St. John’s Island at Sunset Lake. A. Park 9/13/20. Blogfinger.net. Paul Goldfinger photo. Click to enlarge.

St. John’s closeup. Paul Goldfinger ©. Click to enlarge.

Sunday on St. John’s. Paul Goldfinger photo. © 9/13/20. Click to enlarge.

By Paul Goldfinger, MD,  Editor Blogfinger.net

There are those in Asbury Park who believe that the city’s music traditions helped keep it alive over the years.  Recently, in addition to restaurant row, arts resurgence, condo heaven, youthful bar scene,  and all sorts of special events such as the Pride Parade and the Zombie Walk, music is still very much alive in multiple venues within walking distance of Ocean Grove.

Some think of rock and roll, a la Bruce Springsteen, when they think of A. Park, but there is much more than that.  I used to attend the yearly jazz festival.

But now, a new musical idea has begun, and that involves Sunday concerts on St. John’s Island in the middle of Sunset Lake.  It began on Sept 13 and will continue each Sunday through October 25.

We went over there to get some photos.  It is a lovely venue. You walk onto the bridge off Sunset  Avenue and then stroll down to St. John’s where a well distanced audience on folding chairs enjoyed a concert by folk-rocker Steve Forbert and his trio.  The music  was very good, and the audience enjoyed it. Others watched from the nearby bridge.

Steve Forbert performs. Paul Goldfinger photo. click on images to enlarge. 9/13/20. Blogfinger.net

There will be different performers each Sunday, and the lineup sounds terrific.

This series is sponsored by the Asbury Park Music Foundation and is advertised as an “acoustic music series benefiting youth music programs in Asbury Park.”

This Sunday series will be very popular, so get your tickets early at asburyparkmusiclives.org

Hardly anyone wore a mask at the concert, but that seemed to be OK given the distancing. (see our photos) Others kept away by sitting on the bridge.

STEVE FORBERT.  from his album Jack Rabbit Slim”:   “Sadly Sorta Like a Soap Opera.”

Another artist to appear on Oct. 18 is singer songwriter Glen Burtnick.   Here he is with “Where Music Lives” (down by the ocean.)

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