Jersey Shore Nightbeat

Somers Point Nightlife Revival?

2012-01-25T09:13:00.000-08:00

Officials say Somers Point's nightlife is riding on the Route 52 causeway
By ROB SPAHR Staff Writer | Posted: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 1:00 am

http://m.pressofatlanticcity.com/mobile/article_2d517960-4700-11e1-b863-0019bb2963f4.html

Somers Point’s Bay Avenue once served as the backdrop for major motion pictures, such as the cult classic “Eddie and the Cruisers,” and as the venue for live music albums such as Chubby Checker’s “In Person.”

And, like a summer breeze, the music of major acts used to drift down the one-mile waterfront strip, which in its glory days of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s was a premier destination for nights of dancing and drinking.

Gone are those days. The iconic nightclubs have closed or reformatted, and the avenue is now quiet.

City officials expect the upcoming completion of the $400 million Route 52 causeway project will bring an economic resurgence in Somers Point. Some, however, say it will take more than that to make Bay Avenue a viable destination again.

“Without a doubt the bridge being done will help us, and will give us a panoramic view into Somers Point that will really beautify that area and make it look great,” Mayor Jack Glasser said. “But things have changed since the heavy rock and roll days of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. People want a more family-oriented environment, with good places to eat and things to do....That’s what Bay Avenue will have to be.”

Bay Avenue is a nationally recognized historic district that dates to the 1700s, but the more modern history of the avenue is what people most often discuss.

“As automobiles became more prevalent and it became easier for people to drive to Ocean City, especially in the ’50s and ’60s, that’s when the nightlife on Bay Avenue really started to mushroom,” said Sally Hastings, president of the Somers Point Historical Society. “It became a mecca, because Somers Point was the wet town (Ocean City was and is dry) and it offered the kind of music that was very popular at that time.”

“Where’s the action? … Where’s the fun? — At the ‘Point,’” read the back of Chubby Checker’s 1963 album.

“If you were looking to have a good time, Bay Avenue was ‘the’ place, this and Wildwood,” said Pat Pierson, who has owned and operated Bayshores II Restaurant on Bay Avenue since 1987. “It was where the excitement was.”

Atlantic City casinos brought a change and by the mid 1980s, the excitement on Bay Avenue was waning, although the avenue would still remain popular as a place to party.

“(Casinos) ... offered a different kind of entertainment that people were gravitating to,” Hastings said. “That’s when businesses here started to struggle and close.”

Today?

“Bay Avenue used to be like going to a playoff game at the Meadowlands,” Pierson said “Now it’s like going to a high school game.”

Even though Bay Avenue is clearly different than it was during its heyday, some, such as Lou DeScioli, the director of the city’s Economic Development Committee argue it’s still vibrant.
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” DeScioli said. “Some people think that it would be good to have that New Orleans Mardi Gras-style atmosphere here again. But I personally think that the Bay Avenue of today is better off, in terms of the economic vitality of the city.”

DeScioli said the expansion of Shore Medical Center (the former Shore Memorial Hospital), the opening of multiple fine-dining restaurants and the construction of more, and better-looking housing have contributed to better residential and economic climates.

Most recent discussions on the avenue have been about its potential.

“Picture that you’re coming from Ocean City and you’re on the crest of the new bridge ... looking down in this bayfront community with a Key West-style boardwalk that follows the bulkhead along all those business and is filled with bikes, baby carriages and people meandering up and down,” said Greg Sykora, the vice chairman of the city’s Planning Board.

Sykora was referring to one of the concepts of the city’s new Vision Plan. The plan recommends the construction of a long pier with boat slips near the public beach and sailable replica of the USS Intrepid to serve as a tourist attraction. The changing of ordinances — such as those controlling noise and outdoor dining — to make Bay Avenue more business friendly were also suggested.

“And once that area is dredged, it will be a place where transient boaters can come to eat in our restaurants and enjoy our bayfront. And there will be a water taxi that goes back and forth to Ocean City,” Sykora said.

That vision — created during about a year of surveying Somers Point residents, business owners and visitors — may be unrealistic.

“I really think that the theater is more important to Somers Point than the bridge,” Hastings said. “The theater will have the ability to bring in 250 people every night there is a show. So while the bridge will make it easier to get to and from Ocean City, the theater will bring them here for a longer period of time.”

Jim Dalfonso, the chairman of the Theater Collaborative of South Jersey, which is renovating the Gateway Theater, said he was a little surprised by how much hope is resting on the Gateway, but said the theater can “absolutely” live up to it, as long as enough money can be raised to complete its renovation.

“Even on a night when we have a light house, there will be 200 people here and a percentage of those people will be going out to eat or drink afterwards,” said Dalfonso, of Upper Township, adding the renovation could be completed in nine months if enough funding is raised.

The currently gutted theater’s lobby and second-floor lighting room were recently framed out and the floor was replaced. And Dalfonso said he expects work on the ceiling trusses and roof to be completed by the spring, so work can then move toward rehabilitating the building’s exterior.

And once completed, DeScioli said, the theater offers the best short-term opportunity to increase commerce on Bay Avenue.

“One of the things that we, as a community, can do if we want to do something to immediately improve that district is support the revival of the Gateway,” he said.

But of everything about Bay Avenue’s history, some say the thrill of simply going there could be the hardest to revive.

“The music is gone forever,” Pierson said. “I just hope they can make Bay Avenue sing again.”

Contact Robert Spahr:
609-272-7147
RSpahr@pressofac.com

Mesterhazy Kicks off 2012 Jazz Season

2012-01-07T04:20:00.000-08:00

George Mesterhazy kicked off the 2012 Jazz season with style in a fundraiser for the Somers Point Jazz Society at Sandi Point bistro.

As he has done previously, Mesterhazy plays an annual benefit concert to support the jazz society that has brought jazz acts to Somers Point for some years now.

The former Atlantic City pianist has been holding down the piano gig at Cape May's Merion Inn of late, but he still gets out to sit in on recordings and do special shows like this one, which also included saxman Mike Pedicin, Jr., Barry Miles, Tim Lekan and others.

Sandi Point, formerly Mac's, is now one of the hottest live music venues at the Jersey Shore, featuring Big Band Mondays - settling in after the new years with Ed Vezinho/Jim Ward Big Band, and a jam session the following night with the Tim Lekan Sextet. Lew London and Bob Mower have been playing Sandi Point every Saturday night, and the Somers Point Jazz Society seems to have earmarked the place as their new headquarters.

The Somers Point Jazz Society Fundraiser, with Mesterhazy at the helm, is just the beginning of a series of jazz shows that will lead up to April's 2012 Jazz Master Award Reception to honor this year's recipient Bob Perkins, the WRTI radio host and jazz aficionado - "BP w/ the GM," who has his own Wiki page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Perkins_(radio.

The fundraiser featured Mesterhazy on piano, drummer Bob Shomo and Andy Lalasis on bass, who were joined by special guest Barry Miles, as well as other Jazz Society regulars Mike Pedicin, Jr. and bassist Tim Lekan, putting on a show that will help maintain Somers Point jazz during a time of economic uncertainty.

Mesterhazy plays piano every Thursday thru Sunday at Cape May's historic Merion Inn, and has performed regularly at the older, bigger and thought to be more firmly established Cape May Jazz Festival, which had to suspend operations last fall because of financial red ink. The Somers Point Jazz Society is running strong in the black, thanks in large part to strong leadership and supportive musicians like Pedicin, Lekan and Mesterhazy.

Born in Hungry, Mesterhazy came to the United States in the 1950s, escaping Communism with his parents just as the Iron Curtain came down. From a family of musicians and performers, Mesterhazy naturally played the accordion, guitar, organ and other instruments and when his family moved to the Jersey Shore, he formed a Mainland high school band that held down the house gig at the old Strand Hotel in Atlantic City. That's also where the band who played the 500 Club stayed, so he began to sit in with them at Skinny's joint and played other clubs around town. One night, when the piano player got up, Mesterhazy sat down and eventually became known as one of the best accompanists in the business, especially when casinos came to town.

From AC to LA, George played every gig he could get, eventually hooking up with Rebecca Parris, a Boston native who sang with Dizzie and the Count. He recorded "Spring" with her, and while accompanying Parris at a small club in DC, Mesterhazy met Joel Siegel and (Sir)Richard Rodney, still in their tuxes from attending a Kennedy Center honors event. Through them Mesterhazy met the late, great Shirley Horn and with her he recorded "Loving You," which was nominated for a 1998 Grammy.

Mesterhazy also regularly accompanies jazz singer Paula West when she sings at the Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel in New York City and The Razz Room in San Francisco.

Playing behind Rebecca Parris, Shirley Horn and Paula West is no mean feat, as they are three aces for you, and Mesterhazy didn't just play piano but also arranged the songs for their shows and recordings.

George Mesterhazy at the Merion in Cape May

Adding sax to the mix, Mike Pedicin, Jr. recently held a party at Sandi Point to celebrate the release of his new CD "Searching for Peace," which has been critically aclaimed by serious jazz lovers and should be nominated for some awards.

Pedicin, like Mesterhazy, grew his roots in Atlantic City before branching out to accompany some jazz greats on tours of the world and then returning home to play for us. Pedicin also makes jazz an educational experience, and as a professor of jazz at Stockton State, he takes the music out of the bars and nightclubs and brings it to the schools and libraries, exposing America's unique sound to an audience that normally wouldn't get a chance to hear it live.

The series of jazz education sessions that Pedicin started last summer at the Ocean City library continues on January 15 (2PM) with blues singer Cathy Rocco, on January 22 (2PM) with flutists Mary Lou Newnam doing a presentation on Women Pioneers in Jazz, and on January 29 (2PM) with Monenette Sudler ("The First Lady of Jazz Guitary) conducting a clinic on the music of T. Monk and Wayne Shorter.

I remember Monenette when she played at the old Shire Tavern on the Washington Street Mall in Cape May, and later at the Cape May Jazz Fest, always giving a guitar workshop for students on Saturday afternoon.

Michael Pedicin likes to share jazz with young people and is joined by Bob Ferguson on trumpet, Bob Shomo on drums, Tim Lekan on bass, and John Pruitt on keyboard in a short take of when they appeared at the Jordan Road School in Somers Point and played a well received blues tune by John Coltrane. To see it for yourself to to - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqxnANrcQLM

Next door to Sandi Point is the venerable Gregory's, where banjo wizard Franny Smith and the Atlantic City Jazz Band will celebrate Mardi Gras on Saturday, February 25, which will be a tune up for the Somers Point Jazz Socity's Cape Bank JAZZ @ THE POINT 2012. Beginning with a free Thursday night, March 8 with duel shows with the Venissa Santi QUintet at the Mission Point Church (900 W. NY Ave.) and the Luke O'Reilly Quartet at Gregorys, the Festival continues throughout the weekend at Gregorys and Sandi Point. It will include Mulgrew Miller, Keith Holis, Sheryl Bailey, Walt Weiskopf, Three Blind Mice, Jimmy Cobb, Tim Horner, Grant Stewart and Hilary Gardner.

These are all top flight acts that you would never be able to catch unless you went to a big city, and are brought to you locally by the Somers Point Jazz Society.

http://www.spjazz.org/index.php/jazz-the-point/

And it's not over yet. Two weeks later, on Saturday, March 24, the Andrew Neu Quintet will play a lunchtime gig at Gregs and then the Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale 6th Annual Winter Jazz Series Master Award will be presented to Bob Perkins on April 22nd (4PM) at Sandi Point, an event that feature The Joe Mancini Trio.

Joe Mancini also plays piano every Wednesday with bassist Lew Scott at Steve & Cookies in Margate (9700 Amherst Ave.)

Bob Perkins is truly deserving of this award, as "BP with the GM" has been turning us on to some really good jazz for years now. Originally from South Philly, Perkins got his start in radio in Detroit and did news as well as music before returning home to work at the legendary WDAS in its heyday. Since 1997 he has been spinning the discs and interviewing jazz acts at Temple's WRTI, and serving as a master of ceremonies at the Mellon and Cape May Jazz Festivals.

I first met Bob Perkins at the Rusty Nail at one of the early Cape May festivals when he introduced Oscar Brown and recruited Brian Trainer to accompany Brown on piano. It was an amazing performance I will never forget, especially since Trainer and Brown have both passed on.

But Bob Perkins is still plugging away, promoting jazz in general, and the Somers Point Jazz Society and Cape May Jazz Festivals in particular.

Now after this incredible Somers Point Jazz Society Winter Series and Spring Festival are over, we'll have to go back to Cape May and help Carol and Woody get their act back together.

One way the Somers Point Jazz Society stays strong in tough economic times is because of Nick Regine, the founder and guiding light, as well as some core society members who keep things organized and musicians who keep the music going.

You can support the Somers Point Jazz Society by becoming a member. Key Membership Benefits include free admission to Summer and Winter Jazz Series, and member only events, including the annual picnic, discounts on tickets for the Jazz@thePoint Festival and all special event concerts and workshops. You also get advance event notification of shows through a quarterly newsletter and a Membership Card. Become a card-carrying member of the Somers Point Jazz Society. Individuals – $40; Seniors – $25 (60 or Older); Artist – $50; Family (2 Persons in same household) – $60; Patron – $150; Family Patron – $250; Business – $200.

For more info and to sign on go to: http://www.spjazz.org

ON DECK:

Saturday - January 14 - Billy Walton at a special Tony Marts show at Sandi Point.
Sunday - January 15 - (2PM) Jazz vocalist Cathy Rocco, Ocean City Public Library (OCPL)
Sunday - January 22 - (2PM) Sax/flutist Mary Lou Newnam Women Pioneers in Jazz OCPL
Sunday - January 29 - (2PM) Monnette Sudler The Music of T. Monk and Wayne Shorter OCPL
Saturday - Feb 25 - (8PM) Franny Smith & The AC Jazz Band plays Gregory's Mardi Gras
Thursday - March 8 -(7PM) Venissa Santi Quintet at Mission Point Church (900 W. NY)
Thursday - March 8 -(8:30PM) Luke O'Reilly Quartet at Gregorys.
Friday - March 9 - (8PM) Keith Hollis Quartet at Sandi Point (8&10PM)
Friday - March 9 - (8PM) Mulgrew Miller (8&10PM)/Sheryl Bailey (9:30PM & 11:30PM)
Saturday - March 10 -(8&10) Walt Weiskopf Sextet at Sandi Point
Saturday - March 10 -(8&10) Three Blind Mice at Gregorys.
Saturday - March 10 - (9:30&11:30PM) Jimmy Cobb & Cob's Mob at Sandi Point
Sunday - March 11 - (2PM) Tim Horner Quintet
Sunday - March 11 - (2PM&6PM) Grant Stewart Quartet w/Hilary Gardner at Sandi Point
Saturday - March 24 - (11PM) Andrew Neu Quintet at Gregorys
Sunday - April 22 - (4PM) Jazz Master Award - Sandi Point honoring Bob Perkins, w/Joe Mancini Trio

VENUES:

Sandi Pointe Coastal Bistro 908 Shore Rd., Somers Point, NJ 08244 609-927-2300
Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar 900 Shore Rd., Somers Point, NJ 609-927-6665
Ocean City Free Public Library 1735 Simpson Ave., Ocean City, NJ, United States, 08226
Steve & Cookies - 9700 Amherst Ave. Margate
Merion Inn - Decatur Street, Cape May
Mission Point Church - 900 W. New York Ave., Somers Point

South Jersey Soul Singer Howard Tate RIP

2011-12-07T12:19:00.001-08:00

Soul singer Howard Tate dies in Burlington City apartment at 72

http://www.phillyburbs.com/my_town/burlington/soul-singer-howard-tate-dies-in-burlington-city-apartment-at/article_fae773d2-2255-5889-b096-065596c59ea0.html

TRENTON — Soul singer Howard Tate has died in his Burlington City apartment a decade after a career resurrection that followed years of tragedy and obscurity.

A spokesman for the Burlington County Medical Examiner’s Office said Tate died of natural causes Friday at age 72.

The son of a Baptist preacher, Tate was born in Macon, Ga., and grew up in Philadelphia singing gospel songs. In 2004, in a feature story published by the Burlington County Times, he was living in a home along the Rancocas Creek in Southampton.

In the late 1960s and early ‘70s, Tate had three top 20 R&B hits, including “Get It While You Can,” written by his longtime producer, Jerry Ragovoy, and made more famous by Janis Joplin.
But his own album sales suffered, and Tate claimed that he received almost no royalties from his music.

“I’d go out on the road and come back home to my wife, who would say, ‘You’re on the charts, you’re working 300 days a year, how come there’s no money?’ “ he recalled in the 2004 article.
Depressed and frustrated, Tate left the music scene, vowing to never return.

In the late 1970s, Tate’s daughter died in a fire, his marriage ended and, to ease the pain, he turned to alcohol, marijuana and cocaine. He wound up homeless, living on the streets of Philadelphia for about 10 years. Ragovoy believed he had died.

“I’ve been hit in the mouth with a brick, been on the scene with knives and guns,” Tate remembered. “I could have lost my life out there.”

In 1994, Tate said he found God and created a church to help the homeless and drug-addicted. He made his musical comeback after a fellow musician saw him in a grocery store in 2001.

His 2003 release, “Rediscovered,” again with Ragovoy producing, was nominated for a Grammy for best contemporary blues album. His last work of new material was “Blue Day” in 2008.

Blues Guitarist Hubert Sumlin RIP

2011-12-05T11:48:00.000-08:00

Hubert Sumlin with Eric Clapton's Gibson ES-335 guitar during the Crossroads guitar festival, Chicago, 2007. Photograph: Alexandra Buxbaum/Rex Features

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/dec/05/hubert-sumlin?newsfeed=true

Of the blues that were most closely listened to in the early 60s by young guitarists such as Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Jimmy Page, many were by Howlin' Wolf, and, of those, not a few featured a guitarist, then still young himself, who could steal a scene even from so charismatic a performer. Hubert Sumlin, who has died aged 80, thus became one of the most revered of blues guitarists, and in his later years younger musicians practically lined up to play with him or have him guest on their recordings.

Sumlin was born near Greenwood, Mississippi, and grew up across the river in Hughes, Arkansas, where he took up the guitar as a child; by his teens he was playing for local functions, sometimes with the harmonica player James Cotton. The first time Sumlin saw Wolf in action, as he told Living Blues magazine in 1989, he was too young to get into the club, so he climbed on to some Coca-Cola boxes to peer through a window; the boxes shifted and Sumlin fell into the room, landing on Wolf's head. After the gig, Wolf drove him home and asked his mother not to punish him. "I followed him ever since," Sumlin said.

At the time Wolf was working with the guitarists Willie Johnson and Pat Hare, but Sumlin was occasionally permitted to sit in. Then, in 1953, Wolf left the south for Chicago, where he would develop his music on the bustling club scene and in the studios of Chess Records. In spring 1954, he sent for Sumlin to join him, and soon afterwards the 23-year-old guitarist was heard on records such as Evil and Forty-Four, and a couple of years later the sublime Smokestack Lightning, though for a while he played second to more experienced guitarists like Johnson and Jody Williams.

Sumlin would serve under Wolf's flag for more than 20 years, a collaboration interrupted only when he briefly jumped ship to join Muddy Waters, who paid better. (The resulting argument between Wolf and Waters, squaring up to each other like two Mafia bosses contesting their territories, was vividly dramatised in a movie about the Chess blues roster, Cadillac Records.)

"Wolf had a gravelly, hypermasculine voice and Hubert a jagged, unpredictable guitar style," Wolf's biographer Mark Hoffman wrote; "the two combined musically like gasoline and a lit match." Contained within the two and a half minutes of a 45rpm single, these small explosions resonated around the world. Sumlin's lissome solo, as much rock'n'roll as blues, on the endearingly silly Hidden Charms, and his spiky phrasing and strikingly vocalised tone on more heavyweight early-60s recordings such as Back Door Man, Built for Comfort, Tail Dragger and Goin' Down Slow, ignited the imagination of trainee blues guitarists both at home and overseas. Spoonful was reworked by Cream, Killing Floor by Jimi Hendrix. "I love Hubert Sumlin," said Jimmy Page recently. "He always played the right thing at the right time."

Wolf died in 1976, and Sumlin, whom the older man regarded almost as a son – indeed, on the funeral programme he was named as such – took the loss very hard. He dropped out of music for a while, but returned to shape a career for himself, at first deliberately moving away from Chicago to Texas, where he left an impression on the Vaughan brothers, Jimmie and Stevie Ray.

Over the next 30-odd years he toured extensively in the US, Europe and Japan and made numerous albums for various blues labels, gradually revealing, and never quite overcoming, the problem that he was at heart an invaluable sideman rather than a natural leader. His conversational singing was seldom strong enough, or his own material striking enough, to grip the listener for the length of an album.

Perhaps aware of this, some producers solicited instrumentals, on acoustic guitar as well as electric, but unplugged he had less to say, though the quiet colloquy of his guitar and John Primer's on the 1991 album Chicago Blues Session had a charming back-porch serenity. Nonetheless, on Wake Up Call (1998) he seemed to rediscover the verve and unpredictability that had made his work with Wolf so exciting, while the sympathetically produced About Them Shoes (2005) skirted the issue of his coarsening voice by focusing on his guitar, in settings buttressed by admirers including Clapton, Richards and Levon Helm.

Sumlin was nominated for a Grammy four times, most recently in 2010, and was placed 43rd in a 2011 Rolling Stone poll of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. He had a lung removed in 2004. His wife Willie "Bea" Reed, whom he married in 1982, died in 1999.

• Hubert Sumlin, blues guitarist, born 16 November 1931; died 4 December 2011

Frank Bey at the Ocean Club Cape May

2011-12-03T13:01:00.000-08:00

We've been reading your blog and would love it if you considered posting about our client's upcoming event! Let us know if you need any additional information.

The Ocean Club Hotel is pleased to announce An Evening with Frank Bey at its SeaSalt Restaurant on Saturday, December 3rd. From 8PM- 12AM enjoy fresh seafood, specialty cocktails, and the master of the art of blues himself performing live. Bey, who also participated in the Cape May Jazz Festival, is sure to create an atmosphere of excitement. The Ocean Club Hotel is located at 1035 Beach Avenue in Cape May, NJ. For reservations please call (609) 884-7000 or visit http://www.capemayoceanclubhotel.com.
Thank you! Best regards,

Anna Antonova
R. Couri Hay Creative Public Relations

Hi Anna,

And it would be a pleasure to post your announcement about Frank Bey's show, as Frank is one of the few guys who really blew me away when I first encountered him at the Cape May Jazz Fest a few years ago.

I'm sure he did the same to Carol and Woody, who scour the nation for the best jazz acts and then bring them to Cape May.

I later learned that Frank played with some of the biggest stars in the Sixties, and then took a few decades off from performing, disenchanted with the music industry, but I'm so glad he came back and that I was fortunate enough to catch his act.

After that first show Carol invited me back to her house for a private party with the volunteers who helped put the festival together and the acts who performed, and somebody sat down at the piano in the living room and started playing, which sparked Frank to get up and sing along, and then somebody else - a female vocalist - started scatting. And Frank, being a scatter himself, started a conversation with her scatting back and forth like they were having an argument, that Frank won.

It was an amazing, impromtu performance that I will never forget.

I've seen Frank again since then at other Jazz Fests, and was glad to see that he performed at the benefit show earlier this year at Cabannas, and I hope to catch him again soon.

Keep me posted on when and where he is performing and I have no qualms about posting the information here, as I will do for any act who performs at the Jersey Shore - and contacts me: billkelly3@gmail.com

All the best,

And give my regards to Frank,

Bill Kelly

New York, NY 10024

Mike Pedicin, Jr. CD Release Party Friday

2011-11-29T18:03:00.000-08:00

Mike Pedicin, Jr. CD Release Party -
Friday, December 2, 2011
Sandi Point Coastal Bistro

New on Jazz Hut Records - Michael Pedicin Ballads – Searching for Peace

CD Release Party – Friday Dec. 2, 2011 8:00 pm
Sandi Point Coastal Bistro
908 Shore Road, Somers Point, NJ

Michael Pedicin tenor saxophone
Jim Ridl piano
John Valentino guitar
Andy Lalasis bass
Bob Shomo drums

Now available through Amazon.com
CDBaby.com
iTunes and
www.michaelpedicin.com

“The cure for everything is saltwater...sweat, tears or the sea.” – Isak Dineson

www.sandipoint.com
Text Sandi 411247 To Receive discounts and event information

From the ocean to your plate – same day.
Celebrate your special occasion – private parties, bridal parties, birthdays, anniversaries or any special occasion. 3 banquet rooms (10-150)
Holiday Gift Cards Available
Attitude Adjustment 4pm – 6:3pm Drink specials $5 martinis $5 bar appetizers

Sunday – Thursday – Dinner at Dusk – All Night Dinner for 2 -$26
Sunday – Prime Rib Dinner – 3 courses for $15.95 (From 2pm)
Monday - Quizzo w/ DJ Shakedown 7pm
Tuesday - Two Sliders for $1
Fridays – Yvonne & Jack – Live music at the bar.
Saturday – Gabe Staino & Chris Rabb Film Fundraiser for “Borrowed Happiness.”
Saturday - The Frigedaires (7pm-10pm)
Saturdays - Lew London & Bob Mower Live music at the Bar (8pm-11pm)

Sunday Dec. 18 - Gina Roche CD Release Party and Performance (“Thankfully”)

Cotton , Sumlin & Sonny Boy Williamson

2011-11-26T22:39:00.000-08:00

James Cotton at the Club Bijou in Philadelphia (Circa 1982)

I started thinking about all this when I got an email from Billy Hector notifying his fans that his gig with Hubert Sumlin was cancelled.

From: Billy Hector
To: Billy Hector
Sent: Wednesday, November 16, 2011 6:05 PM
Subject: BH GIG ALERT
Tonight's Birthday Bash for Hubert Sumlin at Mexicali Live has been cancelled.
Hubert is not well enough to perform-
www.billyhector.com

I was sorry to hear about Hubert.

I met him at the Bijou Cafe in Philly in the early 1980s when he stopped there to see James Cotton, who I was interviewing in the backstage dressing room at the time.

I was with Billy Muller - an Ocean City NJ guitarist who played guitar with Backroads, a country rock band who often performed at Brownies, a now defunct old log cabin roadhouse in Bargaintown. Muller collected Les Paul guitars and had three or four of them, and he knew a lot of the old, black blues guitarists and also collected their LPs.

After Cotton's first show, Muller and me went upstairs and knocked on Cotton's dressing room door and he invited us in to talk before he went on for his second show. I asked and Cotton said I could tape our conversations so I turned my cassette tape recorder on and I put it on the table as we talked.

Muller did most of the talking, and got Cotton to recall his early years. Cotten said he listened to Sonny Boy Williamson's radio show out of Helina, Arkansas, and after learning to play the harp good enough he went there and Sonny Boy let him play the theme song for the King Bisquit Flower that sponsored the show.

"Hell, I'll play it for you now," Cotton said, hitting his thigh with a harp and then saying, "I got King Bisquit on my table," two or three times and then playing some harp riffs, - "I aint's done this since then," he said laughing.

At some point a women came over and wispered something in his ear, and then we continued talking, mainly about old blues men, especially guitarists, who Muller was most interested in.

When Hubert Sumlin's name came up, Billy Muller asked, "Is he still alive?"

I looked at Billy quizzically and Muller politely explained that Hubert Sumlin was guitarist with some of the old Chicago blues bands - Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters, and he influenced a lot of young rock guitarists like Keith Richards and Eric Clapton.

Cotton lit up and laughed, and said, "Funny you should ask about him, cause he's right outside that door, waitin' to come in and say hello."

Cotton let Hubert Sumlin in and he waltzed in with a big smile on his face and dressed to the nines in suit and tie and starched shirt and little hat, and for them it was a reunion of sorts.

Sumlin said he was living in the area with his women and had to stop by, and Cotton asked him to stick around and sit in and jam on stage during the next set.

I had the tape on the whole time, but the Persuasions - acapella group, were singing downstairs, just below the floorboards, so they sort of add a backdrop to the conversation, but I remember listing to it later and still have it around here somewhere.

In any case, that's how I met Hubert, who later came to Somers Point to play at the Bubba Mac Shack - in the 1990s into early 2002-3, before they tore the Shack down.

Bill Kelly, James Cotton, Billy Mueller

Hubert Sumlin playing guitar at the Bubba Mac Shack in Somers Point NJ

Sonny Boy Williamson on Harp
The drum reads:
KING BISCUIT TIME

Over Radio Station KFFA of HELENA, ARK

12 – PM

KING BISCUIT ENTERTAINERS

MONDAY Thru FRIDAY

J.F. CURTIS

The KBT Radio Show

King Biscuit Time is the longest running daily radio show in history, and continues to be broadcast daily on Delta Broadcasting’s KFFA 1360 AM in Helena, Arkansas. First broadcast on November 21, 1941, King Biscuit Time featured legendary Blues artists Sonny Boy Williamson and Robert Jr. Lockwood playing live in the studio. The show was named after the locally distributed King Biscuit Flour.

The distributor agreed to sponsor a radio production for Sonny Boy and his band if they agreed to endorse the flour. The agreement was made and the show has been broadcast ever since.
The original band, the King Biscuit Entertainers, often included boogie pianist Pinetop Perkins and James Peck Curtis on drums. It was the first regular radio show to feature blues, and influenced four generations of Delta blues artists whose sounds are based on the raw energy of Sonny Boy Williamson’s blues. In keeping with its tradition of broadcasting live music from the studio, King Biscuit Time still welcomes artists in the studio almost weekly.

Award-winning Sunshine Sonny Payne has hosted the show since 1951, and has been a presence on the program since its inception in 1941. By continuing to focus on a Delta blues format, King Biscuit Time has become a real anomaly true to its heritage. It has been so recognized with a prestigious George Foster Peabody Award, presented to the station in 1992 for outstanding achievement in the field of radio and broadcast journalism through its continuous support or ‘an original American art form.’ Sonny Payne has received an impressive array of awards and accolades, including the Blues Foundation’s “Keeping the Blues Alive” award for lifetime service and the Arkansas Broadcasters Association’s Pioneer Award.

The direct influence of the show can be found throughout the music industry. Examples of this include the syndicated rock show, King Biscuit Flower Hour, and the largest free blues festival in the south, the King Biscuit Blues Festival. First organized in 1986, the festival annually welcomes blues fans to Helena, AR, from around the world to a three-day event that features several stages and showcases veteran blues performers along with today’s rising stars. The festival in Helena continues today, but has changed its name to the Arkansas Heritage and Music Festival.

http://www.kingbiscuittime.com/?page_id=7

The 30-minute long live radio program is broadcast at 12:15 every weekday and was named after the local flour company, King Biscuit Flour. The local grocery distributor financed the show at the behest of Williamson in exchange for endorsements and naming rights. KFFA was the only station that would play music by African-Americans, and it reached an audience throughout the Mississippi Deltaregion and inspired a host of important blues musicians including B.B. King, Robert Nighthawk, James Cotton, and Ike Turner. The show's 12:15 time slot was chosen to match the lunch break of African-American workers in the Delta.

King Biscuit Time celebrated its 16,000th broadcast on June 22, 2010. KBT has more broadcasts than the Grand Ole Opry andAmerican Bandstand. Since 1951 the program has been hosted by the award winning "Sunshine" Sonny Payne[1] who opens each broadcast with "pass the biscuits, cause its King Biscuit Time!" Before Payne, the show was hosted by Hugh Smith from 1943-1951. Over the years the biggest names in blues have been associated with the program, and important blues artists continue to perform live.

The King Biscuit Flower Hour is a one hour syndicated rock and roll radio program the name of which was derived from King Biscuit Time. Levon Helm, drummer for The Band, has credited King Biscuit Time, and in particular James Peck Curtis, for inspiring his musical career.

Hubert Sumlin and Levon Helm at the Bubba Mac Shack

From the Top at the Ocean City Music Pier

2011-11-21T15:50:00.000-08:00

This week PBS Radio's show From the Top, hosted by Christopher O'Riley, features local musicians on a program that was recorded earlier this year with the Ocean City Pops orchestra at the Ocean City Music Pier. The nationally syndicated show that promotes young people playing classical music, can be heard on WRTI Temple University's station, and in Ocean City on WRTQ 91.3.

This program, which was broadcast on Sunday afternoon, will be aired again on Friday at 7 pm, and can also be heard anytime over the internet at their web site, http://www.fromthetop.org/radio/thisweek, where it is archived.

The show includes the Ocean City Pops, under the direction of William Scheible, and solo performances by sixteen year old violinist Amy Semes, from Broomall, Pa., and eighteen year old trumpeter Jacob Hernandez, from Philadelphia, as well as Scheible, who also plays trumpet in a duet with Hernandez.

Christopher O'Reily gives Ocean City some good plugs and Amy's 102 year old great uncle, who lives in Ocean City, recalls patronizing the Ocean City Music Pier as a child, and is a big fan of classical music and opera. They talked with him and got him to admit the secret of his longevity - a Scotch a day, and listening to opera.

Amy has two sisters who also play the violin, which was selected as the instrument of choice by her parents because it was easy to carry around. She tells the story about how once, when she got hurt, her sister had to substitute for her at a performance that she too had to play, so her sister tied her hair back for once performance and let it down for another, and people didn't know the difference.

Fernandez, a protege of S, acknowledges that his friends come to his performances, but don't particularly care for the classical music, some of which is a century old.

If you go to the web site, besides listening to the show, there's also a short videotape of the Polaris Quartet, from Dayton, Ohio, rehearsing before they go on, giving a vibrant and spontaneous performance on the boardwalk outside the music pier.

As noted on the From the Top web site:

Show 239 | Ocean City, New Jersey
Recorded: Wednesday, August 31, 2011

This week, From the Top is at the Music Pier in Ocean City, New Jersey, joined by the Ocean City Pops under the direction of William Scheible. You'll hear a 16-year-old violinist play Wieniawski with the orchestra and an 18-year-old pianist play Bach. Also, the junior division winners of this year's Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition join Christopher O'Riley to perform Dvořák and a teenage trumpeter teams up with Pops conductor William Scheible to play the music of Vivaldi.

Performers and repertoire:
Violinist Amy Semes,16, from Broomall, PA performs I.Allegro Moderato from Violin Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp minor, Op 14 by Henryk Wieniawski

Trumpeter Jacob Hernandez, 18, from Philadelphia, PA and Ocean City Pops conductor and trumpeter William Scheible perform I. Allegro from Concerto for 2 Trumpets in C by Antonio Vivaldi

Polaris Quartet (violinist Jenny Lee, violin, 17 from Bloomington, IN; violinist Billy Fang, violin, 18 from Dayton, OH; violist Demi Fang, 15, from Dayton, OH; and cellist Josh Halpern, 17, from Dayton, OH) performs I. Allegro, ma non tanto from Piano Quintet in A major, Op.81 by Antonín Dvořák

Pianist Kevin Sun, 18, from Carmichael, CA Performs I.Overture from Overture in the French Style, BWV 831 by Johann Sebastian Bach

Cellist Austin Huntington, 17, from South Bend, IN Performs I. Andante – Allegro vivace from Sonata No. 4 in C major, Op. 102 by Ludwig Van Beethoven

More on CHRISTOPHER O'RILEY

As a prestigious artist, pianist and national media personality, Mr. O'Riley has dazzled the world over on stage, the radio and his records. His memorable interpretations of traditional and popular repertoire make him a cherished bridge between musical tastes, genres and audience worldwide.

Mr. O’Riley’s exquisite and poetic interpretations have granted him phenomenal reviews and several recording contracts with labels like Sony Classical. His warm personality has brought him to host NPR’s “From the Top” for the last 10 years. Christopher O’Riley differs from other artists in two ways. First, his repertoire spans classical styles, from Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Chopin, Ravel and Busoni to contemporary artists such as Radiohead, Nirvana, Pink Floyd and Elliott Smith. He is the deﬁnition of a Classical Crossover artist. Second, O’Riley 's unique, passionate and heartfelt piano interpretations of both classical and popular music create unforgettable musical performances and astonishing audience experiences. His most famous recording, Radiohead “True Love Waits” album, was awarded four stars in Rolling Stone magazine, along with many other reviews available in the attached press kit. Most importantly, it has also created a dedicated and diverse fan base that appeals to all ages, uniting them through music.

From his groundbreaking transcriptions of Radiohead to his powerful interpretations of repertoire classic and contemporary, pianist Christopher O’Riley has redeﬁned the possibilities of classical music. He has taken his unique vision to both traditional classical music venues and symphonic settings, as well as to entirely new audiences on the radio, at universities and even clubs. As host of the most popular classical music radio show on the air today, National Public Radio’s From the Top, Mr. O’Riley works and performs with the next generation of brilliant young musicians, demonstrating to audiences, with humor and a lack of pretense, that these young artists are as characterful and diverse in their personal lives as they are in their music-making. In 2007, From the Top was ﬁlmed for public television in Zankel Concert Hall at Carnegie Hall and debuted on PBS in the spring. The series is now airing its third season.

An interpreter and arranger of some of the most important contemporary popular music of our time, O’Riley lives by the Duke Ellington adage, “there are only two kinds of music, good music and bad.” His ﬁrst recording of Radiohead transcriptions, ”True Love Waits” (Sony/Odyssey) received 4 stars from Rolling Stone and was as critically acclaimed as it was commercially successful. His second set of music from the British alt-pop outﬁt, entitled “Hold Me to This: Christopher O’Riley plays the music of Radiohead,” was released on World Village/Harmonia Mundi to a similarly enthusiastic response. In April 2006, his third set of transcriptions was released on the same label. Entitled “Home to Oblivion; An Elliott Smith Tribute,” Mr. O’Riley this time tackles the deeply emotional and complex work from the troubled singer/songwriter who died prematurely in 2003. His most recent recording, released in April 2007 and entitled “Second Grace: The Music of Nick Drake,” is a disc of transcriptions of the music by the British folk singer. Nick Drake died in 1974 after releasing just 3 albums, yet inﬂuenced two generations of songwriters in his wake.

Just as his radio show and his contemporary classical recordings have created extraordinary buzz, so have his performances in traditional classical context. In November 2004, Mr. O’Riley toured the U.S. with the world-famous Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Orchestra visiting 10 cities in 2 weeks, playing Bach, Mozart and Liszt concerti. He has appeared with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, the Minnesota Orchestra, the symphonies of Pittsburgh, Detroit, Colorado, Atlanta and Baltimore. The illustrious group of conductors with whom he has collaborated includes Marin Alsop, David Zinman, Leonard Slatkin, John Williams, Neeme Järvi, Bobby McFerrin, Hans Graf, Yoel Levi, Hugh Wolff and Andrew Litton.

Performances in the 2008-2009 season include tours with James Galway and cellist Carter Brey, recitals at the University of Colorado Boulder, Duke University, Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, and orchestral engagements with the Baltimore Symphony, New Mexico Symphony, and Atlantic Classical Orchestra. At the Miller Theatre in New York City, Mr. O’Riley will showcase his own arrangements alongside Classical repertoire in three programs juxtaposing works of Shostakovich (Preludes and Fugues) with Radiohead, Claude Debussy (Images and Estampes) with Nick Drake, and Robert Schumann (Arabeske and Kreisleriana) with Elliott Smith. This season also ﬁnds O’Riley playing recitals in many of the great European cities: London, Paris, Munich, Berlin, Salzburg and Vienna.

An enthusiastic advocate of new music, Mr. O’Riley has twice participated in the annual “Absolute Concerto” concerts at Avery Fisher Hall, a brainchild of O’Riley’s fan in the 80’s, Andy Warhol, premiering works by Richard Danielpour and Michael Torke. In 1999-2000 he performed Michael Daugherty’s “Le Tombeau de Liberace” with the Detroit Symphony and with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, both in St. Paul and on tour. He has also recently given premieres of works by Aaron Jay Kernis, including his piano quartet, “Still Movement with Hymn,” (also recorded for Decca’s Argo label) and the “Superstar” Etude No. 1, inspired by the pianism of Jerry Lee Lewis.

From early in his career, Mr. O’Riley was honored with many awards at the Leeds, Van Cliburn, Busoni and Montreal competitions, as well as an Avery Fisher Career Grant. He was also a ﬁnalist at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1981. Among his many solo releases are a Scriabin disc for Image Recordings and an all-Stravinsky disc on Elektra Nonesuch, featuring “Three Movements from Petrouchka” and Mr. O’Riley’s ﬁrst foray into transcriptions with his own versions of “Apollo” and “Histoire du Soldat.” Other recordings include an RCA Victor Red Seal release of French repertoire for ﬂute and piano with James Galway; his audacious debut disc of music of Busoni including the monumental ‘Fantasia Contrapuntistica’, a disc of Ravel’s solo works; a recording of Beethoven Piano Sonatas; a collaboration with cellist Carter Brey entitled “Le Grand Tango”; and the premiere recording of P.D.Q Bach’s “The Short-Tempered Clavier” by the fabled composer-satirist Peter Schickele. Other contemporary composers he has recorded include Richard Danielpour, Robert Helps, Todd Brief, Roger Sessions and John Adams.

In addition to his own transcriptions, Mr. O’Riley has ventured into alternate territory on tour with other classical artists. He has developed programs with fellow pianists: “Heard Fresh: Music for Two Pianos,” with the jazz pianist Fred Hersch; and “Los Tangueros,” with the Argentinian pianist Pablo Ziegler, a program of two-piano arrangements that feature Astor Piazzolla’s classic tangos. In 1999 he collaborated with choreographer and director Martha Clarke, who staged several stories of Anton Chekhov set to the piano works of Alexander Scriabin, performed live on stage by Mr. O’Riley. This production, titled “Vers la Flamme,” toured Europe and the United States, and was presented by Jacob’s Pillow, Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center, among others.

As Mr. O’Riley continues to create new directions in which to take the solo piano recital, the demand for his work internationally has continued to grow. He has performed his transcriptions at major jazz festivals in Istanbul, London, San Francisco and Sicily as well as on a tour of the U.K. He recently appeared at the Belfast Festival and he debuted in Australia at the 2006 Sydney Festival.

O’Riley studied with Russell Sherman at the New England Conservatory of Music. Christopher O’Riley splits his time between Los Angeles and rural Ohio. His radio and tv show can be found on-line at www.fromthetop.org. His personal website is at www.christopheroriley.com.

Cape May Jazz Fest Benefit Shows

2011-11-07T08:58:00.001-08:00

Benefit concerts for Friends of Cape May Jazz

They may have announced the cancellation of the fall edition of the Cape May Jazz Festival, but that won’t stop the musicians from playing anyway, as some of the past performers have gotten together to put to put on a series of shows to benefit the financially ailing festival.

It wasn’t long after festival founders Carol Stone and Woody Woodland were ousted by the board that they cancelled the fall festival, so some administrative problems must still be solved, but for some of the musicians, the show must go on.

Led by Cape May locals Geno White and Jay Bethel, they recruited fellow guitarist Tom Larson, singer Frank Bey and trumpeter Eddie Morgan, and Martini Beach and Cabanas agreed to provide the venues at Decatur and Beach Drive, so the makeshift and abbreviated Cape May Jazz Fest will take place this coming weekend, Friday and Saturday, November 11 and 12th.

Geno White [http://www.genowhite.com/genowhite.cfm] will open the proceedings on Friday at 6 pm at Martini Beach, the upstairs fine dining establishment with the glass porch that overlooks Beach Drive, with the Tom Larrson Blues Band picking up the beat downstairs at Cabanas at 9:30 pm.

Pat Martino calls his protégé Geno White “a complete original,” and indeed he is, as reflected on his recordings and live performances, which usually include TC Kissinger on electric upright bass and Seth Johnson on drums.

Downstairs at Cabanas (9:30), the electric Tom Larson Blues Band [http://www.tomlarsenband.com/] will feature Larson on slide guitar. Larson picked up the Delta Blues style of the legendary Robert “Crossroads” Johnson, Blind Willie McTell and Son House.

Cabanas is where the blues acts are usually found at Cape May Fests, and Frank Bey
[http://www.frankbeymusic.com/ ] will feel quite at home when he sings the blues at the Saturday afternoon matinee (1pm). Originally from Georgia, Frank began singing gospel in church before tagging along on tour with the late great Otis Redding. After starting his own band, and experiencing a bad record deal, Bey stopped singing and the music industry for twenty years before returning in 1996. Carol and Woody brought him to Cape May and after his stunning performance he got some steady work at local clubs, including the Boiler Room at Congress Hall.

While Bethel, Larson and Bey emphasize the blues, horn man Eddie Morgan will jazz things up at Martini Beach (6 pm). Morgan [ www.nextcat.com/eddiemorgan] is known from playing in church with the Jazz Vespers with a quartet that includes Darryl Robinson on keys, Keith Hollis, on drums, Derek Cason on bass and guitarist
Tony Marshall.

Jay Bethel and Blue Bone [http://www.bluebone.net/ ] brings the blues back to the table at Cabanas (9:30 pm). Bethel has made Cape May his home, and also plays locally as a solo act, but really cooks with his band.

Martini Beach used to be Maureen’s, once rated the best restaurant in the state, a standard now maintained by Chef & General Manager, John Siuta, so you have the opportunity of not only seeing a great blues and jazz show, but enjoy a fine meal at the same time.

Bill Haley, Jr. with the Comets

2011-10-31T20:10:00.001-07:00

Bill Haley, Jr. with the Original Comets at Bubba Mac Shack in Somers Point, NJ

Bill, Jr. looks just like his dad. I met him at a Philadelphia Folk Fest sometime in the 1980s, and when the Original Comets got back together he showed up at their shows and they asked him to join them on stage and sing a few songs, which he did on more than one occasion. These photos are from the now defunct Somers Point Bubba Mac Shack, where the Original Comets played around Labor Day weekend for four or five years in a row. Bill, Jr. also jammed with them at the Gloucester Rock & Roll Fest.

Photos by Ralph F. Carpineta (EHT)

Cape May Jazz Benefit

2011-10-28T19:38:00.001-07:00

Bruce at the Pony

2011-10-26T23:30:00.001-07:00

Bruce Springsteen performs 25 songs at private benefit at the Stone Pony on Saturday night

Published: Sunday, October 23, 2011
http://www.nj.com/springsteen/index.ssf/2011/10/bruce_springsteen_performs_25.htmlBruce

Springsteen played a private benefit show for Boston College at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park on Saturday night. Springsteen's oldest son, Evan, attends Boston College.

Springsteen, backed by a band which included E Streeters' Roy Bittan on keyboards and Max Weinberg on drums as well as Bobby Bandiera, played 25 songs over two hours and 35 minutes. There was a four-piece horn section.

Also joining in for a few songs was J.T. Bowen, the lead singer for Clarence Clemons' Red Bank Rockers from the 1980s. Bowen had played with Springsteen at the Wonder Bar on July 17.

Among those in attendance were N.J. Governor Chris Christie, actor Tim Robbins and NBC news anchor Brian Williams.

The show began at 8:10 p.m.

Set list
1. 634-5789
2. Working on the Highway
3. Lucky Day
Bruce told a story about meeting some fans from Sweden over the summer at the Wonder Bar. The fans told him they traveled to see Asbury Park and to see him.
4. Growin' Up
Bruce told the crowd he wrote this song six blocks from here in an abandoned beauty parlor on Cookman and Main avenues in Asbury Park.
5. Spirit In the Night
Bruce went out into the crowd and jumped on the front bar.
6. Working on a Dream
7. Seven Nights to Rock
8. Savin' Up (with J.T. Bowen)
9. A Woman's Got the Power (with J.T. Bowen)
10. Darlington County.
11. Because the Night
Great guitar playing by Bruce
12. Waiting on a Sunny Day
Bruce came out and jumped on the back bar by the bathrooms.
13. Fourth of July Asbury Park (Sandy)
14. Pink Cadillac
15. Talk to Me
16. 10th Avenue Freeze-Out
17. Midnight Hour (with J.T. Bowen)
18. Soul Man (with J.T. Bowen)
One of the highlights of the show
19. Dancing in the Dark
20. Glory Days
21. Born To Run
22. Rosalita
23. Havin' A Party (with J.T. Bowen)
24. Twist and Shout
25. Thunder Road (solo acoustic).

Show was over at 10:45 p.m.
Springsteen will be playing two shows with Joe Grushecky in Pittsburgh on Nov. 3 and Nov. 4.

Paul McCartney Marries Jersey Girl

2011-10-10T13:16:00.000-07:00

Paul McCartney and New Jersey born trucking heiress Nancy Shevell exchanged "Love Me Do" vows Sunday in London.

Hundreds of fans showered the newlyweds with cheers and flower petals after their modest civil ceremony at Old Marylebone Town Hall.

The 69-year-old pop icon wed the 51-year-old New Jersey-born Metropolitan Transportation Authority board member in the same municipal building where McCartney married his first wife, the late Linda Eastman, in 1969.

There were only 30 guests.

SHHH! SECRET CELEBRITY WEDDINGS

"I feel absolutely wonderful," McCartney said of his long and winding road that led him back to the altar of love after settling his bitter divorce from his second wife, Heather Mills, in 2008 for more than $37 million.

"I feel terrific. I feel married," added McCartney, as his blissful bride, the daughter of New Jersey trucking magnate Myron (Mike) Shevell, looked on.

Shevell wore an ivory silk long-sleeved gown designed by McCartney's daughter Stella, with a white flower tucked into her long, chestnut hair. McCartney donned a blue suit that was also designed by his daughter.

Sir Paul's brother Mike served as the best man, and McCartney's 7-year-old daughter, Beatrice, his child with Mills, was a flower girl. She was dressed in a pink wool coat.

HERE COME THE BRIDES: STARS TIE THE KNOT

Shevell is an Edison, N.J., native who lives on the upper East Side. She has served on the MTA board since being appointed in 2001 by then-Gov. George Pataki, and is also a vice president of New England Motor Freight Inc., her family's trucking company.

A divorcee, Shevell was married to attorney Bruce Blakeman - a Republican who made unsuccessful bids for state controller and U.S. senator - for more than 20 years. They have a son, Arlen, 19.

But Sunday, Shevell only had eyes for her new man: McCartney, one of the most successful and celebrated musicians in the world. In a flashback to the days of Beatlemania, the couple waved and blew kisses outside the town hall before hopping into a burgundy Lexus for a garden reception and all-vegan meal at McCartney's home in the St. John's Wood neighborhood.

Shevell and McCartney have known each other for years - she has a summer home in East Hampton, L.I., and he has a place in Amagansett, L.I.

They were first spotted being lovey-dovey in 2007, when he and Mills were already separated, at a South Fork sushi joint. They got engaged in May, sealing the deal with a hefty 1925 Cartier solitaire sparkler.

Beatles drummer Ringo Starr - the only other surviving member of the Fab Four - attended the afternoon wedding ceremony, as did George Harrison's widow, Olivia. Other guests included Barbara Walters, Ronnie Wood from the Rolling Stones and Twiggy, the iconic 1960s supermodel.

The celebration was held on what would have been the 71st birthday of John Lennon, who was gunned down in 1980 outside the Dakota on the upper West Side. His widow, Yoko Ono, did not attend the wedding.

With News Wire Services

Cape May Jazz in Distress

2011-10-02T20:13:00.000-07:00

Carol Stone and Woody Woodland. (Cape May Herald Photo)

I was there at the conception, when Carol and Woody started the Cape May Jazz Fest. I remember them sitting at the Shire Tavern and talking about the festival they experienced in Delaware and having a vision of a similar affair in Cape May.

I lived at Cape May Point at the time, and saw many great jazz shows at Wayne Persanti's Shire Tavern, where Woody sometimes worked as a doorman, checking IDs and evicting unruly patrons.

I remember the first few events, not even festivals, but just one or two show events and then watched it grow.

There were some really terrific shows, and some festivals that stand out as truly great events in the history of Cape May. Then being invited back to Carol and Woody's home for a private party on Sunday night afterwards, when many of the performers performed again in their living room around the baby grand piano. It was an honor to be there and now it is very sad that they have been forced out of the organization they gave birth to. They were to be honored at this fall's festival in November, but now there won't be a festival in November, as the organization reorganizes.

Carl and Woody were originally from Philadelphia, where Woody served in the city administration but appreciated good music, especially jazz, as did Carol. When they started the festival they drew first on the fine acts they knew as friends from either the Philadelphia clubs or the Shire Tavern, where Piersanti, a former Philadelphia policeman, made jazz his motif.

Among the acts who played the Shire that I recall are sax and bagpipe player Rufus Harley, Monette Sudler, the first lady of Jazz guitar, Grover Washington's band, Avila, a South American Aztec and Pat Martino, who spent one summer with the house band on his rebound from a brain anuraism. He had lost much of his memory and had to slowly teach himself his own songs. A decade later he came back to Cape May as the headliner at the Jazz Fest, selling out the Convention Hall.

The last time I saw Carol and Woody was at the Bubba Mac Blues Fest at the Atlantic City baseball stadium, and they often traveled to other jazz and blues festivals to scout out new acts and see what was hot, and then book them for the Cape May fest. The Cape May Jazz Fest was such a success they began to hold it twice a year, in the spring and fall when the hotel rooms and restaurants were usually empty, and thus providing a boost to the local economy in the off-shoulder seasons.

They also had good rapport with the local business owners, especially the bars and restaurants that featured the festival acts, like the Shire, Carney's and Congress Hall.

The Shire was eventually sold and its liquor license moved to Congress Hall, where Curtis Bashaw brings in many of the types of acts that played the Shire. Bashaw also sat on the board of directors of the Jazz Fest and supported it in any way he could.

The late Mrs. Carney, at Carney's on Beach Drive also supported the Jazz Festival in a big way, providing both of her rooms and stages for the festival for the whole weekend. While the bartenders complained that the jazz fans were a little more stiff and tight with their change than the rock & rollers, the Carney family understood how important the jazz festival was for the entire town. I remember sitting next to Mrs. Carney by the kitchen door in the Other Room, and her saying she thought the Jazz Fest was wonderful and pretty much gave Carol and Woody carte blanche.

The Cape May Jazz Fest brought some terrific headliners to Cape May, including Chuck Mangone, Mose Allison and other popular and award winning acts, and introduced us to some previously unknown but special talents like Brian Trainer.

Carol and Woody didn't just bring in big acts from out of town, they also showcased the local talent, especially the leader of the Cape May Coast Guard band, Pat Martino's protege Geno White, the Cape May Diamonds blues band and Harp on Sark - the barback and candleman who lived above the Shire.

And many thanks to the Gazzette's Bill Barlow and Jack Fichter of the Herald for reporting on the Festival's status in their stories archived below.

Bill Kelly billkelly3@gmail.com

Jazz Festival reorganizes, struggles with debt

Written by Bill Barlow http://www.shorenewstoday.com/snt/news/index.php/cape-may/cape-may-gazette/16283-jazz-festival-reorganizes-struggles-with-debt-.html

No fall festival planned

Thursday, 15 September 2011 03:08

CAPE MAY – As 2011 began, the Cape May Jazz Festival touted its award for the state’s favorite music festival and looked forward to its 35th festival in Cape May that spring.

But according to several sources the festival is now struggling to reorganize and dig out from a mountain of debt.

Just how much debt is hard to confirm, but there will be no fall jazz festival this year, according to local sources. Members of the festival’s 10-member board of directors hope to have a jazz event and fundraiser in November instead, and to resurrect the festival in April for the annual spring event.

Linda Steenrod, a member of the board of directors and a former Cape May City councilwoman, said this week that there would be no fall festival, and that the board was in the process of reorganizing.

“We’re trying to get some very critical financial things straightened out,” she said. “The board kind of dissolved a couple of times, but now it’s been reinvigorated with new blood, and people who are really committed.”

The issue comes down to money and paperwork, she said. Steenrod could not give a figure for how much the festival owes, but said there are also issues with audits and paperwork owed to the state.

“The festival has kind of neglected a few things. We have obligations that need to be fulfilled,” she said.

“Substituting a single special event for the full festival this November will allow us to revamp administration and redirect marketing efforts,” said Oscar Johnson, president of the Friends of Cape May Jazz board, in a prepared statement this week. “We anticipate returning in April 2012 with a full format and the sort of exciting musical experience the Festival has become known for.”

For now, there is no answer at the main number for the Cape May Jazz Festival, and the festival’s website has not been updated since the spring festival.

This spring saw fewer venues for the festival, but at the time organizers indicated that attendance was up, and headliner Kevin Eubanks received good reviews, as did other performers.
The board has appointed an audit committee that will work on finances, and try to get a clearer picture of the festival’s financial situation. Steenrod said she could not give any information on the festival’s finances, but she acknowledged that the situation is serious, an assessment confirmed by several other sources.

One person familiar with the festival, who asked not to be identified, said the event got hit by a “perfect storm of problems.” The festival’s main venue, the Cape May Convention Hall, was shut down in 2008 over fears for the stability of the floor, while at the same time the economy went into recession. That meant that grant money dried up, and so did donations, while attendance dropped when fewer people could afford tickets.

Convention Hall has since been demolished. Cape May plans to build a new Convention Hall, but it has not been available as a venue for years. Festival organizers participated in creating plans for a new hall, along with residents and other organizations, but the building had long been home to the festival’s headliners.

The first step in rebuilding the festival will be to get a detailed picture of the current state of the festival’s finances, and then to go to the festival’s sponsors to try to convince them to continue to support the festival, according to those familiar with the situation.

Two of the event’s biggest supporters are Bank of America and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

A spokeswoman from the State Council on the Arts passed questions on to festival director Salvador Riggi.

Attempts to contact Riggi were not successful. The number given for him at the jazz festival’s website was disconnected. The Council on the Arts spokeswoman, Allison Tratner, said he had told her he remains the director and that he would contact the Gazette to discuss the future of the festival, but after several days there was no call or message from Riggi.

Other sources had indicated that he was no longer with the festival, and Steenrod would not say one way or another.

“I would rather not get into that,” Steenrod said.

No one from Bank of America was available for interview this week, but the bank released a prepared statement from Bob Doherty, the Bank of America New Jersey president:
“We are proud to include the Cape May Jazz Festival among the many wonderful arts programs we support here in New Jersey. For years, the festival has been a destination for jazz fans of all ages and backgrounds, and serves as an important economic driver for Cape May and surrounding communities. We look forward to an update from festival organizers on next year’s program, and hope they are able to build on past success.”

Bank of America has been the festival’s lead sponsor since 2002. On Monday, the bank announced an ongoing restructuring that will mean cutting some 30,000 jobs, with the intention of cutting billions in spending over the next few years, but bank officials gave no indication that would affect future giving to the festival.

A Bank of America spokesman said questions about the fall festival should be asked of the local organizers.

Cape May officials have long praised the festival and described it as both an important part of the local community and as a means of bringing visitors to Cape May inns and restaurants in the off season.

The festival was founded in 1994, spearheaded by Carol Stone and Woody Woodland, who had the idea after returning from another festival the year before. The two remained a major force in the festival through much of its history, and fended off at least one attempt to remove them from the board, which took place in 2008 when they were out of the country.

Last year, the two founders resigned from the board. This week, Steenrod said that they resigned voluntarily, but in various interviews after the resignation, Stone and Woodland said they were forced off the board.

Festival officials said at the time that a change was necessary to keep grants coming, because the agencies that give the grants were skeptical of organizations in which the founders remained in charge, and of organizations in which there was no clear line of succession.

Steenrod praised the festival founders this week.

“They did a wonderful thing. I hope they will support the efforts to reorganize the festival, because it’s their legacy,” she said.

Steenrod said she joined the festival’s board of directors two or three years ago, but said she had been involved, stepped down, and rejoined the board more than once. She said there are very committed members of the board now, and that they recently voted new by-laws for the organization.
The former board “fell by the wayside,” Steenrod said.

The new board includes some former members and some new people, she said, including some who had served on the board before. There is also flexibility in the number of board members, she said. Right now, there are 10 members, but it could be increased or reduced as needed under the bylaws.
“I told Carol (Stone), I don’t know how to run a festival,” she said, citing Stone’s years of experience with the festival. “I’m doing this from the heart, because I love the festival and I don’t want to see it dissolve.”

She said she hopes there will be a spring Cape May Jazz Festival come April.
“It took a number of years to get to this point, and its going to take a number of years to make it right,” Steenrod said.

Cape May Jazz Festival Founders Say They Were Forced Out of Organization
http://www.capemaycountyherald.com/article/arts+and+entertainment/cape+may/66654-cape+may+jazz+festival+founders+say+they+were+forced+out+organization

Arts and Entertainment |
Fri, 10/01/2010
By Jack Fichter

CAPE MAY — It’s like a long popular tune that suddenly is played with a sour note.

The founders of the Cape May Jazz Festival Carol Stone and Woody Woodland resigned from the organization in June.

Woodland told the Herald they were forced out of the organization they founded.
“The group that took it over seemingly want to discredit us for the 17 years of success that we’ve had,” he said.

Woodland said their photos were removed from the Cape May Jazz Festival website by the board of directors. He said he believed the board began to resent Stone and himself.

“They just got sick and tired of Woody and Carol getting the credit for this,” said Woodland. “We gave them more credit than they deserved because they didn’t do anything.”

“I can give our volunteers more credit than the board,” he continued.
Board meetings were called in secret when Woodland and Stone were out of the country on vacation, he said.

Woodland said board members treated Stone with a great deal of disrespect and meetings were punctuated by angry outbursts. Anything Stone suggested was shot down by the board, said Woodland.

He said he believed racism and sexism was involved with their ousting from the organization. At some point, he and Stone would have retired from the festival and helped with a smooth succession but now that won’t happen, said Woodland.
He said he feels the board is “trashing our legacy.”

“I was the cause of thousands of people coming here spending millions of dollars here,” said Woodland.

He said Stone had the expertise to handle many details while he publicized the event. Woodland said they visited other jazz festivals, clubs and churches in other cities to attract an audience to Cape May.

Woodland said the board turned the festival staff against them.

“We gave them their jobs and got them health insurance and they literally turned them against us,” he said.

Stone said it was decided at an April board meeting, the jazz festival’s headlining band would play at the Grand Hotel of Cape May in November rather than bus the audience to the auditorium at Lower Cape May Regional High School. She said the new board members have since moved the headlining show to the gymnasium of Star of the Sea School in Cape May.

Woodland said Cape May Jazz Festival President Gene Boyd admitted to another newspaper a conspiracy was in place to remove them from the board.

Jazz Festival Board member Lois Smith told the Herald the board wanted to give Woodland and Stone “the privilege of being advisors but step back and let the board make some decisions.”

“We had nothing to say and as a result our funding was falling,” she said.
Smith said funding sources were aware how well the festival had operated but said some adjustments were needed and they preferred to work with a “board-generated operation.”

Smith said Woodland and Stone made the decision to resign, “nobody told them to get out.”

She said their names are still in brochures for the festival as founders.
Jazz Festival Executive Director Sal Riggi said when he took office two years ago, he made it clear there had to be a transition of the organization from “founder run to board run.” He said an attempt to remove Woodland and Stone in 2008 when they were out of the country, by a previous executive director, was done in an inappropriate manner. He said the bottom line was most sponsors do not want to see an organization run by founders after about 10 years of operation.
Riggi said when he became director, Stone and Woodland were agreeable to a change.

“After about a year they began sending signals that they did not believe a transition was necessary,” he said.

Riggi said he made a lot of changes in fiscal practices. He said Stone was conducting business without consulting the board and was resistant to changes being implemented.

Riggi said he wrote a financial stabilization plan when he served as treasurer to strengthen the organization. He said sponsors and the state raved about the plan, which included a transition over a two-year period.

“Carol and Woody did a great job putting this organization together, it is their baby,” said Riggi. “The hardest transition is going from founder to board run.”
He said the board made it clear after the April festival the transition would be completed at the June reorganization meeting. Riggi said Woodland and Stone fought the matter.

Riggi said he has their letter of resignation. He said the plan was Woodland and Stone would step down from the board and have emeritus status and be honored at the November jazz festival.

Riggi said Woodland and Stone sent letters to sponsors, the state and musicians saying they were forced out of the organization and accused the board of being racist. He said the matter may be turned over to attorneys if it continues.

Riggi said state and corporate sponsorship of the festival has increased recently.
“Long term, we’re going to come out much stronger,” he said.

Jazz Festival President Gene Boyd said Stone and Woodland did not want to live with new financial procedures being put in place and resigned.

“It was kind of run like a sole proprietorship and it really can’t be because it is not a sole proprietorship, it is a not-for-profit 501C3 corporation, so there are things we need to adhere to,” he said.

He said Stone and Woodland gave the organization a great foundation to build on.

“We’re not opposed to them having a jazz festival but we know it will never reach the magnitude which we established,” said Woodland.

Mike Pedicin, Jr.'s New CD "Ballads - Searching for Peace."

2011-09-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

This is the cover of one of Mike Pedicin's albums. His new album will be released on October 18.

Mike Pedicin, Jr.'s New CD "Ballads - Searching for Peace."

Local jazz enthusiast and saxophone player Mike Pedicin, Jr. will release his tenth recoding, “Searching for Peace,” on October 18.

As a child Pedicin played a toy saxophone on the stage at Bay Shores in Somers Point at the feet of his father Mike Pedicin, Sr., also a sax player whose hit song, “Shake A Hand” made No. 1 on the pop charts in 1957.

"I idolized my dad," Pedicin says. "He allowed me the freedom to learn about music, the saxophone, and life itself -- the way I needed to learn it."

While Pedicin, Sr. played the alto sax, preferred rock & roll and stayed close to home, Mike Jr. liked the tenor saxophone, played jazz and enjoyed traveling the world on tour with the best jazz bands in the country, including Maynard Ferguson, Stevie Wonder, David Bowie, Dave Brubeck and Pat Martino.

When Pedicin Jr. was 13 he says he had heard saxophonist Willis "Gator Tail" Jackson in person and Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley on record, and just knew he wanted to spend his life playing saxophone. By the time he was 20 Pedicin began playing with the horn section at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios, working for Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell, playing on recording sessions with such artists as the Spinners and Lou Rawls.

Pedicin made his first album, Michael Pedicin Jr. (on Philadelphia International records) in 1980, which included the hit "You,” and then went on tour with “Take Five” Dave Brubeck, and then became an performing-executive in Atlantic City casinos, hiring orchestras and playing with such singers as Frank Sinatra.

More recently Pedicin has been an integral part of the Somers Point Jazz Society and playing a weekly summer gig in the loft bar at Sandi Point (formerly Mac’s).

Pedicin also formed the Brubeck Project (which released a debut CD on Jazz Hut), earned a Ph.D in psychology, and opened a practice that specializes in helping creative people. He is also an Associate Professor of Music and Coordinator of Jazz Studies at the Richard Stockton College.

Taking his new role as an educator out of the school and classroom, and taking jazz out of the nightclubs and bars, Pedicin has started teaching a series of history of jazz lectures at the Ocean City Free Public Library (1735 Simpson Ave., Ocean City. For more information, call 609-399-2434), every Wednesday (from 7pm) through November 9th.

So the release of his new album is just one of a number of things that Pedicin has going on.

In “Searching for Peace” Pedicin releases seven songs, some standard ballads, a couple classics and a few originals. Among the ballads are “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” and a 1962 ballad by John Coltrane. “From the time Train did Ballads, I’ve always wanted to do a ballads album, and I finally did it,” said Pedicin. “There is nothing quite inspiring and satisfying for me as playing a beautiful ballad.”

Playing along with guitarist John Valentino, pianists Dean Schneider & Barry Miles, bassist Andy Lalasis, local drummer Bob Shomo, they also do Wayne Shorter's poignant "Virgo," McCoy Tyner's "Search for Peace" and Hank Mobley's "Home at Last."

Two originals by John Valentino, "Blame It on My Heart" and "Few Moments" and Pedicin’s "Tell Me" round out the recording.

"I will never put my saxophone down until I can't play anymore," Pedicin says.

Pedicin will be picking his horn up for several CD release shows this fall, with a December 3rd date booked at Chris' Jazz Cafe, Philadelphia, and others to be announced.

(Press of Atlantic City photo of Mike Pedicin teaching a jazz history class at Stockton)

“My advice to any young musician, any young person, whatever it is you have a passion for, work hard at it, get good at it and dreams will come alive.” - Mike Pedicin, Jr.

Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks" Censored by MTV

2011-09-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

Mark Foster's "Pumped Up Kicks" has been getting a lot of radio airplay - primarily on WXPN in Philly, the University of Penn station, and now its on the juke box and getting more widespread attention.

Foster originally called his band Foster & the People but the people got it wrong and called them Foster the People, and that stuck, and the girls seem to have having a hard time figuring out the lyrics so they can sing and whistle along.

So here they are:

Robert’s got a quick hand.
He’ll look around the room, he won’t tell you his plan.
He’s got a rolled cigarette, hanging out his mouth he’s a cowboy kid.
Yeah he found a six shooter gun.
In his dads closet hidden in a box of fun things, and I don’t even know what.
But he’s coming for you, yeah he’s coming for you.

[Chorus]
“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You better run, better run, outrun my gun…”
“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks,
You better run, better run, faster than my bullet.”
“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You better run, better run, outrun my gun…”
“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks,
You better run, better run, faster than my bullet.”

Daddy works a long day.
He be coming home late, yeah he’s coming home late.
And he’s bringing me a surprise.
‘Cause dinner’s in the kitchen and it’s packed in ice.
I’ve waited for a long time.
Yeah the sleight of hand is now a quick pull trigger,
I reason with my cigarette,
And say your hair’s on fire, you must have lost your wits, yeah.

[Chorus]
“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You better run, better run, outrun my gun…”
“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks,
You better run, better run, faster than my bullet.”
“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You better run, better run, outrun my gun…”
“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks,
You better run, better run, faster than my bullet.”
[whistling]

[Chorus]
“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You better run, better run, outrun my gun…”
“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks,
You better run, better run, faster than my bullet.”
“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You better run, better run, outrun my gun…”
“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks,
You better run, better run, faster than my bullet.”
“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You better run, better run, outrun my gun…”
“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks,
You better run, better run, faster than my bullet.”
“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You better run, better run, outrun my gun…”
“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks,
You better run, better run, faster than my bullet.”

While the upbeat rhythm belies the violent theme of the song, MTV removed the words "gun" and "bullet" from the chorus, which sparked a NY Daily News reporter to write:

There was a moment recently on MTVU, MTV's network targeted at college students, when the censorship of a music video totally bamboozled my 11-year-old daughter.

As we were watching MTVU one evening last week, up popped the music video for Foster the People's Billboard-charted hit "Pumped Up Kicks," a neat alternative rock song that happens to be a favorite of my daughter and me. (I'll pause to give some folks time to alert the Parents Television Council that I exposed this impressionable child to programming geared above her age level.)

Yes, there still are places to see music videos. MTVU is one. But it's not the best place to see them, according to my daughter.

Soon this audiovisual experience was wrecked when she noticed some of the lyrics had been wiped clean. The song, which is arguably about some form of retaliation, includes the lines, "You'd better run, better run, outrun my gun" and "You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet."
However, when the video aired on MTVU, "gun" and "bullet" were digitally blanked out. They weren't bleeped - the audio just went silent, albeit briefly. The video is mostly a concert performance and there is no acting out of lyrics and certainly no guns.

My daughter, quite quickly, was stunned.

"Dad, they cut that out?" she said after the second round of the digitally damaged chorus. "Why did they do that?"

I'm fairly confident she would have dropped a what-the-F-bomb had she been a little older.
Heck, I would, too.

What she had noticed, very quickly, was the quirkiness - silliness, perhaps, of the MTV censorship gods, who decide what to take out and what to leave in.

Reached yesterday, an MTVU spokeswoman said, "Our standards department reviews the content on our air and makes determinations on a case-by-case basis."

In this case, they might have been a little fast on the trigger.

Not complaining, mind you, but Rihanna sings about sex and how chains and whips excite her and that's just fine with the censor gods. Yet Foster the People's gun references get shot down.
In the middle of the day, the main MTV channel airs commercials for Trojan condoms - during a telecast of "16 and Pregnant," of course - and that's okay.

MTV's biggest show is "The Jersey Shore," where - well, you get the picture.

Foster the People's lyrics get dinged while airing on a channel for college students at night. Think about that for a second. Someone there believes the lyrics of that song are not appropriate for the future leaders of the world.

There are countless examples of conflicting messages within the MTV family of networks, no doubt.
When the video aired, though, I tried to be a good parent and make a moment that would leave Oprah proud. I figured I'd turn our shared viewing experience into a teachable moment. Based on past interactions with MTV staffers in the past, I tried to explain why I though MTV may have trimmed the gun reference.

She looked at me and paused.

"That's just stupid," she said.

This time, she was so right.

rhuff@nydailynews.com

Formed in LA in 2009 by Foster(vocals, keyboards, piano, synthesizers, guitar, programming, percussion), Mark Pontius (drums and extra percussion), and Cubbie Fink (bass and backing vocals.
Two live musicians, Sean Cimino (guitar, keyboard, synthesizer, and backing vocals) and Isom Innis (keyboard, piano, and backing vocals), also tour with the band.

When "Pumped Up Kicks" was first recorded, frontman Mark Foster played all of the song's instruments for what he thought was going to be just a demo, but the version he recorded ended up as the final version on Torches.[1]The song is about a troubled and delusional youth with homicidal thoughts. Foster said, "I was trying to get inside the head of an isolated, psychotic kid."[1] He stated in an interview with KROQ-FM that the lyrics were written to "bring awareness" to the issue of gun violence amongst youth, which he feels is an epidemic perpetuated by "lack of family, lack of love, and isolation".

Big Bouys Opens at old Tony Marts Site

2011-09-02T05:37:00.001-07:00

Egg Harbor Township After Hour Joints

2011-08-31T09:09:00.001-07:00

Egg Harbor Township (EHT) After Hour Joints

For many years Egg Harbor Township allowed those liquor licenses within their jurisdiction to remain open 24-hours a day, and some of them did, especially those near Somers Point, where the bars were forced to stop serving at 2am and close by 3am.

Brownies Lodge, a rustic log cabin in Bargaintown was probably the first to become popular with the post-Somers Point crowd, and many old timers recall driving out there to continue the party after Somers Point had closed.

John McCann, Sr. and Dick McLain, the owners of Bay Shores built the most notorious of the after hour clubs – The Dunes, on Longport Blvd. at the intersection of where the roads from Somers Point and Ocean City came together.

Then there was Jack’s Grove, down past Route 9 on Mays Landing Road, just on the other side of the Patcong Creek. Jack’s was a laid back place under a grove of trees, but was renamed the Attic when a guy named Joe bought it and broke it up into two bars – one upfront with two pool tables, and another larger room in the back where bands played.

Joe sold the place to a group of guys who cleaned up the place and renamed it the Boatyard, and continued the live music tradition.

O’Byrne’s was a local taproom just on the other side of the bay bridge at Lousy Harbor on the Longport Blvd, that became the Mug and the Purple Dragon before Andrew Cornaglia bought it and renamed it Mothers, after the bar in the TV show Peter Gunn.

All of these places were either closed during the day or virtually deserted until around midnight when things would start picking up and they would get more crowded as the Somers Point bars let out. By 3 in the morning they were jamming, most of the them with live bands that didn’t even begin to play until midnight and continued to early in the morning. Dunes ‘Til Dawn was the slogan on the T-shirts.

The bands that played these places were special too. The Dunes had the best bands early on mainly because of their affiliation with Bay Shores, so many of the bands from there would go over to the Dunes when they got finished at Bay Shores and continue playing or jam with the band that had the gig.

Airport was the house band at Mothers for a few years, while Bob Campanell and the Shakes also played there a lot. Bob’s brother Gabbo had a band The Flys, whose equipment was destroyed when Mothers burnt down a year or so after Andrew sold the place to Charlie Brown.

Mike’s Towing was the band at the Attic for many years, and Mike and his pals would move to the Pocono mountain resorts for the winter after the summer ended at the Shore.

A lot of bands played Brownies over the years, including Jack Zwacki, Larry Hickman and Back Roads, which included Nancy and Tom, Jack Patch and Billy Mueller.

Today, none of these places even exist. Brownies is still there but after Joe Hoffman died his second wife sold it to some guys who operated it as a bust out joint for a year or two and then went bankrupt, and it now sits empty.

After Mothers burnt down its liquor licenses was sold and moved to the Cardiff Circle.

The Dunes was renovated into a sports bar by the Suttor family from Margate, who also owned, at one time – the Sailfish Café and Roberts in Margate, the Point Pub and the Owl Tree in Northfield.

Then they lost it and the Dunes was taken over by the State of New Jersey Division of Fish Game and Wildlife – and went from one wildlife to another.

WHERE THE BANDS ARE Sept. 2 – 8

2011-08-30T02:37:00.000-07:00

Sax man Terry Hanck plays at the Somers Point Beach on Friday night and Formica's in Northfield on Saturday

FRIDAY Sep. 2 –

The Terry Hanck Band: World Class Honky Tonkin’ Roots Rock Saxophonist/Lead Singer Somers Point Beach.

Terry Hanck has long been regarded as one of the premiere sax players and performers in roots rock and blues. He has starred for many years with the world renowned Elvin Bishop Band and his new CD, “Lookout” has recently been near the top of the BB King Bluesville Charts on XM Radio.

Yavonne & Jack at Sandi Point Somers Point

The Mighty Parrots 7 Back Bay Café Tuckahoe Inn Beesley Point

Lew London & Chris Sooy – Steve & Cookies Margate

Tony Pontari Steve & Cookies Margate

Carl Behrens 4:30 Brian & Deb Rusty Nail Cape May

Wesley Ochs 8 Brown Room Congress Hall Cape May

Dane Anthony Band 9 Boiler Room Congress Hall Cape May

52 Pick Up Cabanas Beach Bar Cape May

Michael James 6 Harpoon Henrys North Cape May

The Loop Springfield Inn Sea Isle City

Jim Maher & Son 8:30 Deauville Inn Strathmere.

Mr. Greengenes Ocean Drive Sea Isle City

SATURDAY Sept. 3

Terry Hanck and his great band will perform a free concert at Formica Brothers Bakery Café, 200 Tilton Road in Northfield on Saturday night. This special added free concert event will feature 2 shows by Terry Hanck and his great band from 7 to 10 PM at the Café where you can always enjoy Formica’s legendary bread, pastries, rolls and those famous canoli as well as sandwiches, salads and soups. This special concert is provided as an expression of gratitude by the Marotta family and the Formica family who collaborated so successfully on the Mardi Gras on the Boardwalk free concert series,

Love and Branca 6 Back Bay Café Tuckahoe Inn Beesleys Point

Steel Drums 1pm Baia on Bay Ave. Somers Point

Lew London & Bob Mower 8 Sandi Point Somers Point

Gregg Carpenter 4:30 Guy Petersen 9 Rusty Nail Cape May

Darin MacDonald Brown Room Congress Hall Cape May
Frank Bey 9 Boiler Room Congress Hall Cape May

Crystal Roxx Carneys Cape May

Grape Street Riot – Cabanas Beach Bar Cape May

Beachcomber 6 Harpoon Henrys North Cape May

Juliano Bros. 4 Goodman Fiske Springfield Inn Sea Isle City

Go Go Gadjet & Kirko 4 Burnt Siena Ocean Drive Sea Isle City

SUNDAY Sept. 4

Honey Island Swamp Band one of New Orleans hottest rock ‘n roll jam funk extravaganza bands 6:30 New England’s rockin’ blues big band world renown Roomful of Blues 8:15, Kennedy Plaza

Steel Drums 1pm Verdict Caribbean 7 Baia Bay Ave. Somers Point
Bob Campanell Back Bay Café 6 Tuckahoe Inn Beesleys Point

Joe Mancini & Paula Johns along with The Potts Steve & Cookies Margate

Reggae Sundays 12:30 Audrey Snow 9 Rusty Nail Cape May

Erik Simonsen 8 Brown Room Congress Hall Cape May

Animal House Carneys Cape May

Star 69 Cabanas Beach Bar Cape May

Blondage 1 Beachcomber Bill 6 Harpoon Henrys North Cape May

Juliano Bros 4 Please Please Me Springfield Inn Sea Isle City
Secret Service 4 Ocean Drive Sea Isle City

MONDAY Sept. 5 Labor Day

Acoustic Fish 5 Tuckahoe Inn Beesleys Point

Madelinje Sandman and Bill McGrady Steve & Cookies Margate

Greg Carpenter 4:30 Rusty Nail Cape May

Secret Service Jam 4 Go Go Gadjet Ocean Drive Sea Isle City

TUESDAY Sept. 6

Anne Oswald 5 Tuckahoe Inn Beesleys Point

Lew London & Chris Sooy Steve & Cookies Margate

Celtis McBride Irish Music 9 O’Donnells Pour House Sea Isle City

WEDNESDAY Sept. 7

Bob Campanell 5 Tuckahoe Inn Beesleys Point

Joe & Friends and Phil Stocker at Steve & Cookies Margate

Bubba Mac Band 6 Beach House Deauville Inn Strathmere

THURSDAY Sept. 8

Hawkins Road w/Danny Eyer Back Bay Café Tuckahoe Inn Beesleys Point

Joe & Friends Steve & Cookies Margate

Marnie & Nate 4:30 Rusty Nail Cape May

Darin MacDonald 8 Brown Room Congress Hall Cape May

Gary & the Kid 7 Beach House Deauville Inn

Blind Drunk Ocean Drive Sea Isle City

Where the Bands are this Week August 26 - 1

2011-08-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

The Reba Russell Band: Tennessee Country Blues Diva from Beale Street in Memphis.

Beale Street at the Beach - The Somers Point Beach

WHERE THE BANDS ARE August 26 - September 1

FRIDAY Aug. 26

- The Reba Russell Band Somers Point Beach.

- Danny Eyer duo 3 Steve LaManna 8 Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon

- Paul Sottile – Ebbett Room Virginia Hotel Cape May

- Delany & Reeves Brown Room Congress Hall Cape May

- Billy D. Light Boiler Room Congress Hall Cape May

- The Mighty Parrots Back Bay Café Tuckaoe Inn Beesleys Point

- George Mesterhazy at the Merion Inn Piano Cape May

- Carl Behrens 4:30 Guy Peterson 9 Rusty Nail Cape May

- Cheers Carneys Cape May

- Scream 10 Cabanas Cape May

- Michael James 6 Harpoon Henrys North Cape May

- Lew London & Chris Sooy Steve & Cookies Margate

- Tony Pontari acoustic guitar Oyster Bar Steve & Cookies Margate

- Kix House of Blues Showboat Atlantic City

- Frankie Valli & Four Seasons Borgata Music Box AC

SATURDAY – Aug. 27

-Gregg Carpenter 4:30 Twelve:02 9 Rusty Nail Cape May

- Big House Carneys Cape May

- Dead Poets Cabanas Cape May

- Dane Anthony Band Boiler Room Cape May

- Beachcomber Harpoon Henrys North Cape May

- Not Worth Stealing 12 Mike Thompson Band 3:30 Steve LaManna 8 Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon

- Secret Service 4 Dave Gustafson Scene Changer 8 Denis Holmes 10 Windrift Avalon

- Juliano Brothers 4 Springfield Inn Sea Isle City – Windrift 8:30 Avalon

- She’s Trouble Springfield Inn 4

- Jerry Blavat Memories Margate

SUNDAY Aug. 28

- REGGAE Sunday 12:30 Rusty Nail Cape May

- Bob Campanell Band 6 Back Bay Café Tuckahoe Inn Beesleys Point

- Animal House Carneys Cape May

- Dennis Donnell acoustic blues Mad Batter Cape May

- Open Mic Nite Boiler Room Congress Hall 8

- Juliano Bros 4, She’s Trouble 4 LeCompt 9 Springfield Inn

- Verdict Caribbean dance Baia Deck Somers Point

- Darin MacDonald 6 Windrift Avalon

- Joe Mancini & Paula Johns / The Potts Steve & Cookies Margate

- Lynyrd Skynyrd Borgata Events Center AC

- Frankie Vallie & Four Seasons Borgata Music Box AC

MONDAY Aug. 29

-Guy Peterson 4:30 Rusty Nail Cape May

- Greg Carpenter 8 Brown Room Congress Hall

- Ann Oswald 6 Harpoon Henrys North Cape May

- LeCompt 4 Springfield Inn Sea Isle City

- Saxman Mike Pedicin, Jr. jams jazz in the loft at Sandi Point Somers Point

- Madeline Sandman & Bill McGrady Steve & Cookies Margate

- The Curtis Salgado Band. Kennedy Plaza. AC

- Billy Walton w/Southside Johnny Martells Tiki Bar Pt. Pleasant

TUESDAY – Aug. 30

- Joe Kozak 4:30 Rusty Nail Cape May

- Don Shaw Brown Room Congress Hall

- Sal Anthony 6 Harpoon Henrys North Cape May

- Lew London & Chris Sooy Steve & Cookies Margate

- Billy Walton w/Southside Johnny Martells Tiki Bar Pt. Pleasant

WEDNESDAY – Aug. 31

-Wesley Ochs 4:30 Rusty Nail Cape May

- Jazz at the Batter – Mad Batter Cape May 6:30

-Matt Santry Brown Room Congress Hall

- Sal Anthonly 6 Harpoon Henrys North Cape May

- Bubba Mac Blues Band at the Deauville Inn Beach House Strathmere 6

- Joe & Friends Steve & Cookies Margate

- Everybody Loves Italian. Italian heritage is celebrated just down the street from Ducktown, Atlantic City
–
- Secret Service Ocean Drive Sea Isle City

- Phil Stocker Steve & Cookies Margate

- Jerry Blavat Lighthouse Point Wildwood

THURSDAY – Sept. 1

- Marine & Nate 4:30 Rusty Nail Cape May

- Danny Eyer sits in with Hawkins Road at the Back Bay Café 6 Tuckahoe Inn Beesleys Point

- Lefty Lucy Atlantic City Country Club patio Northfield 6pm

- Paul Sottile Ebbitt Room Virginia Hotel Cape May

- Darin MacDonald Brown Room Congress Hall

- Animal House Carneys Cape May

- Goodman Fiske Springfield Inn Sea Isle City

- Joe & Friends Steve & Cookies Margate

- Matisyahu Borgata Events Center Atlantic City

Mick in Atlantic City

2011-08-22T23:42:00.000-07:00

The Rolling Stones in Atlantic City

2011-08-22T23:39:00.000-07:00

STEEL WHEELS TOUR

Mick & Keith

2011-08-22T23:38:00.000-07:00

Ron

2011-08-22T23:33:00.000-07:00

Keth

2011-08-22T23:31:00.000-07:00

Keth

2011-08-22T23:29:00.000-07:00

Albert Grossman 1926-1986

2011-08-22T23:28:00.000-07:00

ALBERT GROSSMAN: 1926-1986

Managed Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and others

ALBERT B. GROSSMAN, WHO AT ONE time was the most powerful and influential personal manger in pop music, died of a heart attack on January 25th while on a flight to London. He was fifty-nine years old.

Grossman, who at the beginning of the Sixties, recognized the genius of a scruffy folk singer named Bob Dylan and helped turn him into a rock icon, was traveling to MIDEM, an annual music-business convention in Cannes, France. “He just went to sleep on the plane and never work up,” said Bill Ader, a close friend of Grossman’s for over forty years. “Albert was a peaceful man, and he went in a peaceful way.”

A large man who tied his long, gray hair back in a ponytail, dressed casually and looked like a hippie Ben Franklin, Grossman rewrote the book on personal management during the Sixties, winning major increases in artists’ royalties and helping songwriters gain control of their publishing rights. “He was really on the front lines of the whole business revolution in the record industry,” said Robbie Robertson, who as a member of the Band was managed by Grossman during the late Sixties and early Seventies. “He was also a teacher. He taught me a tremendous amount about everything that you can imagine in life….I felt that he changed my life.”

In addition to Dylan and the Band, Grossman guided the careers of Peter, Paul and Mary, Janis Joplin, Paul Butterfield, the Electric Flag, Gordon Lightfoot and Richie Havens. “He was an extremely astute picker of original and unique talent,” said the president of Arista Records, Clive Davis, who, as head of Columbia Records, worked closely with Grossman. “He was one of the most highly respected managers of his day.”

Grossman was born in Chicago on May 21, 1926, the child of Russian Jewish parents. While earning a degree in economics from Roosevelt College, he sold shoes for Bonwit Teller, then spent several years working for the Chicago Housing Authority. In the mid-Fifites, deciding he was better suited to private enterprise, Grossman opened the Gate of horn in Chicago, one of the first folk clubs in America. There he met, befriended and, in some cases, managed artists like Odetta, Big Bull Broonzy, Bob Gibson and Joan Baez. “Albert was a very generous man,” said Baez. “Though he never managed me, his cajoling me to perform at the Gate of Horn when I was eighteen marked the beginning of my career.”

Moving to New York at the end of the Fifties, Grossman co-directed the first Newport Folk Festival in 1959, a pivotal event for the emerging folk movement. He also put together Peter, Paul and Mary and brought them Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind,” one of their biggest hits. “He elevated folk singers to a much higher status,” said David Braun, a top music-business attorney who represented Grossman for most of the Sixties. “He brought them into the pop field.”

The real jewel in Grossman’s management crown was Dylan. He lived in Grossman’s house off and on for almost two years, and the cover photo of Bringing It All Back Home was taken in Grossman’s living room. “He protected Bobby from all the crazy parts of the business, a world that could have terribly injured his growth as an artist,” said Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary. “Bobby was allowed to be Bobby.”

Then there was Janis Joplin, whom Grossman courted around the time of the 1967 Pop Festival. “Janis adored Albert,” recalls Braun. “I remember once he was talking to Janis – we were walking down the street together. She asked him how come he never tried to put the make on her. And he said, without batting an eyelash, ‘Cause if I was bad, you’d never forgive me.’ Which I thought was a very funny, typical Albert Grossman remark.”

In 1969, Grossman’s music empire began to crumble. First Dylan decided not to renew his management contract. Next, in 1970, Peter, Paul and Mary split up. The worst blow came when Joplin died of a heroin overdose at the end of that year. Joplin’s death deeply affected Grossman. He withdrew from personal management and with his wife Sally, lived the life of a retired millionaire in Bearsville, a hamlet in the town of Woodstock in upstate New York. He built a recording studio and established a record company, Bearsville records, for which Todd Rundgrin, Jesse Winchester, Foghat and a select group of other artists recorded. He also opened to restaurants, the Bear Café and the Little Bear.

Grossman’s last public appearance came just two days prior to his death, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria in Manhattan. He showed up for the black-tie affair wearing blue jeans and a peasant shirt. “He dressed like he always dressed,” said promoter Bill Graham, “It could have been an Indian wedding. With somebody else, you wouldn’t believe that was real, but that was really Albert. That’s who he was.” – Michael Goldberg. Rolling Stone Magazine Issue No. 469, March, 1986.

Richie Havens at Woodstock 42 Years Ago Today

2011-08-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

Jerry, my friend from the old neighborhood emailed me to remind me that this was the anniversary of Woodstock, and was recollecting our trip there.

I remember how I tracked high school mates Jerry and Marc down in Wildwood, where they lived in a motel room and worked as short order cooks at a boardwalk grill. Sitting in their motel room they were excited about a new album by Santana, and played it for me.

Then they said Santana was going to be playing at this festival at Woodstock in upstate New York, where Dylan and The Band were holed up, and The Band was playing the festival too. They were planning to go and wanted me to go with them, even though I was committed to working for the summer, especially weekends.

A few years ago, on another anniversary, Jerry wrote what he remembered. How him and me and our high school mates Mark and Bob left Ocean City in my father's car as soon as I finished work at Mack & Manco's around midnight.

It was the weekend or so before Labor Day, and I had gotten a letter from school - I was to be a freshman at the University of Dayton, Ohio in September, but they sent me a letter saying I had to be at a special "orientation" class the same weekend as Woodstock. I showed the letter to my boss, Mr. Mack, and he said my education came first and I had to go, but be sure to be back on Monday because I was needed for the busy upcoming Labor Day holiday.

We were going to take my '59 Jeep that had no doors or side windows, but it wouldn't start and my mother said to take dad's car and we didn't argue with her. I fell asleep in the back and someone else was driving when we got pulled over and a State cop shined a flashlight in my face. He had seen the "County Detective" sign on the visor and asked me if my dad knew I had the car and if we were going to that rock concert, but he didn't give us a ticket and said to have a good time.

Woodstock the Festival, as everyone who was there knows, wasn't really at Woodstock the town, the artist community where Albert Grossman, Dylan and The Band lived. They were going to have it there, but when the community decided it didn't want all those people coming in, they got Max Yasker's farm near Bethel, New York, about 30 some miles from Woodstock.

As we got closer and the traffic was backed up, they set up road blocks and turned people away, but the "County Detective" sign got us past a few checkpoints. As Jerry remembered, it, he was driving when we picked up a hitch hiker who had already been to the concert site but left to get some supplies. We drove on the side of the road full of stalled traffic and then the hitch hiker told us about a small, dirt side road that led right to the stage and showed us where it was. Before long we had pulled up about 30 yards from the back of the stage, and within an hour we were blocked in so we just made camp right there.

It wasn't rainy or muddy at first, and I think we all went to together to near the front of the stage, which was pretty huge. I think Mark may have stayed behind, but me and Jerry and Bob were right down in front. Jerry now only remembers him and Bob in the front row, but I was there with them for the first half of Richie Havens set, which really was remarkable. He was on for a long time, and since few people paid admission - we didn't have tickets and nobody asked for any - the rumor was that the other acts wouldn't go on without getting paid. So Richie Havens had to play an extra long set.

After awhile I left them at the front of the stage and went for a walk about, to the back on the hill where they had food concessions and a makeshift hospital.

Thousands of more people had arrived so there was no way I would ever make it back to the front row again, though I later learned that Jerry and Bob hung out there for quite some time.

Occasionally we would meet back at the car, but Mark didn't like it at all, especially after it started to rain, and he wanted to go get a motel room somewhere.

While I don't remember too much else, there was the time on Saturday night, I think it was while The Band was performing, when I climbed a tree and laid across a big branch to stay off the wet ground. While up there Jerry was walking by and yelling my name, and was quite surprised to find me at all let alone up in a tree.

I remember taking a dip in a muddy lake with a bunch of naked hippie chicks, but I don't remember many of the acts, even the ones we went there to see, like Santana and The Band.

By Sunday afternoon, enough room had been cleared around the car that we could move it out, and at Marc's insistence, we left early, so we didn't see or hear Hendrix.

I will never forget the smile on my father's face as he stood on the porch at 819 Wesley when we pulled up in his car, totally covered with mud. He was just glad to see us and his car.

Then, still in our muddy jeans and t-shirts, Jerry and I went around the corner to the local hippie coffee house - The Purple Dragon, and were celebrities for day for being Woodstock veterans. But the next day when I went to work at Mack & Mancos I couldn't tell anyone where I was because I was supposed to have been at college orientation.

I guess that's one of the reasons why I've been a bit disoriented.

And no, I didn't do any drugs at Woodstock, though we did have some wine, and I think Bob did some acid though I'm not even sure about that.

Then later that winter when I was at school in Dayton, Richie Havens did a concert at the basketball arena and I found myself down front in the first row again. After the concert was over I wrote down the address of a house where we were going to a party and gave it to Richie on stage. He smiled and winked at me. Then an hour or so later a limo drives up to the party house and Richie Havens gets out. I was back in the kitchen, and in walks Richie Havens, looking for me, and when he sees me he smiles.

Richie Havens changes strings on stage at Dayton, Ohio, circa 1970

Can he light up a joint? Sure we're all in college, and he proceeded to roll a joint like he was a cowboy on a horse, twisted it up with one hand and then lit it up.

I think Richie now lives somewhere in Jersey not far from where I am though further north. I was thinking about taking a drive someday and paying him a visit.

Then I'd like to visit the real Woodstock, the town of Woodstock and visit with Levon and Garth and the boys from The Band.

Boardwalk Empire Music Soundtrack

2011-08-14T22:44:00.000-07:00

Boardwalk Empire Volume 1 – Music From the HBO Original Series Tracklist

01. Vince Giordano And The Nighthawks – Livery Stable Blues
02. Stephen DeRosa – The Dumber They Come The Better I Like Them
03. Regina Spektor – My Man
04. Vince Giordano And The Nighthawks – Dark Town Strutters Ball
05. Catherine Russell – Crazy Blues
06. Vince Giordano And The Nighthawks – Mournin’ Blues
07. Kathy Brier – Some Of These Days
08. Vince Giordano And The Nighthawks – Margie
09. Loudon Wainwright III – Carrickfergus
10. Nellie McKay – Wild Romantic Blues
11. Kathy Brier – After You Get What You Want (You Don’t Want It)
12. Leon Redbone – Sheik of Araby
13. Vince Giordano And The Nighthawks – Japanese Sandman
14. Kathy Brier- Don’t Put a Tax On the Beautiful Girls
15. Martha Wainwright – All By Myself
16. Stephen DeRosa – Life Is A Funny Proposition

The Wall Concert at Potzdam Platz Berlin

2011-08-14T04:58:00.001-07:00

The Wall Concert at Potzdam Platz - July 1990

With the fiftieth anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall and the 20th anniversary of its fall, I reflect on my time there in the summer of 1990 shortly after it opened and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd orchestrated this mammoth concert production of his Rock Opera The Wall at the Berlin Wall.

The concert stage left ran up against the real wall and it was constantly being chipped away all day and night the whole time I was there. As you got close to it you could hear people chipping at it with hammers.

I went to Berlin with my friend from Ocean City NJ architect Jack Snyder. We were there for a few days and visited East Berlin with a Russian intourist guide who took us to lunch at the revolving restaurant atop the TV Tower, which is something similar to the Seattle Needle or Dallas' Observation Tower.

She told us an incredible story that seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle of history, as they try to give Ronald Reagan and Mikahel Gorbachef credit for the fall of the wall.

Actually she explained, the big impetus that led to the opening of the wall began in the East German city of Lipsig, which has a strong cultural and musical heritage. There, a group of gypsy musicians were being harassed by the government and took refuge in a Lipsig church where the local priest named Christian Fuher.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_F%C3%BChrer

Fuher had been holding weekly prayer protests for years. Together the harassed band of musicians and praying protests eventually grew from a few dozen people to hundreds and then thousands, and then it began to spread to other cities, including East Berlin.

The first thing people did at the wall, besides climbing it, was to play music, and among those who went there to play included Mstislav Rostropovich and Jackson Brown.

Then Roger Waters got in the act with his major production of The Wall, which included a half-million spectators and a live TV audience from around the world - everywhere except the USA, who had to wait to see it rebroadcast or buy a video tape.

Among those who performed in the show were Cindi Lauper, the German band the Scorpions, the Hooters, The Band (sans Robbie Robertson) and dozens of other acts who performed almost all day and all night long.

After the show we hung around back stage at a makeshift Hard Rock Cafe where I met Patty of Chieftons and Schnade O'Conner, both very personable people.

We stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel where we crashed a private party for the cast, many of whom we knew from back home - including Rob and Eric of the Hooters and Rick Danko of the Band, who was with Rockabilly Ronnie Hawkins. I have photos of me and Rick and Ronnie but they're color slides and I can't scan or post them.

My friend Jack, a USMC veteran, was at the hotel bar with Sir Leonard Cheshire, the head of the International Fund for Disaster Relief, the ostensible beneficiary of the profits of the show, and a very worthwhile charity that I don't believe exists anymore.

According to John Simpkin's http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWcheshire.htm
Leonard Cheshire was born in Chester, England, on 7th September 1917. He was educated at Stowe School and Merton College, Oxford. After the outbreak of the Second World War he joined the Royal Air Force. He was posted to 102 Squadron and by August 1942 had been promoted to squadron commander of of 76 Squadron. In March 1943 at the age if twenty-five he became the youngest group captain in the RAF. In November 1943 he was given command of 617 Squadron and over the next few months developed new low-level marking techniques that dramatically increased bombing accuracy.

In 1944 Cheshire was awarded the Victoria Cross after completing a hundred bombing missions on heavily defended targets in Nazi Germany. Cheshire was chosen as the official British observer of the atom bomb dropped on Nagasaki. After the war Cheshire dedicated his life to maintaining world peace and was a member of CND. Cheshire also joined with his wife, Sue Ryder, to establish the Sue Rider Foundation for the sick and disabled. Leonard Cheshire, who was created Baron Cheshire in 1991, died on 31st July, 1992.

In any case, while they were chatting, I was phoning home from a pay phone on the wall, and while I'm talking I see some of the musicians from the show heading into a side room, and when I got off the phone I checked it out. It was a private party for the cast and I just waltzed right in and nobody stopped me. There was an open bar, glasses of wine and champagne and a hot food bar. So I went out and got Jack and Sir, who actually had an invitation, and we hobnobbed with the heavyweights.

The drummer from the Hooters, whose name I can't pronounce - recognized me from interviewing him at Reds in Margate (which is no longer there) back in the 80s.

Then I noticed someone I recognized at the front door, Jerry Hall, Mick Jagger's then wife. She was one of the stars of the show, but she seemed lost and by herself, so I picked up a glass of champagne and walked up and gave it to her. She thanked me profusely, and we started to small talk. I had seen her before having lunch with her children in the dining room at the Seaview Hotel in Absecon, where the Stones had stayed when they wrapped up their Steel Wheels Tour in the USA. I asked her what was her most enjoyable moment in Atlantic City and she said it was taking her kids to Storybook Land.

She complained that she had been so busy that she didn't get a chance to get to the wall and get a piece of it, and it just so happened that I had been to the wall that day and purchased ear rings made from pieces of the wall and gave them to her. She was really impressed and said she would wear them in her next photo shoot in Vogue, but I don't know if she did. Then a papparazi photographer took our picture and wanted to know who I was.

The following night we had to switch hotels and the new hotel had a downstairs bar with a picture window facing the street. While we sat there drinking our beers I noticed a bevy of young girls standing around and then getting all excited as a limo pulled up and they all started screaming as a couple of guys in leather jackets got out and ran into the hotel. It couldn't be the Beatles.

About a half hour later, after the girls had dispursed, two of the guys in leather walked in the bar and had to reach over us to get their drinks. It was little Klaus and the tall guitarist Rudy Schenker from the Scorpions, the German band who opened the show.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorpions_(band)

They spoke good English and after a few rounds we were getting pretty friendly. They told us about how they were playing a concert in a cabaret somewhere when they saw on TV people climbing on the wall and celebrating, and since they had grown up a few miles away from Berlin they were so happy they started crying.

They inspired by the event enough to record the hit song - number one in the world "Wind of Change," with a video that depicts the fall of the wall.

Then a few months later, back in the States, I got an invitation in the mail for the album release party for the double album soundtrack and video of The Wall. The party was to be held aboard the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier on the Hudson in New York City.

Jack and I drove up and were pretty amazed at the huge carrier. They had a couple large blocks of the Wall as a rememberance, and the party was petty cool.

They made a big stink of all the celebrities as they entered the front door, and Cyndi Lauper got a big reception, but the best was when the Scorpions came in, still decked out in their leathers. They were applauded and as they looked around the room Rudy and Klaus see me and Jack, smiles and walks up to us like we were old friends from long ago. It was good to see him, and that he recognized us, so we grabbed a drink and went out to the edge of the large airplane elevator to get some air and for him to catch a smoke.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Meine

When we went back in a paparazzi taking photos of us came up to me and said, "Who are you anyway?"

Tell him Klaus, I said, slapping his leather. "He's just some guy I was with in Berlin, a great time."

Atlantic City Pop Fest Program August 1969

2011-08-14T04:51:00.000-07:00

New Atlantic City Pop Fest Pix Surface

2011-08-14T04:29:00.000-07:00

Clockwise: The Crowd
Frank Zappa
Little Richard
Joe Cocker
Paul Butterfield

New Atlantic City Pop Fest Pix -

A tip of the hat to Mike for the heads up on these Atlantic City Pop Fest Pix that recently recently posted at psychedeliclion blogspot which reports that they are now on sale at Wolfgang's Vault.

http://psychedeliclion.blogspot.com/2011/08/atlantic-city-pop-festival-photos.html

http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/memorabilia/search.html?t=atlantic%20city%20pop%20festival

There's over a dozen interesting shots and I'm trying to find out who the photographer is.

I find it interesting that on the anniversary of the AC Pop Fest in 2009 the Press of Atlantic City couldn't find any photos of the Pop Fest in its archives.

Where the Bands are this Week August 12 - 18

2011-08-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

Kenny Neal - Renown New Orleans blues guitarist Kenney Neal is at the Somers Point Beach
7 Friday

Billy Walton is at Tuckerton Seaport at 6 Friday AC Bdwk Monday for Armed Forces Parade and at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park on Thursday

Danny Eyer is all over the place - The Golden Inn beach bar in Avalon and sitting in with Bob Campanell on Sundays and with Hawkins Road on Thurs at the Tuckahoe Inn

WHERE THE BANDS ARE August 12 – 18

FRIDAY August 12

Kenny Neal and His Band: World Renown Award Winning Blues & Roots Recording Artist. 7 pm Somers Point Beach.

Billy Walton Band Tuckerton Seaport Tuckerton NJ 6

Danny Eyer duo 3 Steve LaManna 8 Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon

The Mighty Parrots Back Bay Café Tuckaoe Inn Beesleys Point

Carl Behrens 4:30 Poker Face 9 Rusty Nail Cape May

Paul Sottie The Ebbitt Room Virginia Hotel Cape May

Dane Anthony 9 Boiler Room Congress Hall Cape May

Speaker City Carneys Cape May

Shorty Long & The Jersey Horns Cabanas Cape May

Michael James 6 Harpoon Henrys North Cape May

Moe Fishbone Harbor View Cape May

Sindi Raymond Lighthouse Point Wildwood

Tommy Zito 3 Juliano Bros 8 The Wharf Wildwood

Matt Kelly Jonathan Harwood Jerry Smith Westys Irish Pub North Wildwood

52 Pickup 5 Darin MacDonald 6 Joe Bachman & the Crew 9 Windrift Avalon

Incognito Springfield Inn Sea Isle City

SATURDAY August 13

Symphonic Soul (13 piece horn party band) Centennial Park Wildwood Crest 7:30
The Dovells 50th anniversary of the Bristol Stomp. North Wildwood 8

Gregg Carpenter 4:30 Banana Trio 9 Rusty Nail Cape May

Paul Sottile The Ebbit Room Virginia Hotel Cape May

Darin MacDonald 8 Brown Room Congress Hall Cape May

Frank Bey 9 Boiler Room Congress Hall Cape May

G Next Carneys Cape May

The Double Play Band Ugly Mug Cape May

Michael James 6 Harpoon Henrys North Cape May
Stage Pass Harbor View Cape May

Love Junk Caseys on Third Wildwood

Sindi Raymond 3 Animal House 8 The Wharf Wildwood

Jerry Blavat Memories Wildwood

Sindi Raymond Westys Irish Pub North Wildwood

Secret Service 4 Dave Gustafson Scene Changer 8 Denis Holmes 10 Windrift Avalon

Not Worth Stealing 12 Mike Thompson Band 3:30 Steve LaManna 8 Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon

Juliano Bros. 4 The Loop Please Please Me The Springfield Inn Sea Isle City

Revolver w/ Tom Pacitti 6 Back Bay Café Tuckahoe Inn Beesleys Point

SUNDAY August 14

Bob Campanell Band 6 Back Bay Café Tuckahoe Inn Beesleys Point

Verdict plays Caribbean island music on the Baia (Old Waterfront) deck. Somers Point.

The Robert Murdock Band (British tribute) Fox Park Amphitheater Wildwood.

Reggae Sunday 12:30 Audrey Snow 9 Rusty Nail Cape May
Erik Simonsen Brown Room Congress Hall 8

Open Mic Nite Boiler Room Congress Hall 8

Animal House Carneys Cape May

Blondage 1 & 6 Harpoon Henrys North Cape May

Gary & the Kid – Lighthouse Point Wildwood

Matt Kelly Greg Parker Westys North Wildwood

Darin MacDonald 6 Windrift Avalon

Jack light Move 12 Raggamuffins 3:30 Doug Knight 7 Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon

She’s Trouble 4 The Juliano Bros 5 LeCompt Springfield Inn Sea Isle City

MONDAY August 15

The Soul Rebels Brass Band, The Billy Walton Band. Local Rock & Roll. Kennedy Plaza. Atlantic City boardwalk in front of Boardwalk Hall. 7 Armed Forces Parade.

Mike Pedicin, Jr. Loft SandiPoint (formerly Macs) Somers Point

Jack Regan (Sinatra0) 8 michael James Centennial Park Wildwood Crest. 7:30

Guy Peterson 4:30 Rusty Nail Cape May

Gregg Carpenter Brown Room Congress Hall Cape May

Ann Oswald 6 Harpoon Henrys North Cape May
David Christopher Band Coconut Cove Wildwood

Stellar Mojo Lighthouse Point Wildwood

Dan Brown 4 Windrift Avalon

Joe King 3 Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon

LeCompt 4 Springfield Inn deck. Sea Isle City

TUESDAY August 16

Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers, The Soul Rebels Brass Band. Kennedy Plaza. AC

Joe Kozak 4:30 Rusty Nail Cape May

Don Shaw duo – Brown Room Congress Hall Cape May

Sal Anthony Harpoon Henrys North Cape May

Big Daddy The Wharf Wildwood

Justin Steere 4 Darin MacDonald 6 Gypsy Wisdom 8 Windrift

Vince Schneider Duo 3 Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon
Dennis Holmes 4 on deck; Landsharks Juliano Bros Springfield Inn Sea Isle City

WEDNESDAY August 17

Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience, Lil’ Martha. Kennedy Plaza AC

SMB Simple Minded Budz Reggae at Tuckahoe Inn Beesleys Point.

Bubba Mac Blues Band at the Deauville Inn Beach House Strathmere 6

Billy Walton Band Stone Poney Asbury Park.

Dogs Playing Cards (classic rock) Centennial Park Wildwood Crest 7:30

Matt Santry 8 Brown Room Congress Hall Cape May

Big House Carneys Cape May

Sal Anthony 6 Harpoon Henrys North Cape May

Cowabunga 4 The Wharf Wildwood

Chris Huff 4 Dave Gustafson 6 Dueling Pianos 8 Windrift Avalon

Stellar Mojo 3 Sealass beachclub Golden Inn Avalon

Carrie & John on deck 4; Please Please Me Springfield Inn Sea Isle City

THURSDAY August 18

Danny Eyer sits in with Hawkins Road at the Back Bay Café 6 Tuckahoe Inn Beesleys Point

Lefty Lucy Atlantic City Country Club patio Northfield 6pm

Billy Walton Band Stone Pony Asbury Park

Helen Sung Dwain Davis Quartet Chicken Bone Beach. Kennedy Plaza. AC

Marnie & Nate 4:30 Rusty Nail Cape May

Paul Sottile Ebbitt Room Virginia Hotel Cape May

Terry’oke at Boiler Room Congress Hall Cape May

Animal House Carneys Cape May

Michael James Harpoon Henrys 6 North Cape May

Mike Goldman 3 Bangarang 7 The Wharf Wildwood
Jimi & Jeff 4 Jim Bannach 6 The Exceptions 8 Windrift Avalon.

Foster Child duo 3 Steve LaManna 8 Seaglass beachclub Golden Inn Avalon

Secret Service Ocean Drive Sea Isle City

Jerry Blavat Lighthouse Point Wildwood

Table Ten 4 on deck; Goodman Fiske Springfield Inn Sea Isle City

The Band at Tony Marts

2011-08-11T21:36:00.000-07:00

Tony Mart's Scrapbook w/Carmen Marotta

2011-08-10T02:25:00.000-07:00

Carmen Marotta - on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City (Photo Press of AC -

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/life/atlantic-county-s-music-man-carmen-marotta-books-big-talent/article_2b539c8f-6b18-5db2-b4a6-34edc4e2b075.html

Carmen Marotta – Interview with Bill Kelly
Sunday, November 15, 1992
Marotta residence, Gull and Bay Avenues, Somers Point NJ

Bill Kelly: I’m with Carmen Marotta. Carmen how old are you?

Carmen Marotta: I’m thirty six years old.

BK: Your father Anthony Marotta owned Tony Mart’s Café.

CM: In 1944 my father purchased it and began renovating it. At the time it was known as Schick’s Tavern.

BK: What did he do before he came to Somers Point?

CM: He operated a hot dog stand and sandwich shop at St. James Place and the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, and he called it Tony Mart’s Luncheonette. He was the operator, he worked the grill and the counter and my mother was a waitress, counter girl and made sandwiches.

BK: Your father was born in Italy?

CM: He was born on the north coast of Sicily, in the province of Mesina, in a little town on a mountain overlooking the Mediterranean. The town is called Naso, which means nose in Italian because if you look at a profile of the mountain, it is nose like in appearance. It’s near Capo De Lano, the Cape of Orlando, a resort on the north shore.

BK: Is your mother from there too?

CM: No. It’s a funny story about my mother and father. My mother was born and raised in what is colloquially referred to as Ducktown in Atlantic City, near Blake Street and Georgia Ave, but my mother’s mother was from Naso. My mother’s father, my maternal grandfather is from Mesina, the capitol city of the province of Mesina, which is approximately 30 kilometers from Naso. So when my father came to this country he had, as one of his potential contacts, people from Naso in Atlantic City.

BK: What year were you born?

CM: 1956.

BK: What are your first memories of the club?

CM: I would say my first memories of the club were running around there as a child. Do you want me to just sprout off what’s coming into my head?

BK: Yes.

CM: Sitting in a car talking to Mrs. Tattler, who was Tommy Tattler’s wife. He was a talent and booking agent. Running around the front of the bar, playing with the bouncers, being in the bar when it was open and when it was closed, eating cherries and drinking cokes. Being in there. My very first memories go back to, I can recall things from 1961 or 62, when I was about five or six years old. The Fall Guys playing the “Alabama Jubilee” and “Tiger Rag” and doing the Sunday night Showtime when they would do a Dixieland, Southern type show and dance on the bar and play “When the Saints Come Marching In,” in sort of a mummers kind of way.

The Fall Guys were influenced by the Spike Jones kind of comedy groups. They were a lounge group that adapted themselves to the Tony Marts summer scene rock & roll type of thing.

BK: You have a brother and a sister?

CM: I have a sister Tina – Catina by birth, is eight years older than me, and could provide a lot more about the fifties and early sixties, naturally. And my little brother is 14 months younger than me, Tony, Anthony Marotta, Jr.

BK: Lets go through the Book – the Tony Marts Scrapbook.

CM: Here’s a photo of Charlote Kinsten with my mother. This would be circa 1964. she was probably my father’s first Go-Go girl. Now George Naame told me that my father didn’t like Go-Go girls. Now I didn’t realize this. I don’t remember it. Because my dad literally advertised No-Go-Go and George Naame had Go-Go girls at the Elbow Room in Margate, which is now Jerry Blavat’s Memories. George Naame is parenthetically, is one of the few people left still operating a club from my father’s generation. There aren’t many left. I don’t think there’s a handful left. My dad did eventually go with the Go-Go girls, and this Charlotte Kirsten is one of the first that he had. You’ll see her name in some of the ads in the scrapbook here.

CM: Reading the newspaper headline – July 23, 1961 – Thirsty Teen Throngs Besiege Point- Here’s pictures of Mike Calao checking age cards and Lynn Bader the Chief of Police in a white dinner jacket checking IDs. Mike Calao is now a councilman. He was a policeman who became deputy chief.

Lynn Bader. They called the police “Bader’s Raiders” in those days. There’s a wonderful picture of my father. Thinner there than I’ve ever seen him. And who was playing in Somers Point in those days – the legendary and infamous Peter Carroll and Tido Mambo. What’s funny is that Tido Mambo’s bass player is living out in Tuscon now with Dale Stretch, Bruce’s brother. And (my brother) Tony and him kibbutz all the time and talk about the old days.

BK: Whatever happened to Tido Mambo?

CM: I don’t know. Peter Carroll, I don’t know either. These guys just drop off the face of the earth.

BK: It says here capacity 1000. I think it was more than that. You know I have the Tony Marts capacity sign hanging in my garage and it says 1300.

CM: yes, it was 1300. I know dad used to do paid admission of over 2,000 in those days, as far as how many people came through the door on any given night. And that was before the lounge, the 1300 was with the lounge.

BK: Six bars, two stages.

CM: Eventually it became three stages and eight bars. That was in 1966 that he did the last edition.

BK: The caption on this picture says: “Three attractions. This is the corner of Bay and Goll Avenues, some under 21 and conjugate during the summer months. The college crowd likes to come here to Bayshores Café, Tony Mart’s and Steels Ship Bar to listen to their favorite rock & roll stars, dance and drink.”

CM: Evidently this article was inspired or came about because of the complaints from a portion of this community who thought Somers Point was becoming too much of a bedroom suburb to allow this kind of “Barbary Coast” activity. They always resented us, especially after Midnick put the track homes in the area that is now referred to as the Fairways. That’s when Somers Point began to become Bougouis, and these Bougouis people began to look askance at the businesses that were an original part of Somers Point – the Anchorage, Greogry’s, Elmer Blake (Steel’s) and my father, Mac’s, Daniels, the Antolinies and Previties.

BK: They’re calling it a “Mecca for young partying kids.”

CM: Here’s a wonderful picture from 1963 in the Courier Post, this is the real Eddie & The Cruisers.

BK: The Fabulous Fall Guys, The Roof Toppers and the Beanstalks, Jack & the Beanstalks.

CM: The absolute height, I would say the years 63, 64, 65, 66 were the very best years for revenue and attendance. Things were really happening.

BK: Things were different back then though, revenue wise. Like how much was a beer back then?

CM: I recall we used to have a pricing scheme called 60-70-80 meant a beer was sixty cents, a high ball with pouring liquor was 70 cents and top shelf was 80 cents. Then at night we would go to higher prices – 70-80-90. I remember as a kid, my father and Pete Toscano, who was the manger for many years in my early youth, talking to Tony saying, “We’re at 60-70-80, shall we go to 70-80-90?” And like wise, the admission was a dollar to get in or a dollar to get in with a one drink minimum. You’d get a minimum ticket. Then sometimes it was one and one, which was two dollars to get in and you got one drink. Or one and two, three dollars to get in and you got two drinks.

BK: What about the seven for one? Both Andrew at the Anchorage, who made it famous, and Gregory’s, who had it before the Anchorage, say that at least in Somers Point, seven for one started at Tony Marts.

CM: There is some controversy about that. I think that my godfather, Willie Theodore could answer that question. There aren’t may left from that era, other than Willie, Joe Orsini, who we called Little Joe, might be able to shed some light on that era. One person who could talk about that era going back to the 40s, is my uncle Pete Basile, who works for my uncle Tony at the White House Sub Shop (in Atlantic City). If both of us went out and tried to run all of this down we would barely scratch the surface. Unfortunately so many of them are dying.

BK: It’s too late for a lot of people.

CM: It’s too late to talk to Pete Toscano, God rest his soul. He was an integral part of this place, and his brother Harry is gone.

BK: Who was the other manager?

CM: Joe Fiore was the manger in the later years, you’re time – ’72-76. He went from our place to the casino industry. Tony and I really began to run the place in earnest in 1977. Tony and I managed the place from 77 to 82 when we closed it.

Here’s Roger Evoy doing the limbo. On Thursday nights we had a limbo contest on the dance floor behind the stage. That’s what this is (in this photo). Around 12, 12:30, depending on the crowd. Dad gave out T-shirts, gift certificates…because you couldn’t give out cash. There was an ABC regulation about giving out cash in those days.

BK: The dateline on this Philadelphia clip is July 28, 1963, my birthday. I was 12 years old. It says: “Saturday Night at the Point – Youth Capitol of South Jersey – Magic Number is 21 when Boy Meets Girl.”

CM: Notice the picture is of the Ocean City beach. It shows the beach, which tells the story. Together, Ocean City and Somers Point comprised one of the major seashore resorts on the east coast – comparable to Fort Lauderdale.

BK: Well Ocean City has the beach but doesn’t have the booze, so they compliment each other.

CM: Exactly. That’s what this is all about. Otherwise, in other places, like Rehobeth, Ocean City, Maryland, Fort Lauderdale – the bars are right on the beach. But here you have the unique situation of the blue laws in Ocean City. I think that may have factored into the reasoning for my father buying Tony Marts in the first place.

BK: Here’s a headline: FBI Checking Fake ID Cards. Somers Point nets $5,000 from 48 persons found guilty by Judge Edward Helfan t. Ordinance #11.

CM: In this picture is Joe DiOrio. This just goes to show how deeply involved in community government civic associations the taproom owners are. The Licensed Beverage Association the important political force in this town (for many years). It is nothing compared to what it was. There still is one, but its lost its political clout. You don’t have these old characters – maybe you have Elmer Gregory and Joe DiOrio. Mr. Antolini has lost his business (Daniels), Tony Sr. is gone from Mac’s, Buddy Styer (Harry’s) is gone, Elmer Blake (Steels) and McCann (Bay Shores) are gone. My dad has been gone since 1986. You have corporations and Yuppie types running places like Markers. These people were great characters like Judge Helfant presiding over this, and solicitor Naame (George’s uncle Lou).

These stories in the scrapbook are about controversies. You have to understand, I mean there were so many people coming here, there was so much activity, so much booze being sold, there was a controversy simply because of the sheer volume. Between those three clubs in the summer you would average 5,000 people on Bay Avenue. They would be in Bay Shores, Steels, Tony Marts, the Anchorage, Gregory’s Jolly Roger, DiOrios; Your Father’s Mustache was a Dixieland club on the circle.

BK: Here’s a photo of the Fall Guys.

CM: The Fall Guys were one of the greatest groups to ever play at Tony Marts. This is the original Fall Guys – Jack the bass player, Joey Delvecio the drummer, Don the guitarist. Now the saxophone player and the trumpeter left the group about ’62 or ’63. Two other gentlemen, Kenny Koucha (ph) and Bill Laws replaced them and those five in that form have remained the Fall Guys up until the last time I saw them, which was at a casino in Atlantic City about fiver or six years ago (1987). They became a casino lounge act, an excellent group that played a broad spectrum of music.

There was always a broad spectrum of music played at Tony Marts, not just rock & roll, which is the type of music that is so frequently associated with this, but there was Rhythm & Blues, which is tantamount to Rock & Roll in a lot of ways. Ray Charles, Dixieland, Big Band – Tommy Dorsey’s band played here in 1963. Bill Haley played this year here. Jerry Gabriel and the Angles were here with the Fall Guys. Interestingly, Jerry Gabriel’s saxophone player became the arranger for Ike and Tina Tuner, that’s one story I know about this page (in the scrapbook).

The Fall Guys did comedy music. They used to do “Unchain My Heart,” “Peanut Butter,” “My Blue Heaven,” which was a Dixieland classic, and songs that are classic rock & roll, “Runaround Sue,” which was in Eddie & the Cruisers. And the Fall Guys came back and did us a favor by coming back and doing the testimonial on our last night.

The Kit Kats were here, and they were a famous band in Philadelphia. The Fables were a great band from Canada, extremely popular.

Pete Carroll was an excellent showman, singer and guitar player who fronted this band. He was also a Wildman who was notorious for his drunken binges and his outlandish behavior after consuming too much alcohol. A very colorful character. He’s the one that nobody could find when he was supposed to go on stage, and he was out in the middle of the bay in a rowboat, drunk. He probably got fired from Bay Shores and went to Steels. That’s the way it was in those days.

BK: Here you have different dances for different nights of the week – Mashed Potato Monday, Twist Tuesday, Talent night Wednesday, and Limbo Thursday.

CM: Talent night was always on Wednesday and the Limbo on Thursday. This handbill with all of the Ivy League schools reflects the collegiate nature of the crowd. Even though some of the nare-do-well, do-gooders in Somers Point tried to make it out like it was a drunken, rowdy crowd, just the opposite was true. The patrons and employees of Tony Marts were for the most part college students and graduate students, many of whom have become successful lawyers, doctors, engineers – I could sprout off some of their names if you’re interested.

BK: Yea, let’s name a few.

CM: Atlantic City attorney Harry Goldenberg worked at the Triangle Bar (by the front door) for my dad, while Sonny McCullough, the mayor of Egg Harbor Township worked the same bar. Dick Brunswick became an open heart surgeon at Tulane University in New Orleans. Dubie Duberson, another bartender, worked for Dunn & Bradstreet while he moonlighted at Tony Marts.

Ronnie Frey, a school teacher and wrestling coach was the head bouncer in these years, the golden years.

Here’s a picture of Dick Brunswick beating on a trash can from behind the bar, probably to a song like “Alabama Jubilee.”

Here’s the Fall Guy’s song list – “Alabama Jubilee,” “If You Want to Be Happy,” “The Bounce,” “Peanut Butter,” “New Orleans,” “Shout,” “Can’t Sit Down,” “ Do You Love Me?” “Muskrat Ramble,” “Do Run Run,” “Twist & Shout,” Duane Eddie’s “Honkey Tonk,” and he later came here himself. My father said that Duane Eddie was probably the greatest draw of anybody who ever played here. He played one week and he made a lot of money that week.

Other songs on the list include Ray Charles’ “What I’d Say?” “Secret Love,” “Tiger Rag,” a New Orleans-Dixieland favorite, “Movin’ and Grovin’” Chuck Berry’s “Memphis” and “Maria,” from West Side Story. “Melaguana and “I Wish You Love.”

CM: That gives you an idea of what I was saying before, of the vast spectrum of music that was played. Here’s a picture of Bill Haley & the Comets, playing on the same bill as Conway Twitty. One of these guys with Haley now runs a restaurant in Barcelona, Spain, and he likes to remember those days.

Here you have Bill Haley, Conway Twtitty, Del Shannon and the Fall Guys, all in one week. To put this in modern rock terms it would be like having Huey Lewis & the News and Hank Williams, Jr. and……Conway was not so much country in those days. He was rock & roll. After he left here, in ’64 or ’65, he crossed back over to country and became even more successful. I could tell you some interesting stories about him too.

Conway was a hell of a guy, a nice person, great softball player. Conway and his drummer Pork Chop were two of the best player on the Tony Marts (All Stars) soft-ball team. They used to play at the Somers Point ball field. They used to play against Bader’s Raiders, the Somers Point Police team. They would play on Monday afternoons because Sundays were big business, and Mondays and Tuesdays were the days that most of the valuable musicians and bartenders would be off because they were the slowest days of the week.

BK: You had a lot of bands from Canada.

CM: That was the Harold Kutlets agency, out of Hamilton, near Toronto. My father met him through MCA out of New York. They were a promotions, talent, productions, booking company. Kutlets is the man who is eventually credited with picking up and representing the Hawks, Levon & the Hawks who became The Band.

They were with Ronnie Hawkins and were the Fabulous Hawks – that’s where the name Hawks comes from – the rockabilly, rhythm & blues singer. Then when they lost Ronnie Hawkins, they had a fight with them or something, they became Levon & the Hawks. Even though they were a Canadian group they couldn’t get any work in Canada at the time, and they were touring down south, we’re talking about the winter of 1965. They were kicking around the south, some of them were from Arkansas, and Kutlets called dad up and said he had this great band that needed a break. They would work cheap. Dad put them in in April. They played six nights a week, four or five sets a night, for $700 total, plus rooms, they lived over top of the bar. They worked their way up to $1300 a week. Now this is for five guys and a manager, a character named Bill Avis, and of course Harold Kutlets got a cut of that.

Then, as the story goes, and its been corroborated, that they became such a legendary talent, that Dylan himself came here. The way it was told to me was that people from Boston to Georgetown, D.C. were coming here just to hear Levon and the Hawks, and hear Richard Manuel sing Ray Charles and Ottis Redding and James Brown, and see Garth Hudson play the sax and do Junior Walker and the All-Star’s “Shotgun.”

Dylan took them from dad the week before Labor Day. But dad still loved them and even gave them a cake and party for them on their last night, but he was mad that they couldn’t stay that last week of the summer. But of course Dylan didn’t care about that, and he took the band. But dad was able to get Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels to finish the last week of the summer. It was big times in those days.

The Four Fables were here too. A great show band. Another Harold Kutlets Canadian band, Joey D and the Starlighters, who became famous for doing the Pepperment Twist. But they played here in 1961, before the Twist. And my father maintained that Joey D learned to rock & roll at Tony Marts. Warren Covington led the Tommy Dorsey band. Wes Covington was a big name in swing and they came and played a Sunday jam session. Swing, Dixieland, traditional jazz, rhythm & blues, there was all kinds of music on Bay Avenue, it was not simply rock & roll.

The Roof Toppers were a strong second band they supported The Fables and the Fall Guys. They kept he room moving. The Four Fables were an excellent draw, a dynamic group of performers. Notice the bands at this time all wore suits and ties. Even the Furies have their freshmen sweaters and patent leather shoes. All of that was a part of Tony Marts until 1966.

The Blastoffs, The Magnetic Magnatones, Johnny Caswell shows up here as a little second band to the Magnatones, and the third band was Paul and the Profits. May 20, 1964 – this is when Johnny Caswell was just a kid. At this time it was Johnny Caswell and the Secrets. It’s spelled in the newspaper ad – Coswell – that’s my father saying “Coswell” over the phone.

Sean Kelly and the Irish Beatles. He was the front man for the Magnatones. Everybody was doing the Beatles then.

The Skyliners played a number of engagements for dad. “Pennies from Heaven” is still on the jukebox at the Anchorage. In the ad it says, “Stars of the Ed Sullivan and Perry Como TV shows.”

The Rockatones were another band that recorded, “I Don’t Know Why?” for ABC Paramount Records.

The Fireflys, Little Anthony and the Secrets – five white guys, Johnny and the Holidays, The Corvairs, The Temptations – a white Temptations, Jerry Gabriel and the Angels, very talented, almost everybody in Jerry Gabriel’s band went on to noteworthy careers in popular music. One went with Ike Turner.

Len Carey and the Crackerjacks. Len Carey was a legendary performer. Now we’ve made a retrograde move here. These guys were from the fifties. He was gone by ’61. Len Carey, my dad said, started with him in 1954. Carey was a show name. He was really an Italian guy. They did a lot of Spike Jones type comedy, music, swing, Dixieland and were wonderful at dancing on the bars and throwing crackerjacks out into the crowd the way they throw novelties at the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. “The Saints Come Marching In” – it was very Dixieland, and it was really important in the history of Tony Marts because it was this band that my father told me, that really made Tony Marts take off. I dwell on the Fall Guys because they were more my era, my recollection, but Len Carey was here before I was even born.

BK: They’re billed as the “Stars of the Spike Jones Show.”

CM: Spike Jones was a famous band leader from the Swing era into the fifties, and known for his comedy music. In fact Levon Helm refers to him in the song “Up on Cripple Creek,” when he says, “I can’t stand the way he sings, but I love to hear him talk.” Spike Jones was a comedian and band leader and Len Carey played with him and was inspired by him and came off like him. It says here, “Jazzmania Simile.” He started with dad in 1954 and played through 1960. I asked dad one day, “Dad, what really took you from being a small piano bar to becoming a showplace nightclub?” And he said
“Len Carey. It was Len Carey.”

He was a dynamic showman who used to perform to the people and project in such a way that he actually developed a big following at the bar, and that’s how Tony Marts became a big club. This guy was very instrumental in the development of Tony Marts. He and dad remained friends and he came back and visited six or seven years ago when dad was still alive.

And Len Carey was till performing as an old gentleman, performing for senior citizens on Staten Island, which is where he was from.

Duane Eddy was one of the best. A great sax player. Dad payed him several thousand dollars to work a week but Duane Eddie was a big name in those days, and dad said he never made as much money in any other week. I think it was in 1964.

Johnny Miestro and the Crests, who became Johnny Miestro and the Brooklyn Bridge, he played for dad a couple of times. A balladeer, crooner and kind of egotistical and dad didn’t get along with him.

Dad had this saying, “The musicians are playing for themselves,” meaning they were playing music with an artistic slant rather than catering to the crowd and keeping the room moving so the people would dance and drink. Needless to say, my father would fire bands that would play for themselves.

The Furies were still here in 1962. Now this (scrap) book is not chronologically accurate. Now it says here that the Carroll Brothers were on tour with Chubby Checker in South America, so Pete Carroll was a very noteworthy cat.

People think that it wasn’t until the late 60s and 70s that rock & roll tragedy was invented, with Janis Choplin and Jimmie Hendrix and Jim Morrision, but this stuff was going on down here on Bay Avenue in the fifties. These people were talented, and crazy geniuses. They carried on, they did drugs, it just wasn’t celebrated. There was cocaine on Bay Avenue, but they were not “social problems” in those days. It was just part of the thing. The kids going into the clubs weren’t doing cocaine, but some of the musicians were.

Conway Twitty worked many years here. He was a gentleman who worked very well with my father. A hell of a showman, dad told of the time the IRS came knocking on the door and said they had a court order compelling him to turn over all of Conway’s salary for the week. And dad argued with them because he wanted to be able to pay Conway. “Look, he’s got to pay his men, he’s got to eat.” But the IRS didn’t want to hear it. So dad advanced Conway half of the next week’s salary, so he could take care of his men and eat. But today it’s ironic because Conway is one of the biggest names in music today.

The Royal Dukes Quintet, just off their Canadian tour. Don Ellis was a big name in the annals somewhere. The Needler was a publication that came out with semi-nude women in it. Bobby Blue, Bobby Comsock, Johnny Preston….

The Fall Guys were the house band. They played for the season for a set rate. Then dad would bring in big names to play overtop of them as the draw. But the Fall Guys were the house band.

The Female Beatles Dad did well with them. The female bands of that era, the thing that I remember, is that they were lesbians. He liked to bring in a female band once in awhile to change the pace. The Kit Kats became famous in Wildwood, Margate and Philadelphia.

Here’s Jeff, who I recently saw in Sea Isle City, Rickie & the Rockets, he first played here with the Lively Ones.

BK: It says Coming Tuesday – Levon & the Hawks – May 6, 1965 With Conway Twitty as the main attraction.

CM: Phil Humphrey and the Fendermen and Damien & the Classics. This is a damn good lineup. This is when Conway Twitty was beginning to get into country. His six man Oklahoma Review with Jackie Apple and the Applejacks

Ted Shall’s Nightly Whirl – he did the display advertising (for the Press of Atlantic City) and did what Dave Spatz does today. This is when Levon and the Hawks first got here, but later on in July when the summer came it really got hot.

Shall wrote: “Don’t forget that tonight is going to be a big one in Somers Point, and at Tony Mart’s in particular. The renown Conway Twitty arrives at the offshore nightspot to join a Canadian group that has rated plaudits for a number of weeks – Levon and the Hawks.”

CM: 1965 and 1966 were the biggest years, the absolute biggest years.

Here’s an article about softball. The Tony Mart’s All-Stars, with South Philly Al, the pitcher, in the Hangover League, when they beat Bay Shores. Sonny McCullough, Freddie Smartly was a big guy who worked for years for dad. Nickie Russo…..

I was only nine years old at the time, fourth, fifth grade, but I remember The Band. I remember The Band being great. I remember hearing them play. They had two keyboards, there was a railing that ran along the stage and they had Richard Manual on the left hand side, looking at it. It was the center stage, which the L-bar was built around. On the right was Garth Hudson’s organ, a B-3, and all his saxophones and accordions – he was always playing different instruments. In the middle was the drum riser with Levon Helm, and Rick Danko and Robbie Robertson were out front.

I remember how great they were. I remember the soulful blues they played. I think that Richard Manuel was the greatest blues singer to ever sing at Tony Marts. I think he was one of the greatest under-rated white blues singers, and he was known for that, as was their music, their jamming, their diversity. They would do, “Little Lizza Jane – I got a girl and you got none….” That was unusual to hear a hillbilly song being played with a rock beat in Tony Marts. They also played, “They Call Me Mr. Pittiful,” “Please, Please, Please,” “Shotgun,” “Blue, Swede Shoes,” “Memphis,” and a lot of the songs on their album, “Moondog Matinee” they played at Tony Marts. Richard Manuel and Levon Helm used to do some of the old southern stuff.

Mitch Ryder came in after The Band was taken by Dylan. Mitch Ryder had Little Huey in the band then.

CM: Here we are (in the Scrapbook) in the New York Times in 1965. This was at the height of our activity, as attested to the fact that even the New York Times is running stories. Tuesday August 24, 1965. “A New Look Slowly Comes To The Jersey Shore – Changes Some Subtle, Some Abrupt and Flamboyant.”

The contrast between the geriatric nature of Ocean City and the action at Tony Marts in Somers Point. “Changes are evident nearly everywhere along the shore.”

BK: Who was the house band at the very end?

CM: The last year we had Fanfare and some other bands – Shotgun from the Villanova area, the summer of 1981. Alien was doing their Doors show that summer. We remained on the cutting edge as far as music went. We had financial constraints and couldn’t fix it up the way we wanted to, but musically we were right there.

The band were doing the music that was happening on the college campuses and radio stations.

One For All was noteworthy – disco year 1978 – they came up from Fort Lauderdale. Joey Powers ’67 – Joey Powers and the New Dimensions. A strange thing happened in 1967 – the drug craze.

The suits and ties came off in 1966.

The Magic Mushrooms were the first psychedelic band to play in South Jersey. The beginning of the British Invasion – the Kinks, the Stones….

Gunther’s Bus played “Indagodadavida” at Tony Marts.

I remember Tido Mambo – a crazy man but dynamic performer. He had long, greasy hair that he used to comb. His band was called Tido Mambo and the Upsetters and he used to draw. He used to give dad fits. People would go to Bay Shores to see Tido Mambo because he was the first long hair. So Bay Shores had that long hair thing with a crazy band. This was a time – 1966, when the Beatles were going psychedelic. So my dad brought in the Magic Mushrooms.

BK: IT must have been hard for him to get away from the suits and tie thing.

CM: It was. But he was convinced, at first they came and it was like a costume thing, with flowerprint and paisley shirts, Nehru jackets and psychedelic garb, so he was just thinking this was a costume, and from the very beginning they did tremendous volume in attracting crows. So the money helped persuade him in that regard.

Yemen Blues

2011-08-09T01:58:00.000-07:00

Blues Musician To U.N.: 'Yemen Done Me Wrong'

From The Onion Archives - NOVEMBER 12, 1996 | ISSUE 30•14
http://www.theonion.com/articles/blues-musician-to-un-yemen-done-me-wrong,1083/

UNITED NATIONS—Legendary Delta bluesman Willie "Skipbone" Johnson is calling for U.N. sanctions against the Middle Eastern nation of Yemen following what he described as "a low-down dirty deed" against him.

According to Delta bluesman Willie "Skipbone" Johnson, the nation of Yemen "done treat me so unkind." Yemen prime minister Faraj Said bin Ghanem denies the charges.

Among the alleged actions Johnson is protesting are Yemen's alleged tearing out and stomping of Johnson's heart; disappearing when Johnson most needed the Arab republic; and making Johnson feel like a worn-out old dog—actions which, according to the U.N.'s Charter Of Fundamental Human Rights, "just ain't right."

Said Johnson: "Prime Minister Faraj Said bin Ghanem gonna be the death of me."

This represents an unfortunate breakdown in once-positive relations between the predominantly Muslim nation and the 74-year-old master of the slide guitar. As recently as last year, Yemen's Council of Ministers rocked and rolled the musician in so vigorous a manner as to make a landlord forget about the rent.

"This is a devastating blow to Mr. Johnson," said Harvard University political-science professor Eldred Hyde. "For a man who has been beaten up and down until his mama don't recognize him no more and cheated out of his only pair of shoes, a diplomatic crisis with a longtime ally like Yemen may be an irreparable setback."

Noted Hyde: "If it weren't for bad luck, it appears Mr. Johnson would not have any luck at all."
The composer of such blues classics as "Dead Cow Blues" and "Butter My Bread," Johnson maintains that he gave Yemen all he had, only to be forsaken, much like a worn-out suit. He also said that there is another country whose name Yemen cries out at night.

"Yemen done recently form a trade pact with the United Arab Emirates," Johnson said, "and I been laid low ever since."

Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh has expressed a willingness to restore diplomatic relations with the Clarksdale, MS-born blues legend and vehemently denied that his nation has been seen with the U.A.E., that oil-rich country down Oman way.

Saleh added that it is, in fact, Johnson who is sneaking around, implying that Johnson's mojo was recently worked by Qatar.

"When Qatar shakes its thing, Johnson is unable to keep his stuff still," Saleh said. "May Allah have mercy on his two-timin' soul."

Johnson denied any involvement with Qatar and rejected Saleh's offer for negotiations, saying that he is "too busy wishin' I was anyone but me."

If Johnson's U.N. demands are met, Yemen will be hit with severe international economic sanctions. In addition, none of Yemen's 14 million citizens would be welcome in Johnson's house no more.

"I been cryin' ever since the day I met that devil-hearted country," Johnson said. "I ain't goin' down that Middle Eastern nation's road no more."

Tony Marts in the 50s

2011-08-08T23:29:00.001-07:00

2011-08-05T01:46:00.000-07:00

Rick Danko, Robbie Robertson, Garth Hundson and Bob Dylan

Garth Hudson and Levon Helm

Atlantic City Country Club - Open to the Public

2011-07-31T02:47:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Atlantic City Country Club is now open.
By William Kelly (Published in spring 2007. Also See: Twooverpar.com)

The venerable 110 year-old Atlantic City Country Club, one of the most historically significant golf clubs in the world, is now open to the public, a change in policy that is itself historic.

This formal announcement brings the club full circle, as it was in the beginning, a golf club built for the pleasure and convenience of the guests of the Atlantic City boardwalk hotels. Now once again owned by Atlantic City boardwalk hotel interests, the club is experiencing a Renaissance that anyone can enjoy.

After more than a half-century as a private club and ten years into its casino ownership, the club has begun a new public era that allows ordinary golfers to go where golf history was made repeatedly.

Since the casino company is currently changing owners, how long it will last is yet to be seen. So those who take their golf game seriously should take advantage of the opportunity this season to experience what venerable golf is all about.

Previously a private club owned by the Fraser family, and open only to members and guests for more than a half-century, shortly after Harrahs took over the previously merged Bally-Hilton-Caesars company, the new casino owners opened the course to the public last year

This year, with a recently acquired public liquor license from the city of Northfield, they opened the historic clubhouse to the public as well. Purchasing one of the two liquor licenses in Northfield from J.R. Kemp’s Ale House (formerly the Owl Tree), the Tap Room began serving drinks in early April, just after the club held an open house to showcase the historic clubhouse and grounds. For the record, the first beer was served to long time pro shop manager, starter and club historian Kenny Robinson.

Kenny has been around the club longer than anyone, and can answer most of the questions that come to mind.

Long known as “the Northfield Links,” the classic Lakes Bay links course was totally revamped in an $8 million makeover by Bally-Hilton, updated to today’s standards by classical revivalist architect Tom Doaks.

But as a private casino course it was seldom used by casino management and high rollers, mainly because they couldn’t serve liquor, so the greens are pristine and course is in prime championship condition.

Originally built in 1897, laid out by Philadelphia Country Club professional John Reid, the course was the scene of a number of early major championships and historic events, like the 1901 U.S. Amateur (won by Walter Travis with the then radical Haskell ball), and was where the term “birdie,” for one under par, was coined in 1903. Club pro Johnny McDermott was the first American and youngest ever (at 19) to win the U.S. Open, which he did twice (1910-1911).

One of the players in the first “birdie” game was George Crump, who went on to build Pine Valley, recognized as the finest golf course in the world, while others associated with the Atlantic City Country Club established Seaview, Oakmont, Wildwood, Great Bay, Boca Raton, Oakmont, Mays Landing, Brigantine, and Avalon, among others, making Atlantic City something of the mother club to many other, also historically significant courses.

Since the early 1940s the club was owned by the Fraser family, “the first family of golf,” whose patriarch “Jolly” Jim Fraser was a golf pro from Fraser, Scotland and one of the first pros at Seaview. His son, great amateur Sonny Fraser and his associates sold the club in 1944 to his brother Leo, a returning war hero and golf professional who became head of the PGA.

A great proponent of the game, Leo Fraser made it a championship course again, with a number of USGA Women’s Open Championships (1948, 1965, 1975) that helped set up the LPGA, and the first PGA Senior’s tournament (1980), the humble beginning of the PGA Senior (Now Champion’s) Tour.

In 1997, after a year-long centennial celebration, the Fraser family sold the club to the Bally-Hilton casino company. The Frasers then renovated their Mays Landing Country Club and built a new one in Florida (designed by Arnold Palmer).

When the Bally-Hilton-Caesars group merged with Harrah’s/Showboat, becoming one of the largest casino companies in the world, the new corporate owners decided to open the course to the public.

Although open last year, the course still didn’t get much play without promotion, and a sliding green fee scale ($140-$200). This year, even though the clubhouse will be open for business and there will be more people around, they don’t anticipate a big increase in course use this season.

While the course has been upgraded significantly, the clubhouse has changed little, and is still pretty much the same as it’s been in the past fifty years or so. There’s the bell at the front door, rung for the last trolley of the day, and the McDermott Room just off the front door. You can spend an entire afternoon roaming the hallowed halls of the Leo Fraser Library, the Sonny Fraser Room, the magnificent ballroom and dinning rooms, the storied Tap Room (See: Sidebar), the Locker Room and pro shop, all of which are now open to the public. Each room has a story to tell and their walls are lined with photos and memorabilia that outline the history of golf from its earliest days in America.

It’s still a first class operation (there is no second class here), and the prices reflect that, as meals are priced accordingly for lunch and dinner, and you get all the amenities, quality and service.

Former club members who return will recognize some of the employees, waitresses and the chef, as well as items on the menu. Although now a public venue, it still has that private club atmosphere, style and tradition. With the new liquor license, the Tap Room Grille is open for lunch and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays (from 5pm), and the Ballroom and dining rooms are available for private parties and meetings.

What we don’t know is what the future will bring, as golf pro Steve Sullivan has announced his departure and yet another major conglomerate is in the process of purchasing the Bally-Hilton-Caesars-Harrah’s-Showboat Empire, of which the Atlantic City Country Club is but a very small part.

It’s hard to believe there are bigger fish than the current casino owners, but when the Texas Pacific Group and Apollo Management LP complete the multi-billion dollar deal, the new owners may not even be aware they own the club, a small percentage of the new company’s assets/holdings. Texas Pacific’s David Bonderman, James Coulter and William S. Price III and Apollo Management’s Leon Black and Arnold Rosenstein (KSL Fairways), may or may not play golf and have an affinity for history and tradition.

They could keep the club as is, make it private again, spin it off to a local group or develop the course with condos.

In any case, whatever the future holds, now is the time to appreciate the Atlantic City Country Club, one of the most historically significant golf courses in the world. A first class experience, in the clubhouse and the course, caddies are available ($50), and you “play a round with history.”

The club stands as a testament to the definition of the word “venerable,” as Webster’s says it is “made sacred by historical association, and calling for respect through age, character and attainment.”

The venerable Atlantic City Country Club is now open to the public.

For more information contact the Atlantic City Country Club, One Leo Fraser Drive, Northfield, N.J. 09225-0236 – (609) 236-4400 for reservations; (609) 236-4401 for front desk; (609) 236-4411 for pro shop or visit on line at www.accountryclub.com]

[William Kelly is the author of “Birth of the Birdie – The First 100 Years of Golf at Atlantic City Country Club.” He can be reached at Billykelly1@aol.com]

Taproom at Atlantic City Country Club Open to the Public - By William Kelly
(Published in March, 2007)

With the transfer of the liquor license approved by the city of Northfield, the storied Tap Room of the historic 110 year old Atlantic City Country Club is now officially open to the public for the first time in living memory.

Previously a private club open only to members and their guests, the Atlantic City Country Club, once purchased by Bally-Hilton, was used only by the casino’s executives and select guests until last year, when the course was opened to the pubic for the first time.

Now the historic clubhouse, banquet rooms, restaurant and Tap Room are open to the public as well. Previously, without a private or public liquor license they couldn’t even legally serve the high rollers, so they arranged the purchase of one of the two liquor licenses in town from the J.J. Kemp’s Pub, formerly the Owl Tree/the Parrot on Route 9. (The other license is Ventura’s Offshore Café).

When the club held an open house, showcasing the historic clubhouse and grounds to the public, the Tap Room began serving Bloody Marys when it opens for breakfast at 8 am Friday, March 16, the Opening Day of the 2007 Golf Season and Tap Room beer was flowing from the taps on St. Patrick’s Day.

The Tap Room Grille will be open on weekends for breakfast and lunch, and for dinner on weekends at 5 pm and slowly expand their hours and days thru the summer.

The historic clubhouse and classic championship links course make for many legendary myths, some of which are actually true.

The Tap Room is where Babe Zaharius played the piano after winning the 1948 U.S. Women’s Open, and where Sam Snead played the trumpet in 1980 during the first PGA Senior’s tournament (now the Champion’s Tour).

The Tap Room’s small, straight hardwood bar is against the wall next to the Locker Room, and sets the stage for a small dining room that sports comfortable booths, walls packed with historic memorabilia and a large bay window overlooking the course, the bay and the Atlantic City skyline on the horizon.

Above the bay window is a panoramic photo of Shawnee on the Delaware, an equally historic course where early club pro Johnny McDermott defeated British champions Harry Vardon and Ted Ray by 8 stokes in 1913, and set up the “Greatest Game Ever Played” by promising they wouldn’t take the U.S. Open championship home with them.

The ceiling of the adjacent Locker Room is lined with painted portraits of the winners of the Sonny Fraser tournament (1945-1999), one of the premier amateur invitational tournaments in the country. Among the portraits are Sonny Fraser, Dr. Carey Middlecoff, Julius Boros, Billy Hyndeman III, Howard Everett and Billy Ziobro, who also won the New Jersey Amateur championship and N.J. Open in the same year, a hat trick that’s never been duplicated.

Ziobro was named the first pro in the casino era, an esteemed position now held by Steve Sullivan, who has announced he too is moving on soon. There are a few of the long time employees still working there, including some waitresses and the chef, as well as manager Kenny Robinson, who can answer questions about the history of the place and the accuracy of some of the stories.

Among the yarns is how the term “birdie” was coined there in 1903, how Johnny McDermitt became the first and the youngest (at 19) to win the U.S. Open, which he did twice (1911-12), how the women’s tour was nurtured there and how the U.S. Senior’s Tour got started over many discussions, arguments and a few beers in the Tap Room.

It’s not true that McDermott celebrated his victories in the Tap Room (he was a teetotaler), but it is true there used to be slot machines in the Tap Room for many years in the pre-casino era.

The Tap Room slots became famous when Florida Senator George Smathers complained about them when club owner Sonny Fraser and club members Hap Farley and Olympic champion John Kelly (Grace Kelly’s father) decided to build the Atlantic City Race Course. Smathers thought the race course was competition to Florida gambling venues and complained about the slots machines. Instead of getting rid of the slots however, Sonny Fraser sold the club to his brother Leo, a returning World War II hero, and the slots stayed into the early 1950s.

Over the years the Tap Room was the center of social life at the famed club, where everyone gathered after a game, a tournament, wedding or just a Saturday night at the clubhouse. A First Class establishment with exquisite charm, the Atlantic City Country Club is a throwback to a time forgotten by the glitz and the glitter of today’s Atlantic City.

The opening of the Tap Room to the public for the first time is an historic event in itself, ensuring that history will continue to be made there.

[William Kelly is author of the book “Birth of the Birdie – The First 100 Years of Golf at Atlantic City Country Club.” He can be reached at billkelly3@gmail.com]

Atlantic City Country Club

2011-07-31T02:34:00.000-07:00

They used to ring the bell to alert golfers of the impending arrival of the last Shore Road trolley to Atlantic City.

The Birdie Patio overlooks the Atlantic City skyline across Lakes Bay and sits adjacent to the green where the term "birdie" was coined.

Atlantic City Political Boss "Hap" Farley, who took over when Nucky Johnson went to jail, holds court at the Taproom bar. And as it looks today.

The legendary Men's Locker room has its own bar, sports on TV and is where the band sets up on Thursdays Happy Hour if its raining or thunderstorms and they can't entertain on the Patio.

Philly Folk Fest

2011-07-30T10:41:00.000-07:00

The 50th Annual Philadelphia Folk Fest is coming up soon and its going to be a great one, with such enticing headliners as Levon Helm, Dave Bromberg, Tom Rush and many many more.

As a veteran of both the Philadelphia Folk Fest and Woodstock, the Folk Fest comes in first by any comparison because its so much better organized.

The best part is after the stage shows are over and you sit around a campfire singing songs and jamming with new friends and old alike.

The primary Master of Ceremonies Gene Shay has a popular Sunday night radio show on WXPN 88.5 in which he plays some classic tunes and usually has on a guest who performs some acoustic stuff live. Shay's show has been on for the half century mark too, with my favorite program being the time he had Jim Croce on and he made Kipling's poem to Gunga Dinn a neat rhyming ballad.

WXPN used to feature a Sunday night radio show by a guy named Meatball Fulton, who I would like to learn what ever happened to - and introduced a lot of people to Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa. On the same night over at WMMR, Dave Herman began playing entire albums, I think they called it AOR - Album Oriented Rock in order to get it past the program managers, who preferred beautiful music.

In any case, it was during one of these radical Sunday night radio shows when one of them played "The Weight" by the Band, which just blew me away and tugged at me to get into the music.

I've heard and read a lot about the biblical and philosophical interpretations of this song, but then it all really made sense when Robbie Robertson explained that the part about "pulling into Nazareth" isn't the Nazareth in the Middle East where Christ used to hang out, but Nazareth, Pennsylvania, where the Martin guitar factory is located and where they once visited. It was probably on a day trip from Somers Point, NJ in the summer of '65 whe the Band played as Levon and the Hawks.

Now Levon's returning as a headliner with a new band.

In the photos below the first is a Jersey Shore contingent of campers - Bob Lang and Dorry Dude are two.

The old man is playing a pair of bones - spare rib bones.

Then there is one of a Martin Guitar Workshop, and I imagine the company is still one of the sponsors of the festival.

As a word of explanation, these are black and white photos because it wasn't that log ago, I guess it was the 70s and 80s when newspapers still only published black & white photos, and I sometimes did my own developing, printing and enlarging.

I'll be writing a preview of this years festival so stay tuned. - BK

Caroline's Bay Ave & Longport Blvd.

2011-07-30T09:56:00.001-07:00

Caroline's - Bay Ave. & Longport Blvd. is now run by Caroline, whose father Dave Tyson passed away last year.

Dave was a building contractor who was partners with Bill Morris, who purchased the historic Anchorage Tavern down the street and had Tyson renovate it.

Dave then purchased the old strip joint on the Cardiff Circle after Gov. Christie Whitman complained about it during a visit to the FAA's NAFAC research center near the Atlantic City airport, so Dave got rid of the girls and renamed it Chrstie's after the governor.

I understand Dave also bought and restored the old Barington bar near Wayne Kline's home.

Caroline's used to be an Hawaiian themed bar and restaurant in the Sixties, before becoming the Rock Box in the Seventies, which featured live bands, and then a sports bar.

When Dave bought it, with two lawyers as partners, he divided the building into offices for the lawyers and leased out an upscale plumbing retail store, then expanded the bar towards the bayside, adding a dining room and porch.

Inside, he laid out Caroline's bar exactly as he had done at the Anchorage, with a large rectangle bar in the middle and covered the walls with old, framed photos and memorabilia.

Where the Bands are July 29 - Aug 4

2011-07-27T12:08:00.002-07:00

Mike Pedicin, Jr. does a performing workshop on Sunday afternoon at the Ocean City Public Library at 17th & Simpson, featuring the music of Dave "Take Five" Brubeck, one of the most influential jazz band leaders of all time, which included sax man Paul Desmond. Mike played with the Dave Brubeck band for a number of years.

WHERE THE BANDS ARE - July 29 – August 4

FRIDAY July 29

Dr Bobby Fingers with “Ernie T” Trionfo: Popular Music Somers Point Beach

Danny Eyer Duo 3; Steve LaManna 8 Beach Club Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon
Carl Behrens 4:30, Back 2 Life 9 at Rusty Nail at Cape May.
Paul Sottile 6:30 Ebbitt Room Virginia Hotel
Wesley Ochs 8 Brown Room; Duane Anthony 9 Boiler Room Congress Hall CM.
Cheers Carney’s Cape May
The Sensational Soul Cruisers Cabanas Cape May
George Mestrhazy Merion Inn Cape May
Steamroller Picnic Ugly Mug 9:30
Michael James 6 Harpoon Henrys N. Cape May.
Third Watch Harbor View Cape May
Patty and Bugsy and Soul Custody at Coconut Cove Wildwood
Sindi Raymond at Lighthouse Point Wildwood
Tommy Zito and Juliano Brothers at the Wharf Wildwood
Matt Kelly, Johathan Harwood and Jerry Smith Westys Irish Pub NWW
Grape Street Riot, Darin MacDonald, 52 Pickup at Windrift Avalon
Laura Lea & Tripp Fabulous at Jacks in Avalon
LeCompt 10:30 at The Rocking Chair in Avalon
Broken Strings at Buschs in Sea Isle City
Emily’s Toy Box at the Princeton in Avalon
Gene and Ryan, LeCompt at Springfield in Sea Isle City
Jim Maher & Son at Deauville Inn Strathmere
Dan Brown at Tun Tavern AC
Mr. Greengenes – Backstage at House of Blues Showboat AC
John Eddie Stone Poney Asbury Park

SATURDAY July 30

Not Worth Stealing 12; Mike Thompson Band 3:30; Steve LaManna 8 Golden Inn Avalon
Chris Vittese 4:30; Third Degree 9; the Rusty Nail Cape May
Paul Sottile 6:30 Ebbit Room Virginia Hotel
Darin MacDonald 8 Brown Room; Poker Face Boiler Room Congress Hall CM
Crystal Roxx Carneys Cape May
Ravioli Shanker Cabanas Cape May
George Mesterhazy Merion Inn Cape May
Beachomber Bill 6 Harpoon Henrys N. Cape May
Stage Pass Harbor View Cape May
One Hot Mess Casys on Third N.WW.
Sindi Raymond – the Wharf
Secret Service Windrift Stone Harbor 4
Andrew Dice Clay Trop AC
Rodney Carrington Hilton AC
Bob Saget Borgata
Steely Dan, Borgata

SUNDAY July 31

Mike Pedicin Quarte Jazz Ocean City Library 1735 Simpson 2:00 pm Part 3 of a three-part educational series - includes performance and discussion. The Music Of Dave Brubeck 609-399-2434 Free admission http://www.facebook.com/groups/111804475497782

Reggae Sunday 12:30; Audrey Snow 9; at Rusty Nail Cape May

Dr. Bobby Fingers plays at the Sons of American Legion #352 Summer Barbecue 4pm, 1st St. and Pennsylvania Ave., Somers Point. All you can eat. $20.

Jack Light Move 12; Raggamuffins 3:30; Doug Knight 7 Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon
The Exceptions The Deck at Golden Nugget AC Inlet 3
Erik Simonsen 8 Brown Room; Open Mic Boiler Room Congress Hall Cape May
Animal House Carneys Cape May
George Mesterhazy Merion Inn Cape May
Bondage 1; Beachcomber Bill Harpoon Henrys N. Cape May
It’s a Sinatra Thing Harbor View Cape May
Mike Lecompt Springfield Inn 9 Sea Isle City
Secret Service 5 ; Mr. Greengenes Ocean Drive Sea Isle City
Verdict – Baia on Bay Ave. Somers Point 7
Patty Blee 800 Bay Somers Point

MONDAY August 1

The Ottis Clay Band. Blues. Kennedy Plaza. AC Boardwalk

Joe King 3 The Beach Club Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon
Mike LeCompt 4 Carousel beach bar Springfield Inn Sea Isle City
Guy Petersen solo, 4:30 at the Rusty Nail Cape May
Audrey Snow Brown Room Congress Hall Cape May
George Mesterhazy Merion Inn Cape May
Dave Christopher Band Coconut Cove

TUESDAY August 2

Cyril Neville and Tribe 13. New Orleans legends. Kennedy Plaza AC.

Vince Schneider Duo 3 at Beach Club Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon
Joe Kozat 4:30 at Rusty Nail in Cape May
Don Shaw (duo) Brown Room Congress Hall Cape May
Jazz Trio Merion Inn Cape May
Sal Anthony – Harpoon Henrys Cape May
Justin Steere, Gypsy Wisdom and Darin MacDonad at Windrift Avalon
Red Garter Night at Coconut Cove Wildwood
Patty Blee 800 Bay Somers Point

WEDNESDAY August 3

Feraba – West Africa rhythms. Kennedy Plaza AC Boardwalk

Bubba Mac Band at The Deauville Inn Strathmere 6-10

Stellar Mojo 3 Beach Club Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon
Wesley Ochss 4:30 at Rusty Nail Beach Shack Cape May
Matt Santry Brown Room Congress Hall Cape May
Big House Carneys Cape May
George Mesterhazy Merion Inn Cape May
Evolution Coconut Cove
Joe and Friends / Phil Stocker Steve & Cookies in Margate
Secret Service 10 at Ocean Drive in Sea Isle City.
Patty Blee 800 Bay Somers Point

THURSDAY August 4

Dominick Farinacci CBB Youth Jazz Ensemble. Kennedy Plaza AC

Foster Child Duo 3; Steve LaManna 8; Beach Club Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon
Marnie & Nate at the Rusty Nail Cape May
Paul Sottile 6:30 Ebbitt Room Virginia Hotel Cape May
Terry’oke 9 Boiler Room Congress Hall
Animal House Carneys Cape May
George Mesterhazy Merion Inn Cape May
Jay Bethal of Bluebone 8 Pilot House Cape May
The Excpetions Windrift 8 Avalon
Patty Blee Library III Black Horse Pike EHT
Joe and Friends Steve & Cookies Margate.
Jerry Blavat at Lighthouse Point Wildwood
Burnt Sienna at Ocean Drive Sea Isle City
Gary and the Kid at Deauville Inn Strathmere

Rufus Harley

2011-07-27T12:08:00.001-07:00

The late Rufus Harley decided to learn how to play the bagpipes as a young boy after he heard the Scottish Black Watch Regiment perform in President John F. Kennedy's funeral procession. He bought an old bagpipe at a pawn shop and also learned to play the sax.

As the first and only jazz bagpipe player Rufus was something of an oddity. He led the first Atlantic City St. Patrick's Day Parade down the boardwalk, played the sax in Eddie & the Cruisers' band and performed at Wayne Piersanti's Shire Tavern on the Washington Street Mall in Cape May where I took the black and white photo of him that's out of focus.

While a comment has been made that that is not a photo of Rufus, by a member of his family, who should know, I distinctly recall taking the photo sometime in the late 1980s and believe it is him. - Billkelly3@gmail.com

Robert Hazard

2011-07-27T12:07:00.001-07:00

The late Robert Hazard had a number of big hits in the 80s including - "Escalator of Life," of which there are a number of videos of his performances on Youtube.

He also wrote "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" that Cyndi Lauper made a hit.

Robert lived in South Jersey, his wife owned an antique shop in Cape May and he played on occasion at the Shire in Cape May and other local venues, including the 75th Anniversary party at the Flanders Hotel on the Boardwalk in Ocean City (NJ), a show that also included Bill Haley's Original Comets and original rock & roller Mike Pedicin, Sr. ("Shake A Hand"), father of jazz man Mike Pedicin, Jr.

Lew London

2011-07-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

Legendary Lew London is the premier local string man on guitar, mandolin and fiddle.

I first caught Lew's act in the first floor bar of the Old Chelsea Hotel in Atlantic City, and then at the Stockton Pub when the college first opened.

Lew then played frequently at the Library III on the Black Horse Pike and cut a critically acclaimed album "Swingtime in Springtime."

I used to catch Lew all the time at the Library, and when Brien O'Keeney and I were traveling out west we were driving through the desert one night when a college radio station played Lew's album on the radio. What a treat that was.

Lew played solo and as a duo on the Deauville Inn deck for many years, and now returns there every Wednesday as the lead guitarist with the Bubba Mac Blues Band, which is pretty much a local all-star band of the best musicians around.

Lew also plays regularly at Steve & Cookies in Margate

The Harpists - Sonny Boy Cotton & Butterfield

2011-07-27T11:57:00.001-07:00

I guess you can say that Sonny Boy Williamson's King Biscuit Flower Show on the AM radio out of Helina, Arkansas was one of the earliest roots of rock & roll.

Both Levon Helm and James Cotton mentioned the influence that show had on them and others who would take up the beat and continue it today.

I caught Cotton many times over the years, but the first time was the best, as I went to the show with Billy Mueller, the lead guitarist with Backroads and collector of Les Pauls.

It was at the now defunct Bijou Cafe in Philadelphia, and after his first set, while the Persuasions were singing downstairs, me and Billy went up to Cotton's dressing room and knocked on the door. He was glad to see us and we went in and sat with him for about a half hour and I tape recorded the interview in which he recalled how he heard Sonny Boy on the radio and went to see him when he was a teenager.

Cotton said that after he figured out how to play the harp like Sonny Boy he went to the radio station and knocked on the door. Sonny let him in and when it was time to do the commercial, Sonny Boy let Cotton play the theme song on the air, his first live performance.

"Hell," Cotton said, "I'll play it for you right now, the first time I done it since then," and he slapped his knee and played some notes on the harp and then sang, "I got King Biscuit on my table," and played some more, and then sang, "I got King Biscuit on my table..."

I have that old cassette tape around here someplace.

Then someone came up and told Cotton something and he said, "I'll be with him in a minute."

Billy Mueller then asked Cotton a few questions, and one of them was, "What ever happened to Hubert Sumlin?"

Billy looked at me and said, "That's Howlin' Wolf's old guitarist," he explained.

Cotton smiled and said, "Well I just learned he's outside that door right now wantin' to say hello," and he let Hubert in.

Dressed in a tight suit and tie, Hubert was all smiles and explained that he was then living in Philadelphia and still playing.

Rick Danko at Good Old Days

2011-07-27T11:54:00.001-07:00

Rick Danko at Good Old Days Picnic at Kennedy Park Highbanks Somers Point(circa late 90s)

Carmen and Nancy Marotta at the picnic table at Good Old Days

Richard Manuel and Rick Danko in the 80s

2011-07-27T11:51:00.000-07:00

Johnny Caswell and Crystal Mansion

2011-07-24T13:56:00.000-07:00

Johnny Caswell – Crystal Mansion

At the Shore

School is out
Come on, let's go

Come on, baby
Let's hit that road

(CHORUS)
We're going down to the shore
Just like we did once before
Cause there's no school anymore
So, baby, meet me at the shore

Hey, there'll be lots of fun
Yeah, lying in the sun
One the boardwalk, holding hands
Beach parties in the sand

Everybody's gonna be there
The hippies, the conservatives
And even the squares
Dancing til we can't no more
Come on and meet me at the shore

We're gonna swing every single night
Everything's gonna be all right

(CHORUS)

Hey, there'll be lots of fun
Yeah, lying in the sun
One the boardwalk, holding hands
And beach parties in the sand

Everybody's gonna be there
The hippies, the conservatives
And even the squares
Dancing til we can't no more
Come on and meet me at the shore

(CHORUS) 2X to fade

Johnny Caswell At The Shore Lyrics
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/johnny+caswell/at+the+shore_20865393.html

Listen to: At the Shore
http://thatphillysound.com/music/attheshore.mp3

Bill Kelly Notes: By the time I was old enough to get in the band bars in Somers Point Johnny Caswell had come and gone, though they still talked about him, and some of his songs were on the juke box at the Anchorage. Then after Tony Marts and Bay Shores were gone, Harris Berman, who tore them both down, built the Waterfront where Bay Shores was and Egos Disco where Tony Marts was located.

Although Egos had a hundred thousand dollar sound system, it was set up for disco recordings only, and didn't have a stage for bands, which Berman thought an unnecessary expense.

Harris Berman was lawyer who had worked with my father in the Camden County Prosecutors Office, so my father introduced me to him when my family had dinner at the Waterfront when it first opened. As I got the story, Berman's brother had owned a big hotel in Florida that he sold for millions and had to spend the money so not to pay capitol gains taxes, and so he bought Bay Shores and Tony Marts and tore them down and built the Waterfront and Egos.

After convincing Berman to allow us to bring a band to Egos - The Band, with Levon Helm, Garth Hudson and Rick Danko, he made out a like a bandit, and made so much $10,000 on liquor sales that night that he wanted us to do it again. But we said no thanks, as we got royally screwed on the deal. In any case, Berman now recognized that the bands brought in the people who drank the booze he was selling, so he brought in some acts himself - including the band from the Animal House movie.

When he asked for some other suggestions, people requested that he bring back Johnny Caswell, so we reached out and got a hold of him working in a recording studio in California and he put a band together and came back for a belated encore performance at the Point. While he played the gig at Egos, he also got a week at a casino lounge in Atlantic City.

The year - 1986, and this is the short review I wrote in my Nightbeat Column in the Ocean City SandPaper.

Nightbeat – Caswell Makes His Comeback – The SandPaper/Thursday, August 21, 1986

CASEWELL MAKES HIS COMEBACK

Johnny Caswell, with a revamped Crystal Mansion, returned to Somers Point after a ten-year hiatus and impressed a small but enthusiastic crowd with his stirring voice and tight band.

The consensus of his old fans, some of whom drove in from out of state, is that Caswell looks the same as he did 20 years ago when he first started playing this area, and sounds better.

Playing three long sets through Tuesday night, Caswell sang all of his hits – “The Thought of Loving You,” “Boogieman,” and his rendition of Livingston Taylor’s “Carolina On My Mind,” as well as some lesser-known but strong numbers, the bluesy “I Don’t Need Nobody,” and “Let Me Get This Straight Again.”

With Rick Morley on percussion (congas), Ronnie Gentile on guitar, Mario Sanchez and Greg Moyer jiving nicely. Sal Rota, who is performing in the band at the Springfield Inn in Sea Isle City, sat in with his old buddy.

Kenny and Charlie of the Soul Survivors (“Expressway to Your Heart”) were also on hand and threatening to join in a later session, as Caswell is booked to play a casino lounge for the rest of the week and hopes he can return another day to play the showroom.

Swaying sideways as he sang, and occasionally flicking his wrist in patented motions, Caswell still has what it takes to enchant an audience, whether it’s old fans or new ones. “I want to see all my old friends,” Caswell said, “I’m ecstatic, my heart’s pumpin’ fast, and I want it to happen,” and it always does.

Rock & Roll Philadelphia -
http://thatphillysound.com/artists/johnny_caswell.html

A brief history
Johnny Caswell was a successful Philadelphia Artist. He had one chart record, AT THE SHORE, that was written and produced by Madara/White. He went on to form a group called The Crystal Mansion, and had another chart record, "The Thought of Loving You," written by Dave White.

John Madara's memories
Johnny was a very exciting artist to watch. Very exciting in the studio. With him Dave and I produced eleven sides.

What happened next?
Johnny Caswell, along with partner, Jan Parent, formed a company in 1992 called CenterStaging. The company specializes in providing musical instruments, rehearsal space, and technical support to the film and TV industries. They currently maintain facilities in Burbank, CA and the Philadelphia, PA suburb of Bensalem Township.

Hits
You Don't Love Me Anymore
At The Shore
What's The Matter Baby
Carolina On My Mind

At the Shore
http://thatphillysound.com/music/attheshore.mp3
What’s the Matter Baby?
http://thatphillysound.com/music/whatsthematter.mp3
You Don’t Love Me Any More
http://thatphillysound.com/music/youdontloveme.mp3

Tuckahoe Inn - Beesley's Point

2011-07-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

THE TUCKAHOE INN – Besleys Point, Cape May County, NJ

The land on which the Tuckahoe Inn resides has been the site of a tavern and inn since the earliest European settlers arrived in the mid-seventeenth century. Before that it was a popular seasonal vacation spot for many of the transient Indian families and the year ‘round home of the Tuckahoes, a tribe of the Turtle Clan of the Lenni Lenape Indians who gave the Tuckahoe River its name.

Many Indian artifacts have been found in the surrounding area, and an official archeological survey documented continuous human habitation for the past 10,000 years, so it is a popular spot.

One of the first early European settlers to this area, William Golden, was an Irish general who fought with King James against William and Mary until the Battle of Boyne in 1691, when Golden fled Ireland to and settled in with a small group of Quakers at what they called Golden’s Point. Golden was later tried and found innocent of killing an Indian.

In 1693 John Somers of Somer Plantation was named supervisor of roads and on October 2, 1695 was granted a authorized by the Grand Jury of Gloucester County to operate a ferry “for man, hors and kattle,” over the river between Somers Point and Golden’s Point.

Setting the toll they noted, “He shall and may exact for passage of every single person twelve pence per head and for sheep and hogs four pence per head, and for all manner of grain, two pence per bushel.” For many years this ferry was the only overland transportation link between Cape May and Camden/Philadelphia.

The ferry was once described as, “Consisting of an open boat worked by sails and oars, and frequently in operative because of rough weather.” After Somers’ son Job assumed its operations it ran from Job’s Point – what is now a unique black community called Morris Beach to Foxborough Hill at Golden’s Point, near where the electric factory is now located.

While the name Golden’s Point would last until 1750, Golden sold his land in 1736 to Nicholas Stilwell, reputedly to cover the legal costs of defending himself against the charges of murdering an Indian, which was ruled done in self-defense.

Eventually Golden’s Point would become known as Stites Point and then Beesley’s Point, but the Tuckahoe Inn would remain the focal point of activity on the south side of the ferry, an important stagecoach stop and transport link between upper Cape May County and Somers Point, which is part of Atlantic County.

On June 12, 1963 the Harp family opened the Tuckahoe Inn for business and it remained in the Harp family for decades, until Peter Harp sold the Inn to Tyson Merryman and his family. Tyson had previously leased and operated the kitchen at the Historic Anchorage Tavern in Somers Point after it was purchased and renovated by Bill Morris and Dave Tyson in 1993.

Today Tyson Merryman maintains the reputation for fine food and drinks while providing some of the best live entertainment around, both inside and outside in the Back Bay Cafe.

The Mighty Parrots play every Friday, Bob Campanell Band performs on Sunday and Wednesday with Simple Minded Budz reggae, and Danny Eyer is with Hawkins Road on Thursdays, with a different but really good band every Saturday.

The Baia Restaurant, Bay Avenue Somers Point

2011-07-24T12:05:00.000-07:00

Baia – The former Waterfront and Bay Shores

The restaurant currently called Baia sits on the oldest and most historic bayfront location in Somers Point. As the dock of the Somers’ Plantation in colonial times, a tavern has been seasonally active since ferries ran scheduled runs to the barrier islands of Ocean City and Absecon at Longport.

The Hotel Bayview was the end of the line for two trolley lines, the Shore Road trolley and the track line that ran to the Atlantic City boardwalk, so the last stop was a popular watering hole for travelers waiting for the ferry or trolley.

Judge Larry Brannigan, who was known as the “Judge Roy Bean East of the Patcong Creek,” owned both the Hotel Bayview as well as the Anchorage Tavern down the street until he sold the Bayview to Charles Fox. On May 17, 1917 Fox requested a license in a petition in which he said to “be desirous of obtaining a license to keep an inn and tavern and to sell wines, spirituous and other strong liquors in quantities of less than one quart, in what is known as Hotel Bayview at the foot of Bay Avenue and Main Street.”

Fob’s Hotel Bayview eventually became Bay Shore, which was operated by Ma Dean during prohibition and later by Hap Ross. With a dance floor that stretched out over the bay on pilings, Bay Shores was where they drank and danced the nights away.

In 1946 Hap Ross sold Bay Shores to John McCann, Sr. and Dick McLain. McLain was a builder who owned the historic General Wayne Inn outside of Philadelphia, while McCann was familiar with Bay Shores from his bootlegging days, which he carried over after prohibition as a legitimate beer baron of Philadelphia.

Jack Murray, McCann’s brother-in-law was the manager of Bay Shores, which for many years served Gretz beer on tap. In 1950 McCann hired Vince Rennich to work for him, and Rennich later recalled, “They had three guys working the tap and people would drink it as fast as they could pour it. One guy poured the beer, another guy took the money – ten cents a beer, and a third colleted and washed the empty glasses. Waiters delivered the beer around the crowd like it was a ballpark.”

There were two stages, one in the back by the dancefloor that stretched over the bay and the other by the front bar, with a partition that separated the two, and older folks staying in the back and younger kids upfront where the loud music was played.

Early rock & roll was born at Bay Shores with the dance bands like Mike Pedicin, Sr., the Carroll Brothers and Roco and the Saints.

Pedicin had a regional hit with “Shake A Hand,” his signature song, while Pete Carroll was known for playing “Sweet Georgia Brown,” and Roco and the Saints had a 16 year old drummer named Bobby Rydell and a kid trumpet player Frankie Avalon.

With two stages the bands rotated so that when one went off the other would immediately pick up the beat, so nobody left, though people often drifted across the street to check out the other bands at Tony Marts and Steels Ship Bar.

Of all the clubs in Somers Point the best competition was between Bay Shores and Tony Marts. Bay Shores also featured Bobby Duke and the Dukes, Little Richie and the Upsetters, Tido Mambo, The Isley Brothers, Skyliners (“Pennies from Heaven”) Johnny Caswell and the Bonnevills (and later the Crystal Mansion), Hereafter, the Monkeymen and Sam the Band. The Sunday afternoon jam sessions from 3pm-6pm were very popular and brought in many of the people off the beach still in their suits, and whenever it rained they held spontaneous jam sessions that packed the dance floors.

Since the music in Somers Point had to be off by 2 am and the bar cleared by 3 am by municipal law, McCann and McLain built the Dunes nightclub out on the marshes on Longport Blvd. in Egg Harbor Township, where the liquor licenses were permitted to operate 24 hours a day. Some of the bands from Bay Shores went over to the Dunes after hours, and most of the crowds did too.

In 1980 attorney Harris Berman bought Bay Shores, leveled it and built the Waterfront, a restaurant with the live music moving out to its popular deck. It was later purchased by real estate guru Jay Lamont, who operated it under the name Bay Shores Alumni. Lamont then sold the property to an Ocean City industrial contractor who has had a number of different operators run the bar and restaurant.

Herb Bubba Birch & Carmen Marotta

2011-07-24T11:52:00.000-07:00

[Photo from the Bubba Mac archives]

Two heavyweights on the local music scene, Herb "Bubba Mac" Birch and Carmen Marotta, son of Tony Marotta of Tony Marts. Herb owned the now defunct Bubba Mac Shack in Somers Point and has his own band, the Bubba Mac Blues Band, and organized the Atlantic City Blues Festival in 2007. Carmen ran his father's nightclub in the final years, and helps book the bands for the Friday night Somers Point beach concerts, the Good Old Days Picnic at Kennedy Park on the Saturday after Labor Day and on the Atlantic City Boardwalk in front of the Boardwalk Hall.

Deauville Inn, Strathmere, NJ

2011-07-23T20:15:00.001-07:00

A Strathmere Sunset - Deauville Inn Postcard

THE DEAUVILLE INN – 201 Willard Road, Strathmere, NJ (609) 263-2080

Strathmere used to be the end of the barrier island where you could get away from the crowds that only locals knew about. Well the secret is out.

Down at the Deauville Inn at prime time there’s no place to park, the deck is full, there’s a wait for a table and its three deep at the bar. There’s music on the deck on weekend afternoons, the Beach House bar is cookin', and everyone’s anticipating the featured attraction of every afternoon - the sun set in all its glory.

It wasn’t always this way. It was even more grander a hundred years ago, when the place was only a few decades old and tourists came by train and steamboat from Philadelphia and New York to dine, drink and gamble in the second floor casino. Into the Roaring 20s, during prohibition, it was a rum runner’s haven, and during the Big Band era, the ballroom featured big stars of your grandfather’s day – Jimmy Durante, Eddie Cantor and Sophie Tucker.

Then the Deauville faded into a fifties funk, for decades, when Madelyn Weiss ran it as a local’s bar only, and wouldn’t even unlock the front door to let you in if she didn’t know you, personally, and liked your company. Those who did get in, like bartender Jack Hahn, remember the plants and cats that were everywhere, and the front bar was like her living room. In fact it was her living room where she lived, leaving the rest of the sprawling old hotel to slowly deteriate.

There were a few lazy and slow decades before Walt and Gloria Carpenter came down from Woodbury in 1980, looking for a retirement project, and they liked sleepy little Strathmere.

Like the T-shirts say, “Where the hell is Strathmere?” is a good question. Officially it is located in Upper Township, Cape May County, but you can’t get here from there because its cut off from the rest of the Township by the bay waters and Sea Isle and Ocean Cities.

Sitting on the north end of the barrier island that also includes Sea Isle City and Townsend’s Inlet, the Deauville Inn stands out as Strathmere’s icon, a Victorian wonder that’s survived storms, the depression, wars and the ever changing fortunes of generations.

For Walt and Gloria and the Carpenter family it was a daunting task to renovate and give the old Willard Hotel a makeover. While Strathmere has no police department, it does have building codes, and convincing the inspectors that the place could be salvaged at all was as much of a challenge as actually restoring the place, which they did over the course of a few years.

Since Madelyn Weiss wouldn’t let me in that day when I came knocking, I was surprised to see the front door invitingly open one day in the spring of 1980. Gloria Carpenter invited me in and gave me a tour of the old hotel, showing me the casino room on the second floor that they made into a family quarters. Then there was the broken pipe on the top floor that leaked, for years, dripping through two floors and a ceiling.

Keeping the place open while they worked on it, they kept a cash flow going and utilized the expertise of their extended family and friends to restore the place, renovating the dining room, porch and enlarging the picture windows to better appreciate the bay views and sunsets.

Kenny Brown, who married Walt and Gloria’s daughter Linda, for many years ran the bar along with bartenders Jack Hahn and Frank DiStascio, all three former Ocean City firemen, so they know most of the locals and the locals know them.

Today most people come from all over just to go to the Deauville for its seafood, sunsets, drinks and entertainment on the deck, but in the fall, when the crowds thin out, the locals come back and the entertainment shifts from the deck to the dining room.

For many seasons, over a decade, Lew London performed on the deck and now he’s back as a guitarist with the Bubba Mac Band, one of the best bands at the Shore, who play the Deauville every Wednesday from 6-10 pm.

While the Deauville is the crown jewel of Strathmere, if you time yourself you might be lucky to find its neighbor Twisties open. Down the street about a block, just past the old Coast Guard Station, Twisties is another throwback in time, a rum runner’s bar that’s never been renovated (except for the bathrooms) and retains it 1920s style and motif.

Twisties too was once a Strathmere secret, but now the cat’s out of the bag and like the Deauville, its been rediscovered by a new generation.

Bubba Mac Blues Band

2011-07-23T17:55:00.000-07:00

Legendary Lew London, Danny Eyre - the human percolator and Herb "Bubba" Birch of the Bubba Mac Blues Band.

Herb Bubba Birch has brought together the best musicians at the Jersey Shore to play in his band, including guitarists Lou London, Danny Eyer, Richie Baker and Mike Conti, and with Chris Sooy on keys, and Terri Showers and Karen Logan-Graham on vocals, this is basically an All-Star Band.

They play three days a week - every Friday on the Baia deck in Somers Point (7-11), Reddings (1545 Pacific Ave.) in Atlantic City every Sunday (5-9) and every Wednesday on the Deauville Inn deck in Strathmere (6-10).

Where the Bands are July 22 - 28

2011-07-22T09:42:00.000-07:00

Edgardo Citron at Somers Point Beach Friday 7pm

WHERE THE BANDS ARE JULY 22 – 28

FRIDAY July 22

Edgardo Cintron Band with Dane Anthony Latin Sounds with a Tribute to Santana. At Somers Point Beach.

Bubba Mac Band - Baia Restaurant Bay Ave. Somers Point

Scream – Cabanas Cape May
Jumper - Carney’s Cape May
Elvis Costello – Borgata Events Center
Dionne Warwick – House of Blues – Showboat AC
Carl Behrens, Tru Bruddahs at Rusty Nail at Cape May.
Michael James – Harpoon Henry’s Cape May
Moe Fishbone – Harbor View Cape May
Patty and Bugsy and Soul Custody at Coconut Cove Wildwood
Sindi Raymond at Lighthouse Point Wildwood
Tommy Zito and Juliano Brothers at the Wharf Wildwood
Matt Kelly, Johathan Harwood and Jerry Smith at Westys Irish Pub in N. Wildwood
Grape Street Riot, Darin MacDonald, 52 Pickup at Windrift Avalon
Goodman Fiske at Jacks in Avalon
Pickles at The Rocking Chair in Avalon
Broken Strings at Buschs in Sea Isle City
Gene and Ryan, LeCompt at Springfield in Sea Isle City
Jim Maher & Son at Deauville Inn Strathmere
Dan Brown at Tun Tavern AC
Dionne Warwick at House of Blues Showboat AC

SATURDAY July 23

Another Tequila Sunrise (Eagles Tribute) Centennial Park Wildwood
Secret Service, Gypsy Wisdom, Dave Gustafson, Dennis Holmes at Windrift Avalon
Reflex – Boiler Room at Congress Hall Cape May
Dead Poets – Cabanas Cape May
Taste Buds – Carneys Cape May
Stage Pass – Harbor View Cape May
Beachcomber Bill – Harpoon Henrys Cape May
Gregg Carpener, John McNutt at Rusty Nail in Cape May.
Evolution and Cheers at Coconut Cove Wildwood
BLT Band at Lighthouse Point Wildwood
Sindi Raymond and Animal House at the Wharf in Wildwood
Sindi Raymond and boilermakers at Westys Irish Pub N. Wildwood
Larry McKenna at Buschs Sea Isle City
Please Please Me, Juliano Bros, Goodman Fiske at Springfield SIC
Mr. Greengenes at Jacks in Avalon
LeCompt at The Rocking Chair in Avalon
Jerry Blavat, the Boss w/ Hot Sauce spins oldies at Memories Margate.
Gin Bloosoms – House of Blues – Showboat AC
Howie Mandel – Borgata Music Box AC
Daniel Tosh – Borgata Events Center AC
Dark Star Orchestra - Hilton AC
Goo Goo Dolls, Michelle Branch - Trop AC
Lucky You and Tall Boys at Princeton in Avalon
Patrick Stoner at Tun Tavern AC
Goo Goo Dolls w/ Michelle Branch at Trop

SUNDAY July 24

Eddie Morgan Quintet plays Jazz at Ocean Ctly Library. 2 – 3:15 PM Part 2 of a three-part educational series – includes performance and discussion. The Music of Art Blakey with The Eddie Morgan Quintet Ocean City Public Library 1735 Simpson Ave., Ocean City, NJ 08226 609-399-2434 Free admission Somers Point Jazz Society

Bubba Mac Band - Reddings 1545 Pacific Ave., Atlantic City 5-9pm

Reggae Sunday at Rusty Nail in Cape May.
Animal House – Carneys Cape May
It’s a Sinatra Things – Harbor View Cape May
Big Romeo and Rockets at Coconut Cove Wildwood
Gary and the Kid at Lighthouse Point Wildwood
Matt Kelly and Greg Parker at Westys Irish Pub N. Wildwood.
The Chiclettes at Fox Park Amphitheaer Wildwood
Soul Cruisers, The Zone, Darin MacDonald, Long Miles at Windrift Avalon
Vince at The Rocking Chair in Avalon
Shes Trouble, Juliano Bros, LeCompt at Springfield Inn SIC

MONDAY July 25

Cyril Neville and Tribe 13. New Orleans legends. Kennedy Plaza. AC Boardwalk.
Billy Walton Band at Breezes in New Gretna
High Society at Centennial Park Wildwood
Nate Cwik at Rusty Nail in Cape May
Ann Oswald – Harpoon Henrys Cape May
Stellar Mojo at Lighthouse Point Wildwood
David Christopher Band at Coconut Cove Wildwood
Rob Lipkin at The Rocking Chair in Avalon
Mike LeCompt and Table Ten at Springfield Inn SIC
Patrick Stoner, Jim Bannach and karoke with Lori Kelly at Windrift Avalon

All Star Jam at Ocean Drive in SIC w/Laura Lea of Tripp Fabulous, Rick Artz from Love Seed Mama Jump, Brian Bortnick of The Brian Bortnick Band and Mike Thompson of Kirko

TUESDAY July 26

Sal Anthony – Harpoon Henrys Cape May
Joe Kozat at Rusty Nail in Cape May
Justin Steere, Gypsy Wisdom and Darin MacDonad at Windrift Avalon
Cyril Neville and Tribe 13. New Orleans legends. Kennedy Plaza. AC Boardwalk.
Red Garter Night at Coconut Cove Wildwood

WEDNESDAY July 27

Bubba Mac Band at The Deauville Inn Strathmere 6-10

Barynaya. Russian folk ensemble. Kennedy Plaza. AC Boardwalk.
Joe and Friends perform in the Piano Room at Steve & Cookies in Margate, where Phil Stocker also does a popular flashback tunes.
Barynaya. Russian folk ensemble. Kennedy Plaza. AC Boardwalk.
Secret Service at Ocean Drive in Sea Isle City.

THURSDAY July 28

Monnette Sudler Tony Day Quartet. First Lady of Guitar. CBB, Kennedy Plaza. AC

Lefty Lucy at Atlantic City Country Club
Joe and Friends Jam in the Piano Room at Steve & Cookies in Margate.
Jerry Blavat at Lighthouse Point Wildwood
Burnt Sienna at Ocean Drive Sea Isle City
Gary and the Kid at Deauville Inn Strathmere

Warren Zevon at Stockton (circa 1985)

2011-07-21T09:35:00.000-07:00

Twisties in Strathmere

2011-07-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

Twisties in Strathmere is one of the most legendary bars in New Jersey, mainly because it actually still exists, and pretty much intact, while most legendary bars have gone the way of the buffalo or dinasours.

You usually discover the Deauville Inn before you learn about Twisties.

The Deauville is a centuries old Victorian era Inn that sits on the south side of the inlet across from the barrier island of Ocean City. Because Ocean City has been a dry town with no liquor licenses, the closest towns of Somers Point, Egg Harbor Townshp and Strathmere all have bars and liquor stores right by the bridges to Ocean City from every direction. From the south there's the Deauville Inn, which has gone through a century of transformations.

Just down the side street, heading south along the bay, about a block and a half, across from the old Coast Guarde station, is Twistie's.

Owned by the local reaitor - Mr. Riordan, Twistie's for many years that stretched into decades, only opened for a few weeks a year, at the end of the summer, just so the bar could maintain its liquor license. It was closed 350 days a year, and you had to time youself if you wanted to experience the place when it was open.

Made of old wood, the bar extends from just to the left of the front door and around the back wall which has windows that look out onto the bay and the unblemished marsh landscape, other than the Parkway lights that run like a string of pearls across the scene.

It used to have an old mechanical jukebox that actually took quarters, and gave you three songs, and the whole place was sort of a throwback in time.

Other than the jukebox and the TV with sports on it, there was little sign that anything had changed in fifty years or more. On the south wall there were a dozen fish trophys, one of pretty much each kind you could find around here or Florida.

Running along the top of the panneling near the ceiling was a shelf with dozens of Indian head face carved coconuts that a previous owner had brought back with him from Florida, once each time he went.

Most of all Twisties was known to be a Rum Runners haven, even though it was just down the street from the Coast Guard station. There were no police in Strathmere or Sea Isle City for many years, and the State Police didn't want to come out this way, so the locals and visitors alike pretty much had to live in peace with one another. And that didn't seem to hard, at least for those who patronized Twisties and the Deauville.

Michael Tearson

2011-07-20T18:45:00.000-07:00

With Dion DiMucci at the Jukebox

2011-07-17T16:22:00.000-07:00

Dion DiMucci – The Wanderer Checks In

If you remember the Sixties they say, then you weren’t there. It’s a cliché that holds true, at least in part for Dion DiMucci.

The Wanderer, who is still married to his high school sweetheart, Runaround Sue, is still wandering and playing rock & roll, but the wonder years are a thing of the past, and mostly a blur in his memory banks that were shortcircuited by booze and drugs.

Dion, who had ten songs in the top ten charts in the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies, hasn’t had a drink or a taste of drugs since April 1, 1968, and hasn’t had a hit song since then either. He’s a survivor however, and he’s lived to tell the story of the heydays of rock & roll, at least what he remembers of them.

I caught up with Dion at the Island Highroller lounge, just off the Sands casino floor, shortly after a Labor Day weekend performance. Most people didn’t recognize him since he was wearing a baseball hat instead of his trademark floppy Andy cap. The Papparazi Queen noticed him though, tugged my arm and said, “There’s Dion over by the jukebox.”

Dion and the Belmonts – Dion’s original group of singers included Freddie Milano, Angelo D’Aleo and Carlo Mastrangelo, all kids from the hood – which in his case was centered around the corner of Crotona Avenue and 187th Street, near Belmont Avenue in the Bronx.

They fused a motley conglamoration of R&B, country, side walk acapella and doo-wop into a new stream of rock & roll. While most of the Belmonts drifted off into a jazzy acapella realm, Dion stuck with rock & roll.

Since I had him cornered I went up to the Juke Box and put some more money in and he looked at me as if to see if I wanted to fight, and then smiled. I introduced myself and he asked us to join them at his table.

Asked how it differs today from touring in the early days of rock & roll Dion said, “I think it’s difficult, sometimes for the later generations of rockers to appreciate a time when there were no rules, no expectations, no luxury busses, no stage monitors. We were just a bunch of street singers who were regarded by society as degenerate infidels, one small step away from jail or the gutter, you know? But it was a lot of fun because it was a very creative time. Rock & roll didn’t exist, since we were making it up as we went along. And it was very cool traveling with guys like Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran and Buddy Holly.”

He’s been on the road since he was 14 years old, playing honkeytonks, roadhouses, school auditoriums, arenas, concert halls and casinos. He was Bobby Daren’s roommate on one tour, and was with Buddy Holly, Frankie Vallens and the Big Bopper when they decided to get off the bus and rent a plane, but Dion didn’t have the $38 a seat.

“It was sub-zero degree weather and we didn’t have those beautiful luxury converted touring buses that we have today,” he recalls. “It was just a school bus, and we slept in the luggage racks, and it kept breaking down. I was supposed to be on the plane, we were recruiting people, the more people the less the fare would be, and when I found out it was $38, I bowed out. My parents were paying $38 a month rent in New York City at the time, and it was a lot of money.”

“I was baffeled. I was 19 at the tiem, Februray 1959, and we were riding on top of the world at the time, and the rug was pulled out from under me.”

Like Runaround Sue, there really was a Wanderer, a guy by the name of Jackie Burns. “He was a real character,” Dion explained, “a real guy with a lot of swagger. He had Flo tattooed on his left arm. When he broke up with Flo, he he had it covered with a panther, and then got a Mary tatoo, and had to cover that up with an elephant” and he kept going until he had to cover them all with a battleship. “I like writing about strong characters,” Dion quipped.

Besides a 1987 tribute concert at Madison Square Garden that featured Billy Joel, Paul Simon and Bruce, and a tribute album that features Brian Adams, Phil Spector and Patti Smyth, getting inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was his biggest thrill. “That meant a lot to me. It was a great night. I was inducted with Stevie Wonder, the Rolling Stones, the Temps and Otis Redding.”

“And to look out into the audience and see Sprigsteen, Bob Seeger, Paul Simon – they came there to honor me. It was a wonderful feeling.”

Does he ever get tired of the old songs? “Well, you know, it’s a funny thing. You’d think I’d be tired of them, but those particular songs, those hit records have become more valuable to me as time moves on. They mean more to mean, and I think they mean more to the people that come and see our shows. I see the response. We hold these songs in a very fond place in our hearts and I enjoy singing them today.”

I had bought a copy of his book at the concert, so I asked him if he would sign my copy of his book, and he was happy to oblige.

After telling him that “Runaround Sue” was one of the most popular songs on the Anchorage Tavern jukebox he looked up at me and smiled before writing, “To Bill Kelly and the gang at the Anchorage – Dion,”

He then wrote down September, and looked up and asked, “What year is this again?”

Dion opened the summer concert season at the Trump Plaza in May and will be at the NJPAC in Elizabeth on July 27 and at the Count Base Theater in Red Bank on July 31.

Also see: The Wanderer – Dion’s Story (Beech Tree Books, William Morrow Press, NY, 1988)

[Bill Kelly – billkelly3@gmail.com]

Mike Pedicin, Jr. Monday Nites at Sandi Point Loft

2011-07-14T12:14:00.000-07:00

Mike Pedicin, Jr. leads the jazz jam on sax Monday and every Monday night in the Loft at Sandi Point in Somers Point.

When he was a kid Mike used to play a toy sax at the feet of his father, the leader of the house band at the old Bay Shores nightclub. Mike Pedicin, Sr. had one hit song, "Shake A Hand," but he didn't like to travel to promote it, and just stayed around Somers Point and Philly area.

While his dad was early rock & roll and r & b, Mike, Jr. liked jazz, and traveled extensively with Dave Brubeck (Take Five) and other top flight acts before settling down in Atlatnic City where he ran his BayShores Music company and was entertainment director at the Trop casino.

Now he's promoting jazz in Somers Point, the Somers Point Jazz Society events (Blue Moon Summer Series), doing a jazz education program at the Ocean City Library and playing every Monday night in the loft at Sandi Point (formerlly Mac's).

Where the Bands are this Week July 15 - 21

2011-07-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

Where the Bands Are Week of July 15 – 21

BILLY WALTON - HOTEST GUITARIST AROUND - SOMERS POINT BEACH FRIDAY 7pm Free Concert!

Billy Walton's band is the hottest around at the moment. Billy has joined Southside Johnny as the Juke's lead guitarist, and if you were at the Ocean City Music Pier show you saw how good he standsout, and he's even better with his own band.

They have a good fan base in Merry Old England too, and tour there two or three times a year.

Catchem' while you can before they take off big time.

FRIDAY July 15

The Billy Walton Band: Searing rock guitarist on Somers Point Beach. 7 pm.

Danny Eyer, one of the few guitarist who gives Billy Walton some competition for the hotest licks around, plays with Ernie Trionfo at the Golden Inn Avalon from 3-7, then joins Bubba Mac at the Baia deck in Somers Point.

Bubba Mac Blues Band at Baia Twisted Italian Cuisine on Bay Ave. Somers Point. 7pm

Local legends Lew London and Chris Sooy play in the Piano Room at Steve & Cookies in Margate, where Tony Pontari also fills in on guitar.

George Mesterhazy the master at the piano at the Merion Inn in Cape May.

Scat man Frank Bey sings the blues down in the Boiler Room at Congress Hall in Cape May.

Carl Behrens, Tru Bruddahs at Rusty Nail in Cape May

Cape May Diamonds at Cabanas in Cape May

Shorty Long & The Jersey Horns at Jack's in Avalon.

Huey Lewis & the News – Tropicana AC

Interpol – Borgata Events Center

Drop Dead Sexy at the Princeton in Avalon.

Love & Braca at The Rocking Chair in Avalon.

Darin MacDonald, Amish Outlaws and Fester'n Funk at Windrift in Avalon.

SATURDAY July 16

Gene & Ryan, Juliano Bros, 2ndMajesty & Nameless Few at Sringfield Inn Sea Isle City

Jerry Blavat, the Geater at Memories in Margate 9 pm.

Steel Drums at Baia’s Deck in Somers Point 1pm

LeCompt at The Rocking Chair in Avalon.

Cape May Diamonds at Cabanas in Cape May

Laura LEa & Tripp Fabulous at Jack's in Avalon.

Gregg Carpenter and Twelve:01 at Rusty Nail

Billy D. Light in the Boiler Room at Congress Hall Cape May

Blackthorn, Dave Gustafston, Dennis Holmes at Windrift in Avalon.

Cletus McBride plays Irish at Kix in Sea Isle City

Secret Service at The Ocean Drive Sea Isle City

Meatloaf – Atlantic City Hilton

Jay Leno – Borgata Event Center

Straight No Chaser – Harrahs AC

A Bronx Tale – Caesars AC

Legends In Concert – Ballys Park Plac

Adam Corolla – Borgata Music Box

80s Flashback Tour – Tropicana

SUNDAY July 17

Hassan Abdulla Quintet Jazz. 2:00 – 3:15 PM Part 1 of a three-part educational series - includes performance and discussion focusing on some of the most important and influential saxophonists, trumpeters and pianists in the history of jazz. The Music of The Blue Note Years with The Hassan Abdullah Quintet. Ocean City Public Library 1735 Simpson Ave., Ocean City, NJ 609-399-2434 Free admission

Shorty Long and the Jersey Hornes at Cabanas in Cape May

She's Trouble, Juliano Bros and LeCompt at Springfield Inn Sea Isle City

Joe Mancini & Paula Johns perform in the Piano Room at Steve & Cookies in Margate, where The Potts (Jim Maher, tamara dement) also play their classic harmonic compositions.

Steel Drums from the Isands on the Baia deck in Somers Point. 1pm

Reggae Sunday at Rusty Nail in Cape May. Cort Farris & Steel Drums

Secret Service 4; Lost in Paris at Ocean Drive in SIC

Verdict plays Island Nite on the deck at Baia Twisted Italian (Old BayShores/Waterfront) Somers Point.

Reggae Sunday at Rusty Nail in Cape May 12:30 pm to 9 pm.
80s Flashback Tour – Tropicana AC

Rihanna – Borgata Events Center

MONDAY July 18

Dr. Cheeko Island music on the deck at Golden Nugget Marina AC.

July 18 – the Family Stone – Ocean City Music Pier. 8pm

The Tony Mart Allstar Band featuring Danny Eyer and others. Kennedy Plaza. AC

Jazz Saxman Mike Pedicin, Jr. in the Loft at Sandi Point, Shore Road, Somers Point.

Madeline Sandman sings while Bill McGrady tinkles the keys in the Piano Room at Steve & Cookies in Margate.

Lew London and Chris Sooy in the Piano Room at Steve & Cookies, Margate

Jazz piano 5:30 pm and Jazz Trio 8:30 pm at the Merion Inn

Nate Cwik at Rusty Nail in Cape May.

Ray Short at the Carousel Bar at Springfield Inn on the promenade Sea Isle City.

Mike LeCompt inside Springfield Inn

THE ALL STAR JAM at Ocean Drive w/ Laura Lea of Tripp, Rick Artz from Love Seed Mama Jump, Brian Bortnick of The Brian Bortnick Band, Mike Thompson of Kirko

Cletus McBride at O'Donnells Pour House Sea Isle City

TUESDAY July 19

Cletus McBride plays on Irish night at O'Donnells Pour House, Sea Isle City.

Dennis Holmes and Juliano Bros at Springfield Inn Sea Isle

Joe Kozat at Rusty Nail in Cape May 4:30 pm

WEDNESDAY July 20

Raggle Taggle Gypsy-Os. Traditional and modern Celtic music. Kennedy Plaza. AC

Carrie & John and Please Please Me at Springfield Inn Sea Isle

Joe and Friends perform in the Piano Room at Steve & Cookies in Margate, where Phil Stocker also does a popular flashback tunes.

Secret Service at Ocean Drive in Sea Isle City.

Wesley Ochs at Rusty Nail in Cape May 4:30

THURSDAY July 21

Left Lucy at the Atlantic City Country Club in Northfield.

Dave Gustafson on the Baia deck at Somers Point 6pm

Barbara Walker Eddie Morgan REK'D 4 Jazz. Chicken Bone Beach. Kennedy Plaza. AC

Joe and Friends Jam in the Piano Room at Steve & Cookies in Margate.

Marnie & Nate at Rusty Nail in Cape May 4:30

Sketch of Old Bay Shores

2011-07-12T17:44:00.000-07:00

Pen & Ink Sketch of Old Bay Shores By Nan Talese (Available for Sale)

Although I always went in the front door, sometimes bribing the doorman with a Mack & Manco's Pizza instead of paying a cover, Bobby Stone and others have told me that the best way to get into the Old Bay Shores was to go in by the bay, hop the fence and slip in around the wood railing onto the porch. And if you slipped you went into the bay.

This sketch by Nan Talese captures the view of the Old Bay Shores as you would see it from the Ocean City causeway bridge.

The Old Bay Shores

2011-07-12T17:43:00.000-07:00

The Old Bay Shores Photo by Roger Evory (Thanks for the memories Roger)

Off the Deck at the new Bay Shores

2011-07-12T17:42:00.001-07:00

Playing on the deck at Baia restaurant, on the dry side of the railing.

From off the Deck and into the Water at the New Bay Shores

It wasn't much of a story but it certainly is interesting, especially coming a few days after a Texas Ranger fan fell to his death reaching over a railing for a foul ball.

The ominous headline read:

Man Injured in fall from Waterfront restaurant deck in Somers Point.

Posted: Monday, July 11, 2011
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic/man-injured-in-fall-from-waterfront-restaurant-deck-in-somers/article_cef1e94a-abc3-11e0-b094-001cc4c002e0.html

By SARAH WATSON, Staff Writer

Somers Point, NJ. A Somers Point man was injured Sunday night after he fell over a railing at the Baia restaurant.

Lt. Michael Sweeney said that Somers Point police, fire and emergency medical crews arrived at the restaurant just before 11 p.m. and found that Larry Capua, 30, of Somers Point, had fallen about 12 feet down to the water. However, Sweeney said, it was low tide and there was only about 10 inches of water. Sweeney said Capua was alert and oriented, but taken to Shore Memorial Hospital with unknown injuries.

Thank you for that reports Sharon. Four clean, clear and crisp sentences that would have made Hemingway proud.

The Baia, if you believe everything you read on the internet, is an upscale radical Italian restaurant, actually called "Baia Twisted Italian Cuisine" - 998 Bay Ave. Somers Point, NJ 08244-2310, and is totally wired so you can Phone 609-926-9611 Fax: 609-926-6325, mapquest http://classic.mapquest.com/maps?city=Somers+Point&state=NJ and facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Verdictisin/343991341450

But for those who need a GPS and are uninitiated to Somers Point, the Baia restaurant is the Old Waterfront, built on the site of the legendary Bay Shores nightclub, and Sunday night is Island Nite, the best night of the week to be there, a decades long tradition that keeps on dancing.

While some other bands liven the place up on other nights of the week, Sunday night is Island Nite, and what used to be Bay Shores and Waterfront Deck continues to be an island reggae dance party that really rocks and sometimes gets out of hand.

While the story was short, the Press of Atlantic City readers contributed some eyewitness reports and analysis that indicated how interesting the story really is.

Among the Reader's Response:

Dominic Russo • Intern at Metro Commute wrote: "He didn't fall, I saw it happen from 10 feet away. I was at a table when he pulled off his shirt, moved a table by the end of the deck, yelled some nonesense, ran and jumped headfirst over the railing. restaurant isn't at fault. this newspaper is a joke and needs to learn how to get their facts straight."

Daniel Horn • Psi Institute: "My wife fell over a missing railing, they had removed it, 'because it ruined the view'."

Chris Sutton-DogTrainer • Friends with (Somers Point Mayor) Jack Glasser - "What about personal responsibility? How many people have NOT fallen over the railings compared to those who have?"

Joann Barnett Norton • Works at East Penn School District - "Sounds like another crazy weekender...."

Indeed Joann, it does sound like a crazy Weekend Warrior, but the story says he's a local Somers Point guy, and it appears that he is.

In any case, he wasn't there for the food, which they say is good, and self-described
by Ed BOnsignore, Jr and Sean Weinberg as "traditional Italian cuisine as well as an eclectic flair an flavor."

The band, Verdict, who describe themselves as having "...been rocking the house from venues as varied as the fabled Stone Pony in Asbury Park to the NFL Owners Meeting at the Super Bowl in Miami. Their polished energy has been fed from the wide ranging experiences of jamming with Chaka Khan and Stevie Wonder (what a surreal moment to have Johnny whispering the lyrics to Marley’s “Waiting in Vain” in Stevie’s ear since he didn’t know the second verse by heart), to performing “Stir it Up” and Chick Corea’s “Spain” with Prince Ali of Iran sitting in on drums."

"Their passion is colored by opening for legends such as Sting and Madonna at the Gianni Versace memorial concert, to running for their lives as a near riot breaks out at a block party in Bensonhurst. The band’s undeniable talent brought this American based band the honor of performing at Carnival in Trinidad, appearances on network TV, and even a junket entertaining the legions of the Republican National Committee."

"The story continues as does their unending quest to play the transcendent jam, create the perfect moment, and revel in the shared experience with you, the fans. Be there where the next chapter is written in the Verdict odyssey."

Verdict has been rocking the deck at the Point now for many years, since at least when it was called the Waterfront, the first incarnation after the Bay Shores era (1920s-1980s).

The Bay Shores was purchased by attorney Harris Berman, who also bought and raised Tony Marts across the street. In place of Bay Shores Berman built the Waterfront resturant and where Tony Marts used to be he built Egos Disco.

Berman then sold the Waterfront to real estate guru Jay Lamont, and Egos to someone who renamed it Crazy Janes before it became Key West, and then went to the guys who owned the Brownies chain of college bars in suburban Philly. Dr. Ira Trocki bought the distressed Brownies property and moved the liquor license down the street to the old Ernie's Marina that John Mayer had gone broke fixing up. The old Egos building now sits empty and boarded up.

Eventually Jay Lamont sold the Waterfront and it changed names a few times too, and if anybody can remember them all, I will die happy, but the most recent one before Baia was Marty Grimes' The Inlet.

While it was Inlet, Rebecca Grite visited the place and named Verdict "The Band of the Week" for her story (in the Press of AC) that you can read in full here: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/ats/night_life/article_c5d5f04d-5c19-5971-98b6-7331def20635.html.

"If you're looking for the verdict on great live entertainment guaranteed to get you into a summertime mood," Rebecca reports, "then you're looking for a night out with The Verdict, a Caribbean-style band that performs live every Sunday this summer, at the Rum Runner Bar, The Inlet at 988 Bay Ave. in Somers Point."

She quotes drummer Johnny Youth as saying, "The Verdict is good at working a crowd. We have dance moves that we tell the crowd to do, and we get everybody going."

"People in the past have called us a reggae band, but we're really more of a Caribbean band," he says. "We touch on all the islands of the Caribbean. Our sound is very conducive to dancing; we'll have a slow reggae song, but we'll pick it up to be high-tempo with the Latin and soca, so there's something there for everyone."

Originally out of Jamaica, that's Jamaica, New York, they describe themselves as a real Caribbean band that mixes the genres of reggae, Latin and soca, a blend of soul and calypso.

"Southern New Jersey is great," Youth says. "When you play this part of New Jersey, you get more people from different parts of the Northeast - you get Philly people, you get people from different parts of Pennsylvania, which is good to broaden our fanbase. New Jersey has great crowds, and in the summer, they're always dancing. They let us do what we come to do - have fun."

Besides Youth, a real Jersey Guy on drums and lead vocals, there's Parry Jack from St. Vincent on keyboards, Raga from Trinidad plays guitar and sings, Panamanian Marcelino Thompson plays bass and sings, and Matt Elison plays congas.

One of Verdict's more popular songs is "Summertime Again," which is available on the internet on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShSuRFFdRBs, and you can hook up with them at their web site www.verdictisin.com, or on MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/verdictisin or facebook www.facebook.com/verdictisin.

But Before there was Verdict, there was Dr. Cheeko, the band that started Island Nite on Sunday Nite at the Waterfront.

Verdict Caribbean Band

2011-07-12T17:41:00.000-07:00

Verdict has been rocking the house from venues as varied as the fabled Stone Pony in Asbury Park to the NFL Owners Meeting at the Super Bowl in Miami. Their polished energy has been fed from the wide ranging experiences of jamming with Chaka Khan and Stevie Wonder (what a surreal moment to have Johnny whispering the lyrics to Marley’s “Waiting in Vain” in Stevie’s ear since he didn’t know the second verse by heart), to performing “Stir it Up” and Chick Corea’s “Spain” with Prince Ali of Iran sitting in on drums.

Their passion is colored by opening for legends such as Sting and Madonna at the Gianni Versace memorial concert, to running for their lives as a near riot breaks out at a block party in Bensonhurst. The band’s undeniable talent brought this American based band the honor of performing at Carnival in Trinidad, appearances on network TV, and even a junket entertaining the legions of the Republican National Committee.

The story continues as does their unending quest to play the transcendent jam, create the perfect moment, and revel in the shared experience with you, the fans. Be there where the next chapter is written in the Verdict odyssey.

Visit us on Facebook and become a fan

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Verdictisin/343991341450

Band Of The Week: The Verdict
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/ats/night_life/article_c5d5f04d-5c19-5971-98b6-7331def20635.html

Story by Rebecca Grites,

If you're looking for the verdict on great live entertainment guaranteed to get you into a summertime mood, then you're looking for a night out with The Verdict, a Caribbean-style band that performs live Sunday, June 13, and every Sunday this summer, at the Rum Runner Bar, located inside The Inlet at 988 Bay Ave. in Somers Point.

"The Verdict is good at working a crowd," says Johnny Youth, drummer and lead vocalist for the band. "We have dance moves that we tell the crowd to do, and we get everybody going."

Youth describes The Verdict as a real Caribbean band, as it mixes the genres of reggae, Latin and soca, a blend of soul and calypso.

"People in the past have called us a reggae band, but we're really more of a Caribbean band," he says. "We touch on all the islands of the Caribbean. Our sound is very conducive to dancing; we'll have a slow reggae song, but we'll pick it up to be high-tempo with the Latin and soca, so there's something there for everyone."

The Verdict formed approximately seven years ago in New York City. Though it saw fame in The Big Apple, its members preferred to play shore towns, especially those in southern New Jersey.

"Southern New Jersey is great," Youth says. "When you play this part of New Jersey, you get more people from different parts of the Northeast - you get Philly people, you get people from different parts of Pennsylvania, which is good to broaden our fanbase. New Jersey has great crowds, and in the summer, they're always dancing. They let us do what we come to do - have fun."

Be a part of all that fun at the Rum Runner Bar every Sunday throughout the summer at 7 p.m. Call the Rum Runner Bar at 609-926-9611.

Roster: Johnny Youth, drums, lead vocals; Parry Jack, keyboards, lead vocals; Raga, guitar and vocals; Marcelino Thompson, bass and vocals. Youth also hails Matt Elison as an honorary member of the band; he plays congas with the band at The Inlet in Somers Point.

What To Expect: The Verdict is known for its Caribbean sound, which mixes strains of reggae, soca and Latin. Youth hopes all newcomers to The Inlet will have as much fun as the band members did for their kick-off show Memorial Day Weekend. "The Inlet is just great," he says. "It was a beautiful night. We had a great crowd, and it just started off with a real bang. We want to keep it going, keep it successful."

Originals: "We have three original CDs," Youth says. "We also put out a couple of CDs with cover songs, but most of the cover music is Caribbean. So, if you're into that, you'd be familiar with those covers, but we also do a lot of American music in an island style." The band's most recent release, "Summertime Again," came out approximately two years ago, and they are currently working on another album.

Fan favorites: "We always play 'The Dollar Wine,' but we bump that one up a notch, and we like to work a crowd," Youth says. "We'll do some rock songs in reggae style, and our fans also really like when we play 'Suavemente,' which is a Puerto Rican song by Elvis Crespo. Our best original tune is 'Summertime Again.' We do that at every show because of how much people love that song."

Fun Fact: Youth, who hails from New Jersey, links the band's eclectic roots to why its sound is so distinct, fun and unique. "Perry is from St. Vincent, Raga is from Trinidad, and Marcelino is from Panama," he reveals. "So together, all that music, all those lifestyles, they create our sound."

Claim To Fame: "We did the NFL Owners Meeting at the Super Bowl," Youth begins. "We were playing once in Manhattan, and who walks in but Stevie Wonder, and he jammed with us. We've played shows for Sting and Madonna. We performed at Carnival in Trinidad, and we've been down to the islands many times to play."

Websites: www.verdictisin.com, www.facebook.com/verdictisin, www.myspace.com/verdictisin. You can also check out The Verdict on www.reverbnation.com.

Go See Them: 7 p.m. Sundays throughout the summer at the Rum Runner Bar, located inside The Inlet at 988 Bay Ave. in Somers Point. Call the Rum Runner at 609-926-9611.

http://www.myspace.com/verdictisin

YouTube Summer Time Again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShSuRFFdRBs

At KatmanDu Trenton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luGBh01ISTM

Dr. Cheeko Band

2011-07-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

Dr. Cheeko Dr. Cheeko has been playing music all his life. He came from the Islands to Miami and landed in New Jersey fifteen years ago. His showmanship has kept fans coming back time and time again receiving enthusiastic receptions in the US, Europe and South America.

http://www.drcheekoislandsoul.com/band.cfm

Frankie has been with Dr. Cheeko for eleven years now. Originally from the Bahamas, his working credits include the Talking Heads, Iron Maiden, Reggae artists Sly and Robbie, just to name a few. His silky smooth voice is unmistakable.

Jimmy has been with Dr Cheeko for six years. He was on tour with Patti Labelle for four years, and has played in several Broadway shows. His sax and keyboard playing keeps the R&B end of the show kicking.

Timmy has been with Dr. Cheeko for five years. He was on tour with Patti Labelle for five years prior to joining the band. He plays a variety of instruments adding diversity to the band. His first love of percussion brings the excitement of rhythm to the people's feet.

Steve has been playing with Dr. Cheeko for twelve years. Prior to that he was the leader of the popular funk band the Redtones. His sizzling guitar playing brings the band full circle for the complete party atmosphere

Vido - http://www.drcheekoislandsoul.com/cheeko/index.cfm

July Golden Nugget deck every Monday

Tartelli’s every Sunday and Tuesday, Friday and Saturday

Dr. Cheeko Hams it up Philly Phan

2011-07-12T17:39:00.002-07:00

While Island Nite on Sundays at Baia Twisted Italian Cusine deck is still going strong, Island Nite actually originated down the street at the Med, which was a diner up front and a nightclub in the back and is now a furniture store.

It all began in the late 1980s, the year the Challenger Space Shuttle blew up on launching is how I remember it, whatever year that was.

I lived in Cape May Point at the time, and often went to Wildwood to see the bands, and one day I checked out the Hawaiian act on the deck on the waterfront right there as you come into town on the main drag. They weren't very enticing, so stopped in the nearby Pegleg Lounge, a motel bar where the marque sign said Dr. Chico was playing.

It was a small, windowless airconditioned joint with fake plastic palm trees and fancy drinks, and the band was a tight trio of drums, keyboards and guitar.

Dr. Chico was on drums, and I liked their rhythms and sound.

When they finished their set, I talked with Chico, who said the band originally began in Florida, and used to play on the deck but were relegated to the motel bar when the Hawaiian act came in. "They're not really Hawaiian," Chico confined to me, "but they're from Somoa," and he suggested that I expose them in story.

I told him I'd rather write about him, and thought that they deserved a lot better than playing in a motel bar in Wildwood, and wrote them up in my Nightbeat column in the SandPaper.

After the summer was over, we hooked up again, and Chico said they were out of work, so I went to Somers Point and made a deal with Tino, the owner of the Mediterranean Lounge on MacArthur Blvd., to open their nightclub on Monday nights, their worst night of the week. They were usually closed on Mondays during the winter, so we were trying something new.

We called it Island Nite, and put up posters all over the place, I did a column on it as a preview and Rick the publisher gave us a quarter page free ad and we encouraged people to dress in their island shirts and promoted a limbo contest.

We also had to charge a cover of $3 since Tino the Med owner wouldn't pay us anything, and my brother Leo sat by the door to take the money, but when showtime came, only a few people had showed up.

I thought it was going to be a disaster, and went up to the diner to get a cup of coffee, and sulk for awhile. When I heard Chico playing Bob Marley's "Everything's Gonna Be Alright," I got up and went back and found the room hopping, the dance floor was full and people were streaming in. Allright!

Island Nite was especially popular with the girls, who wore flower print dresses and did the limbo contest.

Island Nite became an every Monday night thing after that, and Tino started rewarding the band with a few free drinks and an occasional meal.

Then in February I got a call from my old friend Mike Rafferty from Mack & Manco days on the OC boardwalk, and he was trying to book the Wolftones Irish band for St. Patrick's Day week. Tino balked at their price tag, but I said we could make it up at the door charing $10 a head. Pete, the owner of the Tuckahoe Inn, offered to give the Wolftones a free meal at his place, and we decided to book them.

The place filled up quickly and was wall to wall with people eating and drinking but we were still a few hundred short of what they wanted and the band wouldn't go on until they were paid, but Tino was making so much money on the booze he broke down and gave them the ballance out of the till.

It was pretty raucus night, as the band played three great sets and every Irishman in South Jersey was there, including a lot of Atlantic City politicians, and everybody was doing Irish whisky and dancing on tables, some of which crashed to the floor, but Tino didn't care, he was making more money than he ever made in one night.

Then it was back to the more sedate Island Nite, which lasted that whole winter, and we were going to go into the summer too, but Dr. Chico was lured away by more money from the Waterfront. I forget whether it was Harris Berman, Esq., the orignal owner, or Jay Lamont, who bought it from Berman, but whoever it was, they offered Chico more money than he was making at the Med and he took it.

And they moved Island Nite to Sundays, to keep the weekend going another night.

Around that time, Kenny, the guitarist, moved to San Diego, California. I knew Chico was from the islands and played in the band in Florida, but I didn't believe him when Kenny told me he was from Jamacia. He was too white, and I later learned he was from Vineland, but that was okay. He could play guitar and had a smooth voice, ran the limo contests and all the girls liked him.

I forget the keyboard players name, but he had a girlfriend who was always there, and was pretty decent at being able to pick up new songs.

But then when Kenny went to San Diego, he started a band out there that he also called Dr. Chico with the Island sounds. When I was in San Diego to see the America's Cup sailboat races one year, I saw he was playing nearby and checked them out. They were doing pretty much the same songs though they added a little Spanish Mexican twist.

So I suggested that he change his name, so not to be confused with the San Diego Dr. Chico, and call himself Dr. Cheeko, which seemed to work for him.

Dr. Cheeko's Island Nite at the Waterfront was very successful, but when Cheeko asked for a raise, they got another reggae band to replace them, and eventually brought in Verdict, the fine band that continues the Island Nite tradition.

It didn't take long for Dr. Cheeko to find some other gigs, and with a new band behind him he found a strong fan base along the north Jersey Shore and in Atlantic City, where the Dr. Cheeko band performs at Martelli's Tiki Bar in Bayville, every Sunday and Tuesday and at the new Golden Nugget Marina in AC every Monday.

http://www.drcheekoislandsoul.com/calendar1.cfm

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Doctor-Cheeko-Band/278956159432?sk=info

http://www.martellswatersedge.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Martells-Waters-Edge/167978896513?ref=nf

Dr. Cheeko on percussion and vocals

2011-07-12T17:39:00.001-07:00

Steve May on Guitar

2011-07-12T17:38:00.000-07:00

Steve May, the master of the Stratocaster, used to play with the Redtones, who sometimes opened for Dr. Cheeko's band at the Med when we started Island nite there on Monday nights.

Steve's licks can be clearly seen and heard on the video that's on line

http://www.drcheekoislandsoul.com/cheeko/index.cfm

The Dunes Sketch

2011-07-09T10:57:00.001-07:00

The Dunes Nightclub - EHT NJ

2011-07-09T10:50:00.000-07:00

The Dunes was located at the point intersection where the road to Ocean City and Somers Point converged with Longport Blvd. in Egg Harbor Township, and had 24 hour liquor licenses at the time, while bars in Somers Point closed at 3 am, with music over at 2am.

Built by John McCann, Sr. and Dick McLain, the motto was "Dunes Til' Dawn'

It was also the scene of the murder of Harry Anglemeyer - the Copper Kettle Fudge King.

Tito Mambo and the Messiahs of Soul

2011-07-09T10:09:00.000-07:00

I love reading these posts on the Somers Point Clubs. I was the sax player for Tito Mambo & the Messiahs of Soul. We worked in the mid 60's at both Bayshores & the Dunes. As with the other posters here, I remember those times as some of the best. Great life for a young guy. Played every night/after hours/wknd afternoon sessions. Weight trained with bouncer Guy Borelli from Bayshores, Slept on the beach, ate lunch at the College Grill, & worked. Our band consisted of Tito/Vocals, BJ Stone/B3, Dick Sequino/Guitar, Paul Nunes/Drums, & Diz Lee & Saul Shocket/Tenor Saxes. This group was loaded with talent & it was an honor to work with them, especially Diz.

Saul Selitetrng If anyone out there remembers any of these names, please feel free to email me @ saulselitetrng@aol.com

While Tito Mambo was a little before my time, he was described as one of the most eccentric performers to ever play the Point by everyone who saw him.

The legendary Vince Rennich, former Bay Shores bartender, said that Tito Mambo was one of the first hippies and actually before his time, dressed with long hair and looked like Jesus Christ. He even did a Jesus Chris act by trying to walk on water once, and also was carried into the bar in a coffin and rose from the dead.

At the end of one summer he bought, at discount, one of the convertibles used to ride Miss Americas down the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

Kurt Loder recalled him and actually mentioned him in a story in Rolling Stone sometime in the late 70s or early 80s. Kurt told me how he got a phone call from Tito Mambo, who said he was in a motel in the desert somewhere in the Southwest.

I had also heard that he had done time for murder, and died after he got out of jail.

Maybe Saul can fill us in on what became of Tito Mambo after he left Bay Shores and Somers Point.

Rock and Roll Reminiscences

2011-07-08T07:42:00.000-07:00

ROCK & ROLL REMINISCENCES

Bill,
I love reading these posts on the Somers Point Clubs. I was the sax player for Tito Mambo & the Messiahs of Soul. We worked in the mid 60's at both Bayshores & the Dunes. As with the other posters here, I remember those times as some of the best. Great life for a young guy. Played every night/after hours/wknd afternoon sessions. Weight trained with bouncer Guy Borelli from Bayshores, Slept on the beach, ate lunch at the College Grill, & worked. Our band consisted of Tito/Vocals, BJ Stone/B3, Dick Sequino/Guitar, Paul Nunes/Drums, & Diz Lee & Saul Shocket/Tenor Saxes. This group was loaded with talent & it was an honor to work with them, especially Diz.

Saul Selitetrng - If anyone out there remembers any of these names, please feel free to email me @ saulselitetrng@aol.com

Joe Cerisano wrote:
Amazing. I was sitting here watching tv with my laptop and I typed in bayshore cafe somers point nj and got this blog. My name is Joe Cerisano and I sang with JB and the Bonnevilles. We were from Morgantown WV but every summer we'd come to Bayshores and play the whole summer. In 1968 it was me, Malcom, Dave Coombs, Jay Amentrout and I forget the guitarist's name. I was 17 at the time. Dave and Rita Coombs had to be my legal guardian so I could sing in the club. Caswell was on the front stage and we were on the back stage. Casewell was one of my main infulences. I talk to him once in a while. I also remember going out to the Dunes every night to see Ray Sharp. I could write a book about that summer being 17, hanging out with all the older guys. To say the least I learned a lot. I remember going over to Tony Marts on breaks to see the other groups. I went on to do pretty well in the music biz. Here's my website. www.cerisano.com you might get a kick seein' what it all led too. Anyway, to anyone who was there back then and remembers the Bonneviles there are a couple of neat photos of the band on my website.

Hello Bill,
I was the organ player for the Bonnevilles at Bayshores during the summers of 1968 and 1969. We were on the back stage and Johnny Caswell and the Crystal Mansion were on the front side stage. I'd like to compare notes... I enjoy reading events from the past. "The Good Ole Days". When I think of Tony Mart's I think of how hot it was on those humid summer days when the beer and liquor trucks were the only things moving, unloading there goods. We were meeting and listening to the latest "guest bands" practice during mid day getting ready for there week or two week long stint at Tony Mart's.

We, the Bonnevilles, a couple days a week, would be working on new songs across the street and would go to Coaches Corner, The Anchorage, Gregory's or the Point Diner for lunch then hang out back at the clubs. Really not much happening this time of day. Just hot and humid, empty parking lots, with the smell of the bay at low tide in the air. Cleaning crews and beer trucks moving about. Bar stools upside down on the bars so the floors could be cleaned. Dempsy Dumpsters full of broken bottles waiting to be emptied. The bar tenders would show up around 5pm or so preparing their areas for the night's festivities. Norman, the manager, would be there too. Bill, the Bayshores security guard who checked I.D.'s at the front door, and the bouncers would show up around 7pm. After that the whole area started to buzz. By 10pm it was going strong. Three sets to go, 2 sets, 1 set, let's go to the Dunes. "Til dawn" meant til after dawn. The Dunes had double door entryways, and 4X8 hinged pieces of plywood to swing down to cover the windows just before dawn. If you couldn't see it get light outside, you would stay longer. No idea what time it was, and really didn't care. Oh " the Good Ole Days". More later.
Joe. jdrcrj@bellsouth.net

cappie said...
I was the keyboard player, (Hammond organ), with Ruby Falls and the Rock City Band. The first summer, we were booked at Tony Marts. After the first night he fired us because he said that he didn't like Barbara, (Ruby) jumping up and down like a rabbit. Mcann let us play for him at Dunes and we got the house band gig for that summer. The next Summer, he hired us for Bayshores and we played on the back stage over the water while Malcolm and Hereafter played on the side stage. Ruby was married to our guitar player and the band folded when she and Malcolm got together. Yep, 7 nights a week with a jam on Sunday. What a trip!

Ray Sharp wrote: Hi Bill,
I was just reading your blog about Somers Point, NJ. I played Bayshores and the Dunes for several summers in the late 60s. The Dunes was 100 days in a row, 30 min on 30 min off two bands. My Name is Ray Sharp and my band was the Soul Set. Malcomb and Ruby live in NYC. They are school teachers. Johnny Caswell is in La. He has a Audio Co and a huge rehearsal facility where you can rehearse and record and video your work. He does the sound for live concerts and TV shows. Paul Lorenzo that was the manager of the Anchorage owns a club in Fort Lauderdale call Cheers. Just thought I would bring you up to date on some of the old crowd. Somers Point has a place in my heart. Great place to spend your summers. Great memories and good times.

Ray Sharp
bata@newwavecomm.net

Bill,
An employee I work with, brought me the Sandpaper Nightbeat article about the original Bayshores. He knew it would be of interest to me because I had told him about my band playing there from 1962 to 1964 before I went into the Navy. Our four piece group was called the Searchers. We were all local kids that got a chance to play opposite groups like Mike Pedicin, Teto Mambo, Joey "D" and the Starlighters, and Bill Haley and the Comets. Easter weekend was the start of summer for us. We played well enough to hold the early afternoon crowds until the big named bands came on. We did well enough that the management kept us on through the summer as the alternate band. During breaks, we would run across the street to Tony Marts and enter the weekly talent contest until someone caught on.

My summer day job was just as exciting. I worked morning shift at the arcade next-door to Bayshores making breakfast/lunch for the band members like Dwayne Eddy etc. What a thrill!!! Our group also played dinner music at the Sandpiper restaurant next to the Dunes. from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. We would pack up our equipment and rush to Bayshores. Once 2:00 AM rolled around, we packed up again and headed for the Dunes (open 23 hours a day). They closed 1 hour to clean. All the groups would be there and we would jam together (no charge to the patrons) What a routine! If I had the money, I would re-establish that great time again in the same location. Yes, the crowd would be older, but I bet we could still party like we did.

Michael W. De Wees Lead Engineer IDS

Hey Bill,
I heard about you when I did a Google search on Bayshores Somers Point. Came up with "The Night Beat". My name is Joe "Sonny" Romino. I played with The Bonnevilles, (formerly J.B. and the Bonnevilles when John Borrell was the front man) in 1964 as a drummer, and as a keyboard player, Hammond B3, from June 1968 to October 1969, including two summers at Bayshores and over the July 4th weekends at The Dunes.

We would play 102 straight nights and afternoons on Saturdays and Sundays. A couple of times each summer we would trailer up to Philadelphia to do the Jerry Blavitt Show. We were out of Morgantown, West Virginia and Malcolm Swisher, front man vocals and guitar, Dave Coombs bass player and band leader, drummer Jay Armentrout and myself attended WVU. Other members included Nick Nicholas, lead guitar from Ventnor, NJ and Joe Cerisano, (now a recording artist who sang with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra), guitar and vocals.

We'd come back for Easter weekends each year until the start of the summer contract around Memorial Day. The rest of the time we played around Morgantown and traveled into Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Kentucky. Dave Coombs became a motorcross enthusiast and sponsored motorcycle races up and down the East Coast and published a nationwide motorcross magazine. Two of his children became attorneys, and his son Davey Coombs is an ESPN anaylist for Motorcross. Dave passed away about 10 years ago.

Malcolm was a New York City Central Park mounted policeman last I heard, and Nick Nicholas was a US Postal Service mail carrier still in the Atlantic City/ Ventnor area. Jay Armentrout had a music store in Richmond Virginia.

When at Somers Point the summer of "69", I didn't have anything to do during the day so I took flying lessons at Southern Jersey Airways at the Ocean City airport. I was drafted in October 1969 and ended up at Fort Bragg, NC. Got out in September 1969. Became a pilot with the Allegheny Airlines Commuter and then an air traffic controller for 22 years.Those two summers at Bayshores were the best.

Between Tony Marts and Bayshores the view from the back stage was just a sea of heads from the front of the stage, across the bars through Bayshores, through the parking lot , and across the street to the front door of Tony Marts from the 4th of July until Labor Day. It was like one happy carnival.

We started playing the first set at 8pm. Forty five minutes on. Forty five minutes off. Then it was 30 on, 30 off, continuous music across the stages. Once the break song started the other band would pick it up, and the first band would stop. We would end at 1 am and Johnny Caswell and the Crystal Mansion at 1:30 am. Then we'd head to the Dunes to have a beer and relax. I always liked to listen to some of the other bands that were playing in the area-Mother loade from Canada at Tony Marts, People of the Night at Anastasia's in Atlantic City.

I remember Norman the Bay Shores manager, Wayne the young man who was disabled and I believe now works at the Somers Point golf course as a cart man, and so many more. I remember the good times there. They were the best. The sights, the sounds, the smells (especially when the tide was out), the heat and the humidity from the back stage that hung out over the bay. These are memories I will never forget. I will cherish them forever. – Joe

Joyce said...
I tended bar at Bay Shores, Tony Mart and the Dunes...also Maloney's Pub in Margate...good times.

Kurt wrote: I spent years at all the Summer Point clubs in the late 60s and early 70s. They are memories that will never leave me. Pure fun. As much hell raisin we believed we made it was innocent compared to the insane America we now live in. Does anyone have any pictures to post of the clubs and the bands? Interior shots. I did have some pictures because I had friends who played in bands in both Bayshores and Tony Marts and I had shots of Ruby Fall and the Rock City Band when Malcolm was on stage and they where doing tunes together. After a few moves over the many years I have lost the pictures. Yes I woke up in the Dunes parking lot more then once and can’t remember how I made it across the 9th. street bridge.
Kurt Saldutti

Barbara wrote:
I was just reading the blog about BayShores in Somers Point. In 1967 or so, I was the girlfriend of Jerry Antonelli who was the bassist for Hereafter. I lived in Harrisburg, PA and would make that long trip from Hbg to Somers Point every weekend of the summer. At that time the band consisted of Jerry Antonelli, Malcolm, later Barbara (Ruby), Jay Armentrout (percussion), Jimmie somebody who was an awesome guitar player on Fender Stratocaster, Michael Abramson (vocals), Bob (Robert) Martin (organ), who later went to California to pursue his illustrious music career and was in Frank Zappa's group. I forget who the other band members were, excuse me, but age and events took a lot of memories out of my head. LOL.. Fat Rabbit, played at the Dunes, circa 1967-68, was an earlier group with some of the Hereafter members. John Opatkowitz was the drummer. Bob Martin (organ, sax, you name it), Jerry Antonelli on bass, etc.

I know we had so much fun, and I don't know how I managed to get back to Harrisburg in time for Monday at 8am for work, but I did. Youth allows us to do that!!
I lived through it.. OH I remember 10 for a buck at the Anchorage... Sunday jam sessions in Margate... Circle Diner where I watched in amazement when a guy fell into his mashed potatoes after a night of drinking. Lots of laughs!!
Barbara Eberly, Florida

Hello,
My name is James Monk who, in 1967, was a waiter at Russo's Gingham Club at Ottens Harbor in Wildwood. My roomates were fellow students at WVU in Morgantown, WV. One of my roomates in WV was Harry "the squirrel" Fuller....drummer for JB and the Bonnevilles. He had made enough money working Somers Point and the dunes that he bought a BRG Austin Healey 3000 mit cash. I recollect with great precision the memories of summer 1967, the only summer I spent in Jersey, listening to the Bonnevilles and the Monkey Men. I was a scant 3 months from my 21st B-day but the fake ID sufficed. The dead cat hanging on a coathanger from the Monkey Mens bassist Fender neck is burned sharply into my brain. Johnny Burrell, who as I recollect was a glass blower near Morgantown was a handsome man with a very good voice. I lived in Aspen , Co. for the next ten years and have been in Chicago for ensueing 3 decades.......I have not heard such awesome energetic music since I left New jersey.

Joe Cerisano wrote,
Hey Monk, Joe cerisano here. I remember Harry real well. He was a great drummer and a really good guy. The one thing that stuck in my mind the first time I said him play was the painting on his bass drum head. It was a Hot Rod with the Bonnevilles written on it. He was the drummer when I first started singing with the group when they came back to Morgantown that fall of 67. I wasn't officially in the group until that following April but Dave Coombs the leader said I could come down from Fairmont and sing with the band on Friday afternoons whenever I wanted. It's funny how I found out that JB was leaving. Come to find out he was my 3 third cousin and my grandmother told me about him. So I just picked up the phone and called Dave Coombs. When told him I could sing. When he asked me how old I was. When I said 16 I could hear him laugh a little but said he still wanted to hear me sing. So the following Weds I went down to the Haunted House where they were playing with my mom and sang "Hold On I'm Comin". When they took a break Dave brought us to the band room. He had a big smile on his face and said "You can sing!"- that's when he invited me to come down and sing anytime I wanted.

One thing lead to another and I was asked to join the group in April 68. I has just turned 17. As I said, Harry was leaving so he sold me all his three piece suits which I had to have altered. I'm sure you remember that The Bonneviles had suits for every night of the week. I remember hearing about Sam Allen and the Monkey Men! I never saw them but they were a legend the summer of 68 at Bayshores. We play opposite Johnny Caswell and the Secrets which became the Crystal Mansion. Because of The Bonnevilles I took the long road and ended up in Central NJ by way of LA then NYC. Sill singing and did ok.. At least I'm still alive and kickin'. www.cerisano.com

Cappie wrote:
I was the keyboard player, (Hammond organ), with Ruby Falls and the Rock City Band. The first summer, we were booked at Tony Marts. After the first night he fired us because he said that he didn't like Barbara, (Ruby) jumping up and down like a rabbit. Mcann let us play for him at Dunes and we got the house band gig for that summer. The next Summer, he hired us for Bayshores and we played on the back stage over the water while Malcolm and Hereafter played on the side stage. Ruby was married to our guitar player and the band folded when she and Malcolm got together. Yep, 7 nights a week with a jam on Sunday. What a trip!

Ray Sharp wrote:
Hi Bill, I was just reading your blog about Somers Point, NJ. I played Bayshores and the Dunes for several summers in the late 60s. The Dunes was 100 days in a row, 30 min on 30 min off two bands. My Name is Ray Sharp and my band was the Soul Set. Malcomb and Ruby live in NYC. They are school teachers. Johnny Caswell is in La. He has a Audio Co and a huge rehearsal facility where you can rehearse and record and video your work. He does the sound for live concerts and TV shows. Paul Lorenzo that was the manager of the Anchorage owns a club in Fort Lauderdale call Cheers. Just thought I would bring you up to date on some of the old crowd. Somers Point has a place in my heart. Great place to spend your summers. Great memories and good times.
Ray Sharp bata@newwavecomm.net

Bill, An employee I work with brought me the Sandpaper Nightbeat article about the original Bayshores. He knew it would be of interest to me because I had told him about my band playing there from 1962 to 1964 before I went into the Navy. Our four piece group was called the Searchers. We were all local kids that got a chance to play opposite groups like Mike Pedicin, Teto Mambo, Joey "D" and the Starlighters, and Bill Haley and the Comets. Easter weekend was the start of summer for us. We played well enough to hold the early afternoon crowds until the big named bands came on. We did well enough that the management kept us on through the summer as the alternate band. During breaks, we would run across the street to Tony Marts and enter the weekly talent contest until someone caught on.

My summer day job was just as exciting. I worked morning shift at the arcade next-door to Bayshores making breakfast/lunch for the band members like Dwayne Eddy etc. What a thrill!!! Our group also played dinner music at the Sandpiper restaurant next to the Dunes. from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. We would pack up our equipment and rush to Bayshores. Once 2:00 AM rolled around, we packed up again and headed for the Dunes (open 23 hours a day). They closed 1 hour to clean. All the groups would be there and we would jam together (no charge to the patrons) What a routine!

If I had the money, I would re-establish that great time again in the same location. Yes, the crowd would be older, but I bet we could still party like we did.
Michael W. De Wees MR&D Lead Engineer IDS Phila.Composite Center
michael.w.dewees@boeing.com

Weicksel Family wrote:
Dear Bill Kelly, We traveled down memory lane last week. My 87 year old mother and my sister and myself spent the week down at Ocean City, New Jersey after many years of hiatus from our old stomping grounds. We had a super week and wanted to tell you how much we all thoroughly enjoyed your article about the "Old Clubs".
My mother heard stories that she never heard and my sister and I relieved our fun pasts.We both worked at the Sindia "Pennsylvania Dutch Restaurant" for 3 summers in the mid sixties. We're from Lancaster County Pa. and the owners then came to Lancaster to hire the girls from "Good Pa. Dutch families"....ha. They even interviewed our parents before they hired us. We lived above the Sindia those summers.( 22 girls, waitresses and kitchen help) We slept four to five a room, had only two bathrooms, one old bathtub, and one outside not enclosed shower and thought we were staying in the Ritz. We had three wonderful never to be forgotten summers.

As we got older and my sister graduated from college and myself from nursing school in Phila. we worked at the "Birdcage" which was a "Hippie shop" on the boardwalk. My sister spent many a night at Somers Point...I wasn't old enough yet.(That summer the drinking age went back to 21 much to my disappointment). We also knew Duncan MaCrae from our high school. He was ahead of us in school and we would go up to Mack and Manco's to say hi to him. He was always nice to us....he was a little older than us, and we also knew he was way too cool for us.....ha.

Anyways, 1969 I finally turned 21, but not till Dec. so I watched my sister and all our friends go to Somers Point every night, but the next year I made up for lost time. My nurse friends and I worked at a Phila hospital and in the summer of 1970 we thought nothing of once a week after working 3-11 driving to the Dunes till Dawn and coming back to Phila. around 6AM and going to work again at 3PM. We spent alot of time at Bashores,Tony Marts, and the Anchorage too. The bands that the clubs had were fabulous!!!!! We lived to dance back then.

My sister and I really enjoyed your article and I have always wondered what bands played there at that time. Do you have any idea or lists of some of the groups that are famous now that played there? We just liked the music, but I've often wondered who might have played there that we might now know. If you have any information that would be great. We have an elementary school in Lancaster that was named after Duncan MaCrae's mother. Are you in touch with him at all? I think he still lives here in Lancaster?? We did drive around Somers Point and it's very classy looking now, but I miss the look it had. There was nothing like it, was there? Long live the "Dunes" and Rock and Roll!!!! Thanks for making us remember and laugh...super article.
Chris Weicksel - keithw1@voicenet.com

PAM NELSON wrote: Dear Billy,
I found your webpage about Tony Mart's and am now strolling down memory lane thinking about the summer of 68' at that wonderful place, listening to a band called Gunther's Bus from Rochester, NY. They were the house band that summer and should have made it big as some of Tony's other groups did...they were excellent. That summer is probably one of the most memorable that I have ever had, spending my nights and some afternoons talking to Frannie the bartender and listening to Gunther's Bus. I am still friends with one of the band members and he has lots of old pictures of Tony's. We love to talk about the fun and excitment we had there. I'd like to get a copy of the scrapbook if I could...maybe two, one for me and one for my friend who played in Gunther's Bus. Thank you. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Pam Nelson pam.nelson1@worldnet.att.net

Hi Again,
So you remember The Bus? Great! What a glorious summer that was. I had just graduated from college and was having the time of my life in New Jersey. We'd hit Tony Mart's, Bayshore ( I remember Johnny Caswell), and spend the rest of the night at The Dunes. I'm from NC and I was finally on my own in New Jersey.

I spent last summer with Carl (band member) in Rochester. I found him last year after 34 yrs. It was wonderful. The band was still playing some then but not now. It got to be too much for them. They were very popular even after all these years.

Carl's E mail address is Fotichlbsd@aol.com. He loves to talk about "the good ol' days" so I know he'd love to hear from you. His name as you guessed is Carl Foti. His brother was also in the band. He's still a wonderful guitar player and singer. They should have made it big but they had "internal" problems. Tony loved them and they could have but at that time some of the guys were into drugs too much and it took its toll on the band. I guess lots of that kind of stuff happened back then quite a bit. Give him a call or E mail him. He's got quite a few pictures from Tony's. I'd love to see your book. Somers Point brings back good memories. Tell Carl that you talked to me.
Pam

Tell Tony Gunther's Bus Is Here The inside story:

In the fall of 1967 two bands in the Rochester, New York areas were in the process of breaking up. The Angry Men and the Gallant Men. Some of the members decided to merge and form a new band. Art Foti, Carl Foti and Jerry Cummings from the Gallant Men teamed up with Tom Bittle from the Angry Men, added Joe Dasheneau on bass and began rehearsing top 40 and R&B songs from that era.

They were to be managed by James (Gunther) Kranz, owner and proprietor of Duffy's Hotel in the heart of downtown Rochester. Gunther, a businessman thru and thru who would never make a bad investment, had purchased an old gray school bus for reasons unbeknownst to the band and it remains a mystery to this day. It was during that conversation at a rehearsal that the band got their name.

One night at precisely 9:00PM Gunther pulled up in his old gray bus to the front door of Duffy's Hotel honking the horn madly and out jumped 5 beaming young musicians who proceeded to hop up on the stage and began playing "Even the Bad Times Are Good" by the Tremolos. The band, Gunther's Bus, was very well received. The place was packed and everyone, band and audience had such a great time. They all knew this would be the start of something really great

"Time to make it big," they go on the road. Their first stop would become their biggest challenge and one that changed them forever, they played Tony Mart’s in Somers Point NJ If you have seen the 1980s movie Eddie and the Cruisers and you remember the line “tell Tony Eddie and the Cruisers are here," in 1968 GB did exactly the same thing.

Here was this “cocky” band from upstate New York invading this club in little Somers Point about to be taught a lesson in how to become something special at the hands of a wonderful man named Tony Mart.

The first night they played they took the stage and began as if this was just any road club. Long delays between songs with young angry musicians the attitude that your lucky we are playing for you mentality. Jerry Cummings the drummer remembers looking down and seeing a stocky older man glaring up at him. At first he thought it was the professional Wrestling Manager Dr. Lou Albano, but soon dismissed him as if he had wandered in off the street wondering who these gods of music were. They soon found out whom that man was, it was Tony.

After there first set they were ushered into his office by their road manager Peter Salerno for a lesson they all remember to this day. Tony was sitting behind his desk. He looked up pounded his fit on the desk and said “listen, you are going to play your songs 1,2,3 and stop wasting time or I’m going to throw you bums out and you can go back home, now get out!”

Needless to say we did exactly that and the rest was an incredible three years working and living at the greatest club ever, Tony Mart’s, but most of all a man they will never forget, Tony Mart.

By the time he got through with them, they came back home with a whole new sound and show. They were a different band. The local fans were blown away.

The band has reunited with all the original members and will play again this coming year.
You can never go back but you can remember and enjoy.

Thank you Tony.

Bill, Who cares about Carmen and Tony Marts, he was mad that our band never played there, he tried but no luck...the Band was Hit and Run, played at Mothers in the summers of 1976-77-78 and other times in between. What a great time and what a great band...I was the sax player in the band...have pictures of the burnt out shell of Mothers that I was lucky enough to get... almost played there the week it burned...great times...great band...Will always remember - Shaulls Steve Lentz shaulls@aol.com

Hi Billy, In the summer of ’63, I was in a rock group called Jack & The Beanstalks. We played all that summer at Tony Marts. The other two bands were The Fall Guys, and the Rooftopers. Would you happen to have any photos of the marquee or perhaps photos of the band on stage. We started that spring and early summer in New York City, at the Wagon Wheel, on 45th Street (a few doors from the Peppermint Lounge). Something happened with the band that started that summer at Tony Marts, and we were asked to replace them. We were set up on the stage that was surrounded by a bar. The other two groups were on the center stage. I was 18 at the time. Probably the best summer of my life. Would love to see some photos. Thanks for your time. Regards, Nick Roberts 856-722-1066

Bill, I saw your name and email address on a site that talked about Tony Marts. While I was a college student in the late 1950s. I worked in Ocean City several summers and would go to Tony Marts when I had the money (of course I had a fake ID, but back then no one cared). It was something else. For about a month in the summer of 1959, I worked in the kitchen of a first class restaurant that, as I recall, was just off the circle. It had valet parking, a 4 piece string quartet, real freshly cut (never frozen) french fries, etc. I have tried to remember the name of that restaurant for years. Any ideas?
Dave Willison Willison1@comcast.net

Hi my name is Vera. I just read an article about "Tony Marts" in Somers Point, N.J. I used to go there in my younger yrs.I was wondering,if the Nightbeat-050704, Tony Marts Scrapbook is avail. for purchase? If it is...how much? Could you please respond, and let me know! Thank You! Sincerely, Vera Bohn Vera dragonfly7375@verizon.net

Hey, I’ve been on line just reading more about The Mart. I am from the area and move on to Florida in the 90's. Tony Sr was a good friend of my grand father so when i was 16 going on 17 my girlfriends and i were able to hung at the marts. Tony would sit in the left corner bar and tell us not to drink and listen to the great bands there. That is where i met friends who i knew and hung out for a few years. Like the band Mace who played in the 70;s also Marach the T birds to name a few. I am trying to find old pictures and things about those bands and others. Can you help me please, I will be visiting family (my brother) who is a Scuillville fireman in oct to help with the Hayrides in EHT. Would love to be in contact with Carmine or Tony Jr who where i can find infor on the past bands.
Billy, Debi Riley Carty Njgirl1356@aol.com

My name is Brian Fike, I live in Las Vegas, Nevada. I lived in Ocean City from March of 1978 till June of 1981. I'm originally from Vegas, but went back east to pursue my career in the gaming business, opening up Resorts International in March of 1979. At the young age of 20 years I partied a lot on the South Jersey Shores, had the time of my life, and got in a hell of a lot of trouble. Now that I'm 46 I look back at those fun times and miss them dearly, Tony Marts, Merals, Maynards, Gables, Kilarney's there were so many. Do you know of any web sites where there are any photos posted from that era? The child within me thirsts for a walk down memory lane. If you could forward those to me it would be great. My E-Mail address is apachelv@lvcm.com.

Hey Bill, Yes, I have the link. I enjoy reading events from the past. "The Good Ole Days". When I think of Tony Mart's I think of how hot it was on those humid summer days when the beer and liquor trucks were the only things moving, unloading there goods. We were meeting and listening to the latest "guest bands" practice during mid day getting ready for there week or two week long stint at Tony Mart's. We, the Bonnevilles, a couple days a week, would be working on new songs across the street and would go to Coaches Corner, The Anchorage, Gregory's or the Point Diner for lunch then hang out back at the clubs. Really not much happening this time of day. Just hot and humid, empty parking lots, with the smell of the bay at low tide in the air. Cleaning crews and beer trucks moving about. Bar stools upside down on the bars so the floors could be cleaned. Dempsy Dumpsters full of broken bottles waiting to be emptied. The bar tenders would show up around 5pm or so preparing their areas for the night's festivities. Norman, the manager, would be there too.

Bill, the Bayshores security guard who checked I.D.'s at the front door, and the bouncers would show up around 7pm. After that the whole area started to buzz. By 10pm it was going strong. Three sets to go, 2 sets, 1 set, let's go to the Dunes. "Til dawn" meant til after dawn. The Dunes had double door entryways, and 4X8 hinged pieces of plywood to swing down to cover the windows just before dawn. If you couldn't see it get light outside, you would stay longer. No idea what time it was, and really didn't care. Oh " the Good Ole Days". More later. Joe.

Hello Bill, I was the organ player for the Bonnevilles at Bayshores during the summers of 1968 and 1969. We were on the back stage and Johnny Caswell and the Crystal Mansion were on the front side stage. I'd like to compare notes. Thanks.

Bill, I think the manager of the club (Tony Marts) whose name was Pete is wearing a white shirt and tie in one picture.

I had another one of those “hot dog” moments when we first landed in that summer of 68. I was using a big double bass drum set much like what Ginger Baker from Cream was using. When this Pete questioned the feasibility of getting them all up onto the center stage all the rest of the bands equipment, he said, "Do you need all these drums?" My retort was "do you need all these bars in here?" Of course he said yes and my replay was" well I need all my drums!" I don't know if that ever got back to Tony but needless to say I never felt that Pete ever warmed up to me after that tiff!

Bill, forgive me for writing so much, but I want to share a sentimental moment that I had with Tony. After he chewed us out that first night regarding our performance and the religious moment of being called bums and being threatened to be thrown out, things started to go well for us. Tony would routinely stand over on my side of the stage and watch us. I was teaching school in Rochester and in 68’ needed to maintain my short hair.

One night prior to coming to Tony's I went out and bought a blonde Afro wig as a joke and wore it to a job. The band though it was a good idea because it matched the rest of the freaky hair in the band and didn't have the appearance of a bible salesman playing with a freaky rock band, so I continued to wear the wig. (In the white uniform picture I am the second from the right). Tony never saw me without it.

One morning I was down in the bar adjusting my drum set and Tony walked in. Of course I wasn't wear the wig and he thought I was a set up guy or something. He said to me in his unique combination of Old World Italian and Jersey dialect "I wanta to get da drummer up in the air so people can see him. Come with me across the street and help me get a riser for his drums." I didn't say anything because I was still scared half to death of him and went across the street and we dragged this riser into the club. I set my drums up and was finishing adjusting them when he walked back in. He told me to go get the drummer to make sure that they were playable like this. I informed him that they were fine but he insisted that I get the drummer’s approval. Finally not knowing how he was going to respond I said "Tony, I am the drummer". He looked at me and said " you're not da drummer, da drummer has all that hair!" I said "Tony that's a wig I am the drummer!" At which point I sat down and went into one of my drum things that he seemed to like when he would stand and watch us at night. Bill, you would have loved to have seen the look on his face, he called me a SOB,” laughed and walked away shaking his head.

Hey Bill, I heard about you when I did a Google search on Bayshores Somers Point. Came up with "The Night Beat". My name is Joe "Sonny" Romino. I played with The Bonnevilles, (formerly J.B. and the Bonnevilles when John Borrell was the front man) in 1964 as a drummer, and as a keyboard player, Hammond B3, from June 1968 to October 1969, including two summers at Bayshores and over the July 4th weekends at The Dunes. We would play 102 straight nights and afternoons on Saturdays and Sundays. A couple of times each summer we would trailer up to Philadelphia to do the Jerry Blavitt Show.

We were out of Morgantown, West Virginia and Malcolm Swisher, front man vocals and guitar, Dave Coombs bass player and band leader, drummer Jay Armentrout and myself attended WVU. Other members included Nick Nicholas, lead guitar from Ventnor, NJ and Joe Cerisano, (now a recording artist who sang with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra), guitar and vocals. We'd come back for Easter weekends each year until the start of the summer contract around Memorial Day. The rest of the time we played around Morgantown and traveled into Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Kentucky.

Dave Coombs became a motorcross enthusiast and sponsored motorcycle races up and down the East Coast and published a nationwide motorcross magazine. Two of his children became attorneys, and his son Davey Coombs is an ESPN anaylist for Motorcross. Dave passed away about 10 years ago. Malcolm was a New York City Central Park mounted policeman last I heard, and Nick Nicholas was a US Postal Service mail carrier still in the Atlantic City/ Ventnor area. Jay Armentrout had a music store in Richmond Virginia. When at Somers Point the summer of "69", I didn't have anything to do during the day so I took flying lessons at Southern Jersey Airways at the Ocean City airport.

Those two summers at Bayshores were the best. Between Tony Marts and Bayshores the view from the back stage was just a sea of heads from the front of the stage, across the bars through Bayshores, through the parking lot, and across the street to the front door of Tony Marts from the 4th of July until Labor Day. It was like one happy carnival. We started playing the first set at 8pm. Forty five minutes on. Forty five minutes off. Then it was 30 on, 30 off, continuous music across the stages. Once the break song started the other band would pick it up, and the first band would stop. We would end at 1 am and Johnny Caswell and the Crystal Mansion at 1:30 am.

Then we'd head to the Dunes to have a beer and relax. I always liked to listen to some of the other bands that were playing in the area-Motherloade from Canada at Tony Marts, People of the Night at Anastasia's in Atlantic City. I rememder Norman the Bay Shores manager, Wayne the young man who was disabled and I believe now works at the Somers Point golf course as a cart man, and so many more.

I remember the good times there. They were the best. The sights, the sounds, the smells (especially when the tide was out), the heat and the humidity from the back stage that hung out over the bay. These are memories I will never forget. I will cherish them forever.