to play a part in her day to day existence and her work ethic continues to uplift her daily.
"I think we're all kind of scrambling. We're trying to be optimistic but it feels like it might be another year before we can all get safely back out there. I'm teaching online now too; I have master classes that I'm teaching through Zoom and you just piece it all together week to week and hope you can keep going. Like I said, today was a good day; nothing went wrong (laughs)."
To discover more about Jonatha Brooke, please go to www.jonathabrooke.com.
That's it for this week! Please continue to support live and original music and until next week....ROCK ON!
This week's event listings
Arts Council of Princeton 102 Witherspoon Street Princeton
(609) 924-8777
Fri. 6 p.m. "Story & Verse: A Storytelling & Poetic Open Mic. (Held outdoor at Pettoranello Gardens located on Mountain Avenue)
Broken Goblet Brewing 2500 State Road Bensalem, PA
(267) 812-5653
Thurs. 8 p.m. Mike Estabrook
Candlelight Lounge 24 Passaic Street Trenton
(609) 695-9612
Thurs. 6 p.m. Thursday Night Blues Jam Hosted by The Mojo Gypsies. $5 (Includes hot buffet)
Sat. 3 p.m. (TBA) $10 (cover charge/$10 Minimum includes buffet)
Clubhouse at Mountain View 850 Bear Tavern Road Ewing
(609) 771-0400
Fri. 6 p.m. Jerry Monk & Joe Kramer
COARadio.com 125 South Main Street Hightstown
(609) 241-7103
Sun. 7 p.m. "Rock On Radio" feat. Melody Federer / Donna, Peter, and Steve from "Rock 2 Adopt"
Cooper's Riverview 50 Riverview Plaza Trenton
(609) 393-7300
Thurs. 7 p.m. Honey Spot Blvd
Fri. 7 p.m. No Way Out
Sat. 7 p.m. "Social Saturdays" feat. Asylum Choir
Mon. 7 p.m. "Sunny Monday Blues Jam"
Tues. 8 p.m. Karaoke w/ Karen and Mark
All Events Ages 21+
Dog & Bull Brew House 810 Bristol Pike (Rte. 13) Croydon, PA.
(215) 788-2855
Fri. 6 p.m. Ed from Nothing But A Nightmare
Sat. 4 p.m. Snapdragon
Sun. 4 p.m. Try Check
Hamilton Tap & Grill 557 US Route 130 North Hamilton
(609) 905-0925
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzoholics Trivia
Wed. 7 p.m. Country Night. $5
Hopewell Valley Vineyards 46 Yard Avenue Pennington
(609) 737-4465
Thurs. 6 p.m. Mark Feingold Group
Fri. 6 p.m. "Music & Merlot" feat. Deb & Mike
Sat. (1 p.m.) Modern Rewind (6 p.m.) "Music & Merlot" feat. Catmoondaddy
Sun. 3 p.m. "Jazzy Sundays" feat. Hopewell Valley Vineyards Jazz Ensemble
Iron Plow Vineyards 26750 Mount Pleasant Road Columbus
(732) 306-9111
Fri. 7 p.m. Wayne Palmer
Sat. 1 p.m. AudioPilot
Sun. 1 p.m. Bob & Dave
Killarney's Publick House 1644 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton
(609) 586-1166
Fri. 6 p.m. Mario DiBartolo & Frank Clayton
Laurita Winery 85 Archertown Road New Egypt
(609) 752-0200
Thurs. 5 p.m. "Cornhole Tournament"
Fri. 6 p.m. "Sounds of Summer Series: Music on the Lawn" feat. The Bergers. $15 (advance)
Sun. 4:30 p.m. Polish Nannies
Odd Logic Brewing Co.500 Bristol Pike, Bristol, PA
Sun. 3 p.m. Joe & Krista
Old Town Pub 135 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown
(609) 291-9232
Thurs. 8 p.m. Quizzoholics Trivia
Patriots Crossing 1339 River Road Titusville
(609) 737-2780
Thurs. 8 p.m. Open Mic Night
Wed. 7 p.m. "Quizzo"
Revere Restaurant802 River Road Ewing
(609) 882-6365
Fri. 9 p.m. Danny Lynch Project
Rossi's Bar & Grill 2110 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton
(609) 890-2004
Thurs. 6 p.m. Ernie White
Sparky World Famous Beer Garden4333 New Falls Road Levittown, PA
(215) 943-2321
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Mon. 9 p.m. Game Night w/ Kid Dalton
Temperance House 5 South State Street Newtown, PA
(215) 944-8050
Thurs. 7p.m. "Blues Night" w/ Steve Guyger
Tues. 8 p.m. Trivia w/ Righteous Jolly (outdoors)
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic Night w/ Cara Cartney
Terhune Orchards 330 Cold Soil Road Princeton
(609) 924-2310
Fri. 5 p.m. "Sips & Sounds Friday" feat. Bill O'Neal & Andy Koonz
Sat. 1 p.m. Roundabout
Sun.1 p.m. "Sunday Music Series" feat. Jerry Steele
The Bog (Cranbury Golf Club)
49 Southfield Road West Windsor
(609) 799-0341
Sat. 7 p.m. Dave Stefanic & Kyle Ward
The Cool Cricket 216 Burlington Street Fieldsboro
(609) 291-9110
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Sat. 4:30 p.m. Drunken Clams
The Cure Insurance Center 81 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 656-3200
Check website for upcoming events
The Ivy Inn 248 Nassau Street Princeton
(609) 921-8555
Thurs. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Rockin' Ron
Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv
Wed. 10 p.m. Total Request w/ DJ Rockin' Ron
Tindall Road Brewing Co.102 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown
(609) 526-8651
Thurs. 5 p.m. "Thirsty Thursdays" (7 p.m.) Top 5 Trivia
Fri. 6 p.m. Recklesstown
Sat. 5:30 p.m. Tiltin Catz
Tir Na Nog 1324 Hamilton Avenue Trenton
(609) 392-2554
Wed. 7 p.m. Monk & Monk
All Shows 21+
Train Wreck Distillery25 Madison Avenue Mount Holly
(609) 288-6300
Fri. 8 p.m. Al Snyder
Trenton Social 449 South Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-7777
Thurs. 5 p.m. "Happy Hour Throwback Thursday" w/ Jay Kountree
Fri. 5 p.m. DJ ItsJustAhmad
Mon. 8 p.m. "Monday Night Karaoke" Hosted by Sweets
Tues. 7 p.m. Open Mic Night w/ Kyle & Mike
Triumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location)
400 Union Square New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-8300
Sun. 7 p.m. Open Stage
All shows 21+
VFW Post 352577 Christine Avenue Hamilton
(609) 890-9809
Fri. 6 p.m. Joe Hutchinson
Village Idiot Brewing Company42 High Street Mount Holly
(609) 975-9270
Sun. 1 p.m. Open Mic
Working Dog Winery 610 Windsor Perrineville Road Hightstown
(609) 371-6000
Sat. 1 p.m. Rob Messina
Sun. 2 p.m. Deb & Mike
WWFM 89.1 FM HD2 RadioMCCC Old Trenton Road West Windsor
Jazzon2.org
Mon. 7 p.m. "Danny Coleman's Got The Blues"
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.
Joe Russo's Almost Dead
Thursday, November 12, 2026 @ 7:30pm
State Theatre New Jersey
15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJJoe Russo's Almost Dead is Marco Benevento, Dave Dreiwitz, Tom Hamilton, Scott Metzger and Joe Russo. We're a Grateful Dead cover band.
Mccarter At The Museum: An Evening With Jason Robert Brown
Thursday, November 12, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Princeton Art Museum
45 Elm Drive, Princeton, NJJoin us for McCarter at the Museum - renowned performing artists in one-night only events at the Princeton University Art Museum.
Jason Robert Brown is a four-time Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist of The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World, 13, The Bridges of Madison County, Honeymoon In Vegas and The Connector, has performed as a soloist or with his band in venues around the world, including sold-out shows at the London Palladium and Carnegie Hall. His albums as a singer-songwriter include Wearing Someone Else’s Clothes and How We React and How We Recover on Ghostlight, and Coming From Inside the House and Live In Concert with Stephen Sondheim on Concord.
With Special Guest Tony nominee Betsy Wolfe. Tony Award-nominated actress Betsy Wolfe is currently starring as Audrey in the acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, following her recent Broadway run as Madeline Ashton in the hit musical Death Becomes Her. She previously originated the title role in Joy, the new musical inspired by inventor Joy Mangano, and earned a 2023 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her celebrated performance as Anne Hathaway in & Juliet. Other Broadway credits include starring as Jenna in Waitress, Cordelia in the acclaimed revival of Falsettos, Bullets Over Broadway, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Everyday Rapture, and 110 in the Shade, as well as her critically acclaimed performance as Cathy in the Off-Broadway revival of The Last Five Years. Wolfe made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Die Fledermaus and has appeared as a guest artist with more than 65 symphony, pops, and philharmonic orchestras worldwide, including the New York Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra, with performances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Her screen credits include First One In, Estella Scrooge, CBS’s Instinct, and the film adaptation of The Last Five Years. Wolfe is also the co-founder of BroadwayEvolved, the acclaimed musical theatre training program she launched in 2018 to train and mentor the next generation of theatre artists.
A limited number of early access tickets for McCarter Director’s Circle members and members of the Museum’s Partner Circle are available, on sale Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM. General public on sale begins Friday, September 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM.
Please be aware there is no public drop-off or parking at the Museum. For visitors with mobility needs, please contact the Museum at least three business days in advance of your visit to request special access to the Museum via Elm Drive. Call 609-258-3788 and select option 1 to speak to a visitor services staff member, or email Louise Barrett at [email protected].
John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center
46 Washington Ave, Carteret, NJThe legendary Rhode Island multi-platinum rock’n’roll group JOHN CAFFERTY & THE BEAVER BROWN BAND began their career in 1973 and achieved mainstream success in the 1980s with the “Eddie & The Cruisers – Motion Picture Soundtrack”. The hit single “ON THE DARK SIDE” held the “#1” position on the Billboard Rock charts and the MTV video charts for five consecutive weeks.
Griffin House
Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ“If you are looking to be blown away by raw talent, then look no further than Griffin House.” —American Songwriter
Floyd Pink - Celebrating The Music Of Pink Floyd
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJFLOYD PINK is a Pink Floyd tribute band from the New York metro area, celebrating the music of Pink Floyd.
EVENT PREVIEWS
State Theatre New Jersey and Relix present Joe Russo's Almost Dead
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey and Relix present Joe Russo's Almost Dead on Thursday, November 12, 2026 at 7:30pm. The band was formed in Brooklyn, NY in 2013. While they are a Grateful Dead cover band, they are known more for interpreting songs by the Dead rather than attempting to replicate the band's work.
NJPAC presents Gregory Porter with special guests Madeleine Peyroux and Catherine Russell
(NEWARK, NJ) -- With a voice that can fill a concert hall and make every listener feel personally embraced, Gregory Porter has become one of the most beloved artists in contemporary jazz. On Friday, November 13, 2026 at 8:00pm, the two-time GRAMMY® winner returns to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) with special guests Madeleine Peyroux and Catherine Russell for an evening of soulful expression, exquisite storytelling and remarkable vocal artistry, presented as part of the TD James Moody Jazz Festival.
Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Griffin House on Friday
(TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Griffin House on Friday, November 13, 2026 at 7:30pm. Griffin House is an American singer-songwriter and storyteller who has been making records for over 20 years.
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.
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.
