Jacque Major at the Stone Pony

JACQUE MAJOR AT THE STONE PONY

It wasn't as historically significant as Lee invading Pennsylvania, but there was a certain South Jersey contingent contributing to the goings on at the Stone Pony Sunday night (April 13), when Jacque Major made her Asbury Park debute and brought a crowd of fans from Somers Point with her.

Exit 100 on the Parkway isn't South Jersey so we all felt a little out of our element, up the Parkway and then riding down Route 66 east to the boardwalk and ocean, then one block north to the Stone Pony.

The Stone Pony is a dump of a bar situated in a what appears to be a bombed out quarter of Beriut. But it's a Glorious Dump, surrounded by vacant lots of concerete that feels a lot like a war zone. At least that's the case until once inside the Pony, which is similar to some other old rock & roll joints that I remember - Bay Shores, Tony Marts, Mothers, CBGBs et al...., dingy, dark and musty. The first familiar face I see, Rich Spurlock, whose been there before, says that they actually cleaned up the joint.

At least they've salvaged the place, so far, which had been tettering on the border of being "redevelloped" into condos, a fate that the crash of the housing market has apparently put off to a later date. The Stone Pony should be ground zero for the redevelopment of the entire area.

The Stone Pony is small, as expected, but it's really small. It reminds me most of the Ocean Pub beach bar in Margate in the 70s. There's a small 20 seat oval bar when you first walk in, a wall full of t-shirts, baseball hats, micro bikinis and memorabilia with the Stone Pony logo, and a cash register and credit card swipe machine next to the front door. Then there's rise with some small cabaret tables and seats, a nice, small dance floor, a hole in the wall they knocked out and set up a tent for the smokers. There's a small six seat bar that sets off a wall full of guitars signed by the high and mighty. And just past the restrooms there's another small, horse shoe bar and gas lit stove that makes you think you're at a ski resort. The walls are full of photos, articles and memorabilia, but the wall wraps abound to the stage door and stage, where all the important action takes place.

Opening for Jacque, Billy Walton is my new favorite guitarist of the moment, which is saying a lot since I've recently seen Santana and Billy Hector. Walton, at 32, is one of the youngest of the hot guitarists to come out of Asbury Park. He's a local guy, rooted in the blues and rock n' roll and leader of a power trio which he had expanded with sax and more for the Somers Point Beach concert last summer (that I have pix of). Walton also played JR's last winter, his first foray South of Atlantic City (further than Bruce got - See: End Notes), and he does JD's at Smithville on occassion, but he's basically an Asbury Park guy whose trying to break out of Jersey.

Walton, who could be a down home character out of the WaltonsTV show, is big as a football lineman, and could play power forward like his basketball namesake. This being his home turf, he's played the Stone Pony many times before, and opened for the Boss before 40,000 people at Giants Stadium two nights in a row and then played the Pony the next night. What a trooper. That says a lot, as Spurlock points out, when Bruce doesn't really have anybody open for him most of the time.

Packing a lot of puch in to one solid hour set, Walton wired the room and set up Jacque nicely. And he didn't get her in the Pony. "She did that herself," said Walton, who recognized some of the South Jersey Shore contingent in the house, including Spurlock, retired Somers Point Mayor Dan Reilly, one of the Pancoast girles, Carmen and Nancy Marotta of Tony Marts and Tom Major, Jacque's dad.

Jacque and her friends used to play every Sunday afternoon at the Bubba Mac Shack, where we'd all meet after church, and it was beginning to feel like the old Shack when in walks Herb Birch, making a full house.

Jacque showed off her new band, new name (Walking Wounded), and a new bass player, Michael Maiorano, a veteran journeyman, joining drummer Matt Curran, Wayne "Cuz" Scheller on keys, and standout guitarist Danny Eyer, who also plays in Herb's Bubba Mac Blues Band.

Opening with a unique arrangement of the Beatles' song, "Sexy Sadie"? with the refrain, "Won't you come out and play?," she took off on a hour and half set that kept a good pace and showed that she knows where she's going. There was no hesitation between songs and the band came across as well rehearsed and ready to rock & roll.

I started to keep a song list, but then forgot about it after getting into the music. Jacque's voice is strong, and she seemed to be having a real good time, belting out some of the tunes she sang every Sunday at the Shack, plus a few new ones.

One of the new ones is Randy Newman's "Guilty," which she recorded with the late Brian Trainor and posthumously released on his jazz anthem "Too Late to Change Me Now." (See: Brian Trainor RIP), which they take out of the jazz realm and make it rock.

Jacque gave each guy in the band a chance to shine, and Danny Eyer stood out special and showed the Asbury Park crowd that South Jersey also has a hot and heavy homegrown guitarist, ready to break out and who we can be really proud of.

The band's talents really came out on some cover tunes, like the Doors' "Break on Through," and they got people dancing.

When the band cut into "Born to Run," Spurlock said that it's something of a tradition for new bands to play at least one Springsteen cover, pointing out that Billy Walton also squeezed in a little recognized Boss number, keeping the tradition going. But even though it's an E-Street signature tune, Jacque had been doing "Born to Run" since back in her Bubba Mac Shack days, and played it straight up, no chaser, no fiddling with the arrangement, just rolling down highway nine, the same two lane blacktop, north or south. And she did it with balls.

Genuinely appreciated, they did a three song encore and left everybody satisfied.

It was a good night at the Stone Pony.

Jacque's dad, Tom Major took some photos, and promised to send me afew via email, but I haven't heard from him yet. Wll figure out how to post them when I get them.

Sharon Stabhley, a young, vivacious photogrpher from Ocean City [http://www.sharonstabley.com/] also took some pix, and promised to share.

I'll post the photos here as soon as I get them.

In addition, Jacque and the band recorded a live CD in Ventnor on April 6th that should be available soon. More to come on that.

Now that Jacque has a tight band together, she should get a few local South Jersey Shore gigs for this summer, one for a Sunday afternoon, where we can all meet her after church and jam.

End Notes: On an historical note, Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band never played the South Jersey Shore, south of Atlantic City. They played LBI, Burlington County College, Pemberton (outdoors) and Uncle Al's Earlton Lounge at the bowling alley on the Rt. 70 circle in Cherry Hill.

When I got a chance to talk to Herb "Bubba" Birch, he said that there won't be a Bubba Mac Blues Fest in Atlantic City this year, but maybe next year, if he can get a sponsor.

Then, as I was writing this, news came of death of Danny Federici, the keyboard/accordian player with the E Street Band. If you want to play some tunes in his honor, think of "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" and "Hungry Heart," "I got a wife and kids in Baltimore Jack, went out for a ride and never went back,....," that's Danny on the circus accordian and keys. Danny is featured strongly on the 9/11 song "You're Missing."

A founding member of the E-Street Band, "Phantom Dan" was replaced in November 2007 with Charles Giordano (more on this guy later).

Bruce and the band postponed shows in Lauderdale and Orlando, Florida, and Bruce issued the statement: "Danny and I worked together for 40 years - he was the most wonderflly fluid keyboard player and pure natural musician. I loved him very much...we grew up together."

For a taste of Danny Federici's soul, listen to his solo CDs, "Flemington" (1997, as in Flemington, New Jersey, his hometown) and "Out of a Dream." (2005).

Bill Kelly
billkelly3@gmail.com

Santana at Borgata Review

Santana at Borgata - Review.


I went to Woodstock to see Santana. Not Bob Dylan, the Band, Crosby Stills, Nash & Young or anybody else but Santana, and then, after actually being there, I don't remember Santana at all. Ah, the Sixties.

The Santana Quest began in a Wildwood motel room sometime in mid-August, 1969, the summer after I had graduated from high school and went looking for two of my buddies. I found them holed up in a first floor motel room they had rented for the summer, with twin beds, tv, bathroom and shower and clean sheets and towls daily.

They were glad to see me, but couldn't explain why they chose to live in such squalor rather than stay at my family's rooming house in Ocean City for free and do the same thing, like they before.

I forget whether it was Gerry or Mark who asked me to, "Just listen," while he put on a 33 1/3 Long Playing (LP) vynal record, handing me the album cover, "Santana."

The previous recordings they thought worthy of calling my attention to were limited to Blood, Sweat and Tears and Janis Choplin, so I gave them the benefit of the doubt and sat back and listened for the next half hour or so.

Okay, I thought, another counter-culture guitar genius, God bless him, but then they explained that Santana would be at Woodstock, a rock festival in upstate New York a few weeks hence and they were going.

Also on the bill were other cultural icons, or soon to be, but it was Santana who sparked our interest in going to Woodstock in the first place.

But once we got there, and got home safely, and as I look back on Woodstock decades later, I have no recollection of Santana actually playing at Woodstock, and that began to bother me. Especailly so when Jeff called and asked if I wanted to go see Santanta at Bogata in Atlantic City on Friday night.

"I don't know," I told Jeff, it's kind of sudden. What happened, your date back out at the last minute and now you don't want to waste a ticket?

No, I just had an extra ticket, do you want it or not?

Okay, okay, I say, and agree to meet him at the Gypsy Bar at the Borgatta Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City at 6:30, a half hour before showetime.

Normally I would take the back roads to the Garden State Parkway at New Gretna, but this time I veered off past the biker's pit stop at Green Bank Inn to Egg Harbor City, where I cought the White Horse Pike east right into Atlantic City and the Marina district that includes the Borgatta.

Just like the TV commercials, I felt like I was riding my Italian moped with girlfriend on the back into the Borgatta garage, which was miraculously easy for prime time on a Friday night.

Showtime was 7 pm, which was kind of hard to believe since most concerts begin around 10 and are timed to end around midnight, but this one, for sure, was for a 7 pm show with no opening act.

As planned, I arrived at the Gypsy Bar around 6pm and grabbed a ($7) draft of Youngling beer, and talked with the band setting up, Steamroller Picnic, which I remembered from many summers at Sea Isle City and Wildwood.

Since nobody I knew was around I went onto the casino floor and found a $5 minimum roulette table and put down $10 on the first third 1-12, which if it hit, would have paid off 2-1 or $30, which I would have let ride, and if it hit again, I would have spread it around the first third field a bit, and see what happens. I lost right away and went for a walk around the joint, which is a classy place and had a variety of restaurants (two steak houses).

Right across from the Gypsy Bar is the Oyster Bar, open 24-7 and has a nice sidewalk cafe and thus a great place to meet someone if you're a spy or need a place for an all night rondezevous.

The Gypsy Bar is quiet, but full early on, with a few old hippies that you know are there to see Santana.

Steamroller Picnic guys are still setting up their stuff, but the bar is full and people are mingling around in loose groups. Eventually my friend Mike shows up. Mike's the man with the tickets, so we're good to go anytime now, but will wait for the rest of the gang - Greg shows up first, then eventually Jeff, and after a few brews and cover tunes by Steamroller Picnic, we head up stairs to the main event, except for Jeff, who stays back to meet somebody with the last ticket.

The Borgatta is a classy joint, is laid out nice and they treat you right. The main showroom is big, though not as big as the Taj, and unlike the Taj horseshoe bleachers, the seats are set back straight from the stage. Our seats were in the middle, first teer up, so the people on the floor could all stand up and we could still see over them sitting down.

Without an opening act, Santana went on at precisely 7 pm and by the time the whole room was seated about a half hour later, he had verybody's attention.

Three songs into the show he stops the music and gives a short, three to five minute sermon, during which he praises other prophits, John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, ......

One time when Santana was giving his sermon in Atlantic City, I have it from a reliable source on the scene, that somebody in the audience threw a beer bottle wrapped in a t-shirt at him and hit him square in the face, sparking a curse spewed chawing that showed how quick he can go from good to bad.

This time he called down the Holy Ghost upon us, but He didn't show up until near the end of the show.

Cape May Jazz Spring 2008 Preview

CAPE MAY JAZZ - SPRING 2008 PREVIEW




http://www.capemayjazz.org/

St. Patrick's Day 2008

ST. PATRICK'S DAY 2008 And All Things Irish

This March 17th fell on a Monday, so I thought that because it was a school and work night, it wouldn't be as popular as those St. Paddy's days that fell on a weekend. And I was right.

I put on my father's Irish wool cardigan that my brother had brought back from the old sod and drove the back Piney roads to Egg Harbor City to McKee's Pub, where I spent some of last St. Patrick's Day with my friend Mike Fadden, his wife and their friend's, the McKee's Pub owners.

What a really nice place it is, too. About five blocks down the steet off the Pike that McDonald's is on, set back in the neighborhood, and really neat neighborhood it is too. Wide streets, trees, typical Americana, St. Nick's parish church a block away.

And McKee's is a good place to go after mass.

The owners were born in Ireland, and of course, every Irishman's dream is to own his own pub, so now they're living it. And the inside has the feel of an Irish pub.

After enjoying my time there quietly reading the morning papers over a pint, I moved on to Somers Point, and my most recent stomping grounds. I decided that if I was to be doing any drinking I had to pace myself, and so limited consumption to one pint per place.

At the Anchorage it was good to see Don Mahoney, and that the bagpipes are still making their rounds.

From there it was up to Gregory's where most of my old crew were hanging out. John Dean, Hank Merik, Tom Major, Bob Dean, Evelyn and the girls from the hood, and Tom the bartender.

One and out, that was the rule, and I stuck to it, but not before reminiscing with the crew.

God Bless George McGonigle, the old Irish bartender who manned Gregory's bar for decades.

I have a photo of George and my brother Leo holding up a huge green, white and orange Irish
flag banner that read: Somers Point Brigade, and used during the march down the boardwalk for the Atlantic City's St. Patrick's Day parade, which was held on the Sunday before St. Patrick's Day for the first ten years or so.

There's an old article I wrote about the origins of the Atlantic City St. Patrick's Day Parade that I'll have to dig up because most of those people are dead now, except for Joe Shields, who I think is still around town somewhere. Maybe still bartending.

Tom Major remembers.

He also remembered George McGonigle, and went out to his grave site at the Vets Cemetery and left a bottle of Guinnis for George, and also paid his respects to John "Wolfman" McGonigle, both of whom will be remembered as part of the old crew at the Point.

From Somers Point I drove down the Expressway to Williamstown and stopped by Brian's Library IV on the Black Horse Pike. Brian O'Keeny is as Irish as you can get, and it was good to see him greeting people at the door and taking care of business.

There was a young duo playing guitar and singing, but Brian said that Sean Fleming would be in about 8 and play a few sets later that night.

Now Sean Fleming is a New York Irish troubador legend, who has played the Library before, including Brian's wedding, but it being only about five in the afternoon, I told Brian I wasn't about to sit around his bar drinking for three hours waiting for Sean to show, like I would a few years ago. I would leave and return a few hours later, was the plan, that didn't actually work out.

Once I got on the road again I just kept driving, and once home safe, I stayed home. I hung up Dad's sweater and sat down by the fireplace and listened to the Chieftons and Pogues and enjoyed myself alone.

But I'm going to go out of my way to see Sean Fleming again someday, maybe in New York, where Brian said Sammy has two new places going, a pub in the village and a classy joint on the upper east side.

Sammy and Sean go back a long time together. For a long time, in the late 70s, early 80s, Sam was the manager of Flannigan's, the flagship of a five Irish pub chain in Manhattan. Flannigan's was, probably still is, a sawdust joint, where you could spill beer on the floor and nobody would notice. It had good burgers and late night snacks, Irish bartenders, and Sean Fleming's band which would whip the audience into a frenzy.

Sean's an interesting character himself. Born in Ireland, he came to America and ended up in the US Army in Vietnam. Sean rulled Fleming's, and after a decade or so, Sammy and Sean got together and figured out how to make some real money. They rented a Statin Island ferryboat, charged $20 a head and packed it with Irish music fans and circled the island of Manhattan while Sean Fleming's band played and everybody got drunk. They eventually made enough money to buy their own joint, Fleming's, which was about twenty blocks north of Flannigans, around 80th street.

I don't know how long that lasted, and I only visited the place a few times, but it was always the same, people having a great time drinking and dancing to Sean's Irish music.

Now I missed Sean on St. Patrick's Day this year, but I see his name on occassion on the markee at some Irish pubs in Philly, and the next time I go to New York I'll be sure to look up him and Sammy, as I know they'll be around a pub there somewhere.

One of the things about Flannigan's that I thought was neat was the story on the back of the menu about seven Irish rebels who were caught by the British and condemned to be executed, only to be pardoned by the Queen and exiled for life to the prison colony in Australia. Some years later, the Queen was astonished to learn that one of the men she had pardoned was the Prime Minister of Australia. It was later established that the other six also became quite honorable, one as Prime Minsiter of Canada, another Mayor of New York City, a general in the American army, etc. When I went to Australia, I looked up the story and bought a book that detailed the biographies of these men.

While there's more to come on this subject, I've subtitled it All Things Irish, I will return and share some of my flashbacks of my visits to the Emerald Isle, and other stories with an Irish bent, like the one I wrote for the SandPaper, Why the Irish Are Obnoxious.

More to come.

BK

2008 Jazz @ the Point

2008 JAZZ AT THE POINT – PREVIEW

Ten years in the making, the Somers Point Jazz Festival has grown from a one day affair to a traditional, four day, extended weekend event that sets the tone for the rest of the season. If the exceptional lineup for this fest can live up to their reputations, this is going to be a great year.

As per tradition, the proceedings begin with a free show on Thursday night March 6 at the Calvary Bible Church (Ninth Street and New York Ave, Somers Point) beginning at 7 pm with the Ed Vezinho and Jim Ward 16 piece Big Band

The venue is great, has good acoustics and a family friendly coffee house atmosphere, with soft drinks and pastries, and tickets available for all of the shows the rest of the weekend. It’s also a good time to meet and mingle with the festival organizers and volunteers, who have put in so much time and effort to bring such Big City acts to such a small town by the bay.

For the first show, Ed Vezinho and Jim Ward bring their fourteen best musician friends to church to play, though don’t expect Benny Goodman or Glenn Miller, as these Atlantic City and Philly Casts are light years past the old fogies, and heavy on the horns. Together since 1981 (that’s 27 years), Vezinho plays sax and Ward trumpet. They play primarily original compositions in a contemporary style. Their current CD "Blue Haired Mama," includes locals Mike Pedicin, Jr. and Howard Isaacson, joining Vezinho, Stan Weiss and Ron Kerber to round out the sax section, Mike Natale on trumpet, Clint Sharman on trombone, John Guida, Demetrios Pappas on piano and Harry Himles on drums.

While Ed, Jim and company continue playing until 10 pm, Jim Pruitt and his trio begin playing at Gregory's restaurant at 8 and continue until 11, so even though it’s a school night, you can still catch the last show of the big band at the church and Pruitt’s last set at Gregs.

Things really start happening on Friday (March 7), with shows at three venues, Gregs, Stumpo’s and Great Bay.

Pianist David Hazeltine is at Greate Bay Country Club (with shows at 8 and 10), sultry Joanna Pascale and George Mesterhazy are at Stumpo's restaurant (Maryland & Sunny Ave), while Jeff Morrison is at Gregs.

Saturday night is a good night to go out early and have dinner at one of the venues, then stick around for the first set before moving on to the other venues.

Hazeltine is a last minute replacement for Orrin Evans at Great Bay, but the change is for the better, as Hazeltine, though not a big marquee name, has made a mark for himself. Originally out of Milwaukee, playing regularly at the Jazz Gallery, Hazeltime took Chet Baker’s advice to go to New York. Teaching at Berklee during the day and playing clubs at night, Hazeltine’s talent was apparent and recognized, just as Baker said it would. Now having played Newport Jazz, he recorded "Four Flights Up" with Slide Hampton, has a fine CD "A World For Her," and was recently featured with Marian McPartland on her Piano Jazz radio show [PBS Sunday morning on WRTI]. Hazeltine will be playing with Tony Reddus and Greg Ryan at Great Bay.

At the other end of town, over at Stumpo’s, vivacious jazz vocalist Joanna Pascale will sing along with George Mesterhazy’s piano. Contributing to the mix will be Dick Oatts on sax, Madison Rast on bass and Dan Monaghan backing up on drums.

While Joanna might be new around here, we all know George Mesterhazy, either from Kentucky Avenue Days, the casinos, Cape May Jazz Fest or the Merion Inn (Cape May), where George entertains the appreciative dining crowd much of the time. Joanna sounds a lot more mature than her 24 years, and if you like her, you can catch her every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night at Solefood at the Loews Hotel (12 & Market PSFS) in Philly. [See: http://www.joannapascale.com ]

At Gregory's, Chicago sax man Jeff Morrison and his Quintet begin playing after diner at 9, and go late. Morrison, originally from Phoenix, found his audience in Chicago, where they appreciate the sax a lot better than Arizona. Morrison went to Chicago like Hazeltine went to New York, to find his soul, and he can be expected to bring that with him and play some tunes from his "Rights of Seclusion" CD.

[You can check him out at:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=105962130

and http://www.myspace.com/jeffmorrisonjazz ]

Things peak at the Point on Saturday, March 8, when headliners, the Cannonball Legacy Band featuring Vincent Herring & Jimmy Cobb hit Stumpo's, with two shows at 8 and 10. Also scheduled are The Rumba Club at the Inlet (998 Bay Ave.) and the George Rabbai Quartet with Brian Betz at Gregory's restaurant (from 9).

As all jazz affectionatos know, Julian Edwin Adderly (1928 1975), aka "Cannonball," replaced John Coltrain in Miles Davis’ band and plays on the Davis classic LP "Kind of Blue." Adderly possessed what Davis called "a certain spirit," which still soars today. The former Florida school teacher, known by his nickname since grammar school, went on to lead his own legendary combo that included drummer Jimmy Cobb and Vince Herring on alto sax. Cobb and Herring will try to evoke that spirit at the Point, which shouldn’t be that hard to do.

Adderly wrote a number of great tunes that you will recognize, but for me Cannonball’s spirit is best exemplified by "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," written by his sideman Joe Zawinul, who also formed Weather Report.

The Rumba Club, a 9 piece Latin band, will keep things moving at the Inlet, where they better set up a dance floor because I have a felling things are going to get hot and heavy.

At Greg’s there’s the George Rabbai Quartet with guest guitarist Brian Betz. The New York Times said Rabbi is "a bearded Falstaffian trumpet player and singer," while Betz is a Rowan graduate and music teacher who plays regularly with Dennis DiBlasio and Frankie Avalon. [ See: http://www.brianbetzjazz.com/bio.htm]

On Sunday March 9, you got to pace yourself to catch all three shows. After breakfast, you can settle in with a bloody or Virgin Mary at Gregory’s and beginning at 1 pm, take in the tunes of Rob Swanson & The Terra Soul Project, who go until 4.

It’s hard for a bassist to lead a band but that doesn’t deter Rob Swanson, whose been playing bass for 25 years out of Wilmington, Delaware, and with a fine group of musicians, has the CD "The Terra Soul Project."

The Inlet, the site of the historic Bay Shores and Waterfront, is a great, bright and sunny venue for music, and perfect for the jazz guitar of Bob Devos, who brings his quartet to town. A student of the legendary Philly guitar teacher Dennis Sandole, Devos played with organist Jimmy McGriff and likes to pick behind the rumbling vibs of a B3, in this case played by Dan Kostelnik, and backed by Steve Johns on drums. They’ll play some of the jazz guitar and organ standards, plus some tunes off the latest Devos CD "Playing for Keeps."

Wrapping things up late in the afternoon, things shift to Stumpo’s beginning at 3 pm, with exceptional vocalist Jeanie Bryson, backed by pianist George Mesterhazy, who gets time and a half for overtime. Jeannie Bryson is well known to anybody around here who has been to the Cape May Jazz Fest, but she’s developed an international reputation from the worldwide popularity of her visually sensual performance in "Live at Warsaw" from 1991.

I remember one Sunday evening after a Cape May Jazz Fest, back at the home of Carol and Woody, with Van Duzee playing piano and Jeannie Bryson singing, and Jeannie and bluesman Frank Bea began an argument in scat, that almost made sense. With Mesterhazy on piano, after the last Sunday night set of the weekend, I have a feeling that George and Jeannie will go around one more time, and a few other souls may just join in, and it’ll sound like a chorus from heaven.

Yo! Cannonball, "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy."

An all event pass is only $40 ($50 day of show), or $25 for Friday ($30 DOS), $30 Saturday ($35 DOS) and $15 for Sunday ($20) and can be ordered by calling (609) 927 6677 or though the Somers Point Jazz Society web site http://www.spjazz.org.

See you in Church

Blues Bros Do AC

BLUES BROTHERS ON BOARDWALK FOR KIDS – By Bill Kelly

Can Atlantic City survive the Blues Brothers?

When “Jersey Joe” Piscopo realized the kids need some help, he recruited the Blues Brothers and some of his Saturday Night Live (SNL) alumni to do a special show at Caesar’s on the boardwalk in Atlantic City.

Persuaded by Piscopo to back his Positive Image Foundation (PIF) that helps at-risk kids, Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) and “Zee” Blues (Jim Belushi) and their band will headline the show Saturday night that may also include SNL veterans Chevy Chase, Adam Sandler, Dana Carvy and Father (Don Novello) Narduci.

It’s a benefit show that city officials hope will not be like the Chicago1980 benefit concert to save their old orphanage, immortalized in the Blues Brothers movie, that practically destroyed the city of Chicago.

Security in Atlantic City is already on high alert because of the Presidential inauguration, and the city’s public safety has recently survived a brief internship of Paris and Nicole without any major calamity, so they are prepared for anything.

It was 25 years ago, in 1980, when Piscopo and a new generation of entertainers took over from the original SNL crew, and later that year the Blues Brothers got together to play what became a notorious benefit concert that included Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Cab Calloway and other stars, backed by a group of studio musicians who can play.

The band’s talent, and the selection of classic material for their set lists made for one great performance, and movie. The Blues Brothers, still loyal to the strict nuns who raised them, sometimes strayed from their patron’s vision, and in the movie they cut a swathing path of destruction through the streets of Chicago, totaling hundreds of CPD patrol cars.

Now Piscopo and the Brothers are getting the band and the SNL gang together to do the same thing on the boardwalk for “Jersey” Joe’s kids, and Atlantic City is ready. City officials have reportedly checked with their Chicago counterparts to make sure there are no outstanding warrants for the Blues Brothers or any member of their band, which includes some of the best studio musicians on record.

The Casino Control Commission (CCC) has also conducted a background check on Dan “Elwood Blues” Akyroyd, as one of the principle partners in the House of Blues (HOB) showcase venue that is set to open soon at the Atlantic City Showboat casino. The opening of the HOB, together with the Trump Marina rock concerts, the opening of the Quarter at the Trop, and the anticipated Caesar’s Pier, will together take Atlantic City to another level as a tourist attraction, targeting a decidedly younger, hip and lucrative audience.

And Piscopo, the quintessential Jersey Guy, wants to remind those dipping into this money pit to not forget the kids.

In a telephone conversation a week before the show, Piscopo said, “Atlantic City is happening Now. With all that’s going on and all the money that’s there, you have to remember the kids, and give something back to the community, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

“The community,” that Piscopo is talking about isn’t the glitter of the casinos, but the back street ghettos of Newark, Camden, Atlantic City and his own hometown of Passaic, New Jersey. Along with Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Jack Nickelson, Danny DiVito, Bruce Willis and….., Piscopo has come to represent the Jersey crew in Hollywood, and is even mulling over a possible run for governor, like they do in California.

Besides his entertainment career that began in 1970(s) as a stand-up comic at the Jersey Shore (Joe Pop’s on LIB), SNL (1980-85) stint, and a slew of major motion pictures ( “Wise Guys,” “Johnny Dangerously,” “Dead Heat”) Piscopo has done an HBO special (“Bloomfield Avenue”), and helped revive “Grease” on Broadway. Most recently he’s been a guest star on TV’s hit “Law & Order,” playing an action-movie star suspected of murder.

Piscopo has also been honored for his off-camera contributions to charitable causes like Big Bros/Big Sisters, and was named to former New Jersey Governor Chritine Todd Whitman’s “Commission to Deter Criminal Activity.” From there he went to starting the Positive Image Foundation (PIF).

Besides just throwing money at an issue, Piscopo was looking to make a real difference with PIF, “to help youth to discover their true potential by mentorship, recognition and community involvement – teaching them that they’re valuable citizens that can achieve more through cooperation with their parents, teachers and community leaders.”

With offices based in Washington D.C. [2801 M. Street N.W., DC. 20007 – 202-338-6100] , the PIF began with a series of TV shows (Produced with PITV – Enterasys Networks), described as a “Groundbreaking series that mixes education and entertainment to reinforce positive behavior and lifestyles among at-risk youth….,” and a million dollar grant to increase Internet and computer access for inner-city schools.

“We’re doing good things in underprivileged areas,” said Piscopo, who mentioned his visit to Camden as an example. “I walked down Mt. Emphrium Avenue in Camden,” said Piscopo, and there aren’t many more dangerous places in the country, “That’s where I found the Unity Community Center.” Through his PIF, Piscopo supports the Camden center, founded by Robert and Wanda Dickerson to “help at-risk communities … through educational, recreational, developmental and the performing arts, and re-establish values of family life, improve character, educate and teach the basics that our youth need to survive in …low income urban areas.”

As a non-profit umbrella group that includes the Riletta T. Cream Family School, the Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble, and a karate school, all of which preach self-worth, achievement, confidence and discipline, the Unity oasis in Camden reflects the kinds of programs that Piscopo wants to implement.

“I went through some bumps and bruises in my own life,” said Piscopo, “and I can’t tell you why I was such a jerk, but what I want to do is a hard-sell. If I hear – ‘It’s not our target audience,’ one more time,….” While poor black kids in the ghetto may not be a target audience for some big time executives, the talent he’s assembled is certainly going to get some attention, and support for his cause.

“I reached out to Jim Belushi and Dan Akyroyd and I’m going to reach out to others,” said Piscopo, mentioning Chevy Chase, Adam Sandler, Dan Novello, Danna Carvy, and the fact that Eddie Murphy’s already checked in with a nice donation.

As for the Blues Brothers, Akyroyd has already made a big commitment to open a House of Blues (HOB) in the newly renovated Showboat, adding on to the string of mid-sized showcase venues that are already successful in LA, Vegas and other cities on the new “Chitlin’ Circuit,” which promises to bring in a retinue of new, good blues acts to town.

For the Blues Brothers, whether it was with the late “Jake” or his younger blood brother “Zee” as Elwood’s sidekick, they’ve always been the co-emcees of a the show who also sing, dance and do the occasional cartwheebut l, as Elwood said, “The songs and our band are the stars, we are there in service to these classic American songs.”

If the show comes off without the complete destruction of Atlantic City, it’s the appreciative audience and the kids on the street who will benefit the most. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased at Caesar’s box office or through Ticketmaster [ 1-800-736-1420 ] or on line at www.caesarsac.com or www.tickemaster.com .

xxxyyyzzz

ACCC Taproom Grill Opens to Public

Taproom at ACCC Open to the Public.

By William Kelly

With the transfer of the liquor license is approved by the city of Northfield, the storied Tap Room of the historic 110 year old Atlantic City Country Club is now 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 billykelly1@aol.com]

PHOTO CAPTION:

Longtime Atlantic City political boss Hap Farley, stands tall in the middle, holding court at the Tap Room bar, sometime in the 1940s. Can anyone identify any of the other people in the photo? If so, please contact the Current or Kelly at billykelly1@aol.com / 609-425-6297.