Laurie Berkner: From Jersey Indie Rocker to Global Kindie Rocker
Princeton-raised, New York City-based Laurie Berkner is known throughout the world as a beloved kindie rocker of independent children’s music. She’s also an accomplished children’s author and the composer of an off-Broadway.
Makin Waves with David Ross Lawn: The Sounds of Solitude
Asbury Park composer-pianist David Ross Lawn’s latest EP, “Nocturnes,” is a four-song dive into the silence of solitude to find light within the darkness of the COVID-19 pandemic
Makin Waves with Brian Erickson: Birds of Freedom
Not about to be stopped by a raging pandemic, Asbury Park singer-songwrtier-media personality Brian Erickson of The Extensions has released “Origami Birds,” his second solo record in only five months. The seven-song outing on North Jersey-based Mint 400 Records was recorded a decade ago while he was still in the late, great Paper Jets.
Makin Waves with Fairmont: Making it out of Jersey alive
Charter Mint 400 recording act Fairmont is celebrating their 20th anniversary this year in the wake of their 11th album, “Liminal Spaces.”
22nd Annual Makin Waves Awards
For 22 years, the Makin Waves Awards have honored the best and brightest unsigned and indie music acts of the Jersey scene. While this year was weird, wacky, and heart wrenching, 2020 was as rich ‘n’ fertile with homegrown Garden State music talent as ever. This year’s multiple winners were Candy Cavity and The Foes of Fern, who each won two Makin Waves Awards. Here’s to all the winners, and to you for supporting the New Jersey music scene when it needs you more than ever.
Makin Waves with The Outcrops: Band of the Year
Northwest Jersey jam ‘n’ groove band The Outcrops are the 22nd annual Makin Waves Band of the Year. Makin Waves premieres their new video for “Isolation Blues” at NewJerseyStage.com.
Makin Waves Dirty Jersey Dozen 2020
This very odd and evil year plagued the world with deadly and crippling challenges against which the New Jersey music scene illustrated the Garden State’s legendary resilience. In honor of that resilience, the annual Makin Waves Dirty Jersey Dozen is not so much about the acts who made the most waves this year but those who progressed the most despite the widespread panic and pandemonium of the pandemic and the resulting restrictions and consequent constrictions, especially within the music scene.
Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Not for Sale" by Blaise
“Not for Sale” is a new single by Blaise co-written with and produced by former Deal Casino frontman Joe Parella and video directed by sought-after videographer Kris Khunachak. Makin Waves premieres the clip at New Jersey Stage having done the same with the single earlier in the week on “Radio Jersey” at The Penguin Rocks.
Makin Waves Record of the Week: "Simple Times" by MattyPasq
Since 2014, Jersey Shore rapper MattyPasq has kept busy releasing dozens of singles, EPs, and LPs as a solo artist and a member of the trio TrapBang. This summer, he released his latest solo EP, “Simple Times,” and I’m glad I finally got to catch up with it. Fans of the great Jersey City trip-hop duo P.M. Dawn will dig the four-song rap-adelic collection, which was expertly produced by Fresno beat master Kasino Kam.
Makin Waves Song of the Week: “Invisible” by Ian Bamberger
Brooklyn-based, Jersey-raised singer-songwriter-guitarist Ian Bamberger has released a new single, “Invisible,” which was written during and inspired by the pandemic.
