Photo by Dave DiMaggio
There are bands who think of themselves as a family and there are bands like Somewhat Relative who truly are a family. About a decade ago, Alex Biese joined forces with his father-in-law (Fred Matthews) and mother-in-law (Jen Yacovelli) and began taking their music from the kitchen table to the stage. The acoustic Americana jam band is based in Monmouth County, but is branching out with shows across the state.
Upcoming shows include a set by Alex and Jen on Friday, April 5th as part of the Unplugged Fridays series at Icarus Brewing in Lakewood (showtime is 7:00pm) and the full trio's Atlantic City debut on Sunday, June 23rd at Firewaters Saloon inside the Tropicana (showtime is 4:00pm).
"We’re in a great groove right now," said Biese. "Now that craft breweries are thankfully allowed to host live events without restrictions, the number of places to play has increased drastically, which gives bands like ours plenty of opportunities to ply our trade. And the more we play, the more we want to play!"
Somewhat Relative plays a combination of originals written by Alex over the last 20+ years rearranged for this new setting as well as a wide range of covers. If you are a fan of singer-songwriters or jam bands, chances are you may have seen Alex play in a Jersey Shore bar at one point or another.
"Sia, Little Feat, old folk traditional, you never know what you’re going to hear, but you know it’ll be played the way only we can," he explained.
About 15 years ago, a pair of albums by the Grateful Dead (Workingman's Dead and American Beauty) changed his life and worldview and his whole concept of what music could be. The Dead remain one of his favorites.
"Otherwise, the jammier work of the Allmans is very tasty, same with Little Feat," added Biese. "And in terms of new blood, I have to show some love to the guys in Dogs in a Pile who are representing our local scene beautifully on the world stage."
The local jamband scene really began coming to life along the Jersey Shore around 2003-2004. The late Drew Wajnert played a huge role in promoting the scene with his company, Phanfest Entertainment. Thanks to bands like Somewhat Relative, it is still going strong and thriving.
"When live music came back post-lockdown the jam fans were the first ones to come back," explained Biese. "No one loves live music like these fine folks do, and it’s always an honor to count myself among them and share the music. There’s wonderful music, usually with little or no cover, happening multiple times a week thanks to folks like Sandy Mack keeping the engines running."
Photo by Dave DiMaggio
If you've been reading this and wondering why the name Alex Biese rings a bell, but you can't place it, chances are you've been reading his work for years. He covered entertainment for the Asbury Park Press and USA Today for the last 20 years - sometimes even interviewing celebrities live on stage at venues like the Count Basie Center for the Arts and New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC).
"I spent 20 years on the periphery of the music scene as a journalist, and I’m incredibly proud of the work I did over that time," continued Biese. "But at a certain point it’s time to make your own kind of music as Mama Cass sang. I’m so grateful for all of the artists who let me share their stories and now I am honored to be in the thick of it right alongside them."
Previously, the band has performed at venues including Asbury Lanes, The Saint, Soundbooth at the Asbury and Twin Lights Brewing. Atlantic City is an opportunity to bring their music to a new market.
"We are so incredibly excited to be playing Firewaters at the Tropicana," he said. "Atlantic City really is the adult playground of the East Coast and we think the folks down there will really enjoy what we have to offer. We all proudly patronize the Caesars Entertainment properties as guests and have done so for years, and now it’s our turn to be the party.
"To anyone reading this: If you want a real good time, come on out to a show in the Asbury Park Jamily universe," added Biese. "There’s nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile."
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