Friends. Pearl Harbor Day. December 7, 2011. Ocean Grove Fishing Pier. Paul Goldfinger photo © Click to enlarge.
BRUNO MARS Singer and songwriter
Archive for the ‘Ocean Grove events’ Category
Count on me…
Posted in Ocean Grove Beach, Ocean Grove events, Ocean Grove fishing pier, Ocean Grove lifestyles, tagged Pearl Harbor Day Ocean Grove on December 7, 2022| 1 Comment »
Remembering Sandy. Anniversary on October 29
Posted in Ocean Grove events, Ocean Grove storm gallery, Photography by Paul Goldfinger, Photography Superstorm Sandy, tagged 3rd anniversary of Sandy in Ocean Grove on October 17, 2022| 1 Comment »
The next day. Ocean Grove. October 30, 2012. Paul Goldfinger photo. © Click to enlarge.
CRAIG OGDEN “Cavatina” from the film Deer Hunter.
Modern OG history: “Fund the Police”
Posted in Ocean Grove events, Photography by Paul Goldfinger, tagged Looking for Space in the Great Auditorium on October 1, 2022| Leave a Comment »
The OG Great Auditorium, May 21, 2013. Police Memorial Photograph by Paul Goldfinger © Click image to enlarge.
JOHN DENVER “Looking For Space.”
Memories on the beach in Ocean Grove: 2015
Posted in Memories are made of this on Blogfinger, Ocean Grove events, Ocean Grove Gallery, Photograph by Bob Bowné, Photographic Gallery: New Jersey, Photographic Gallery: Ocean Grove, Photography at The Jersey Shore, Photography by Bob Bowne, tagged Bob Bowne´photography, Memorial service in Ocean Grove New Jersey on August 31, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Bob Bowné captures an intriguing image. It was a memorial service on the Ocean Grove beach. November, 2015. Special to Blogfinger © Click to enlarge.
KAREN O. and EZRA KOENIG. “The Moon Song”
Modern OG History: 60th Annual Choir Festival in the Great Auditorium of Ocean Grove—July 14, 2014,
Posted in Blogfinger Presents, Great Auditorium Musical Event, Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association Activity, Ocean Grove events, Ocean Grove Musical Event, tagged 60th annual Ocean Grove Choir Festival on April 17, 2022| 5 Comments »
Some of my neighbors way back in the GA where original wooden seats are located and where the view is grand. Paul Goldfinger photo ©
By Paul Goldfinger, MD, Editor, Blogfinger.net Re-post on Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022.
If you have never witnessed an Ocean Grove choir festival, it is an experience. I attended last night, but it was not a first for me. A large crowd was there to hear the huge massed choir of about 1000 voices from 125 different churches, professional soloists, the Hope-Jones organ aired out from top to bottom, a number of skilled conductors, a brass ensemble, and a varied program consisting of Christian music. The only composer I recognized was Franz Josef Haydn who wrote the opening anthem, “The Heavens are Telling.”
But even if you don’t know this music and even if you are not Christian, this musical event is astonishing to see.
The Choir Festival is not a typical concert, because, as a number of speakers explained, this program is about prayer through music. As it says in Psalm 95:1 “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord.” The program, in fact, stresses the words rather than the music. On the cover it says, “Wonderful Words of Life.”
Among the words offered last night was a prayer by the Camp Meeting Association COO JP Gradone who reminded us that living in the northeast was a challenge for those who promote religious principles to guide our lives. He hoped that our country could reconnect with the “values of America’s founders.”
But you can, as I did, attend to enjoy a marvelous musical event, while appreciating its religious significance. I like to sit way in the back, where the moms with infants locate along with others who enjoy the broad expanse of the unique sound and visuals.
The soloists, with their trained voices, project out and can be clearly heard all the way in the back. They included Ronald Naldi, Monica Zigler, Martha Bartz, and Justin Beck. Plus, of course, there are the Director of Music Dr. Jason C Tramm and our own Dr. Gordon Turk presiding over those 11,000 pipes.
Below is a sample of what the Choir Festival sounds like. It is from “How Shall a King Come?” conducted by Dr. Cindy Bell and with soloists Monica Ziglar and Ronald Naldi.
OG Music History 2014: Embury Block Party Rocks the Grove.
Posted in Ocean Grove events, tagged Embury Avenue block party 2014 on February 5, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Grovers enjoy the Nobile Big Band at the Embury Avenue 3rd annual musical block party. Blogfinger photo and video. September 13, 2014.
Embury block party by Bob Bowné. ©
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
This is the 3rd year that the folks down at the beach block of Embury Avenue have sponsored a festive musical block party complete with eight groups including 3 swing bands, a Dixieland ensemble and a group of kids from Embury performing Broadway music. The neighbors came out with their folding chairs to sit on the street, the sidewalks, front yards and porches. They enjoyed the food and the music—what an amazing event!
Because it was going to rain, a large tent was erected for the musicians. We caught part of the performance of John Noble’s Summer Swing Orchestra, and boy were they good! Below is part of their closing song “That’s All.” I love this choice for their final number.
This song is a wonderful rollicking piece which has been on the standards list since the 1950’s and has been covered by so many great performers including Bobby Darin and Nat King Cole. But the Noble Orchestra today did an excellent job bringing this song back to the Grove. The video clip below will give you an idea of the sound.
The music was to extend from about 1 pm to 8 pm. Anyone could wander over and listen. According to photographer Bob Bowné who attended and took the photo above, “A little Frank Sinatra out in the front yard on a rainy day is always a good way to go!”
And, since I am a huge fan of this song, here is Beverly Kenny’s more sultry version (and a wonderful surprise ending:)
Pearl Harbor Day in Ocean Grove 2015. We weren’t here for 2021.
Posted in Ocean Grove events, Ocean Grove lifestyles, Photograph by Paul Goldfinger, tagged Pearl Harbor Day in Ocean Grove- New Jersey on January 13, 2022| Leave a Comment »
10:50 am, and the crowd has already assembled on the Ocean Grove pier. December 7, 2015. Paul Goldfinger photographs. © Click to enlarge.
By Paul Goldfinger, MD. Blogfinger.net While we are on the subject of Pearl Harbor Day.
Every December 7, at 11:00 am, a group of service club members and citizens meet at the fishing pier to remember the atrocity which was Pearl Harbor. We lost 2,400 Americans on that day in 1941 “which shall live in infamy” (FDR.)
The Ocean Grove event is quite unusual as most towns in USA do not have such ceremonies. Each year the ritual is unchanged: The Neptune High School color guard is present; military organizations are there; taps are played, a prayer is recited, and “God Bless America” is sung. A few words are spoken to remember the soldiers and sailors who died that day, and mention was made of those who made the supreme sacrifice for America in other conflicts. A floral wreath is tossed into the ocean.
Taps sound and echo over the water. Blogfinger.net ©
As the crowd began to disburse, a female member of the Neptune VFW heads back and then enters the beach, walking slowly to the waters edge, as if to offer her personal tribute. Then she walks back onto the boards where Blogfinger gets to speak to her for a few minutes (see below).
Neptune High School honor guard. Blogfinger .net ©
Neptune VFW. Blogfinger.net ©
The color guard must be shown in color. Blogfinger.net ©
RUBY BRAFF AND DICK HYMAN “America the Beautiful”
The Ushers’ March. Choir Festival 2018
Posted in Around town with Jean, Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association Activity, Ocean Grove events, Ocean Grove Great Auditorium, Ocean Grove Musical Event, tagged Choir Festival 2018, Photo: the Ushers March on December 16, 2021| 2 Comments »
Paul Goldfinger ©. 2012. Ushers March in the Great Auditorium during Choir Festival.
Celebrity sighting in Ocean Grove. Summer 2015. The Boss—an honorary Grover.
Posted in Ocean Grove events, tagged Bruce Springsteen in Ocean Grove, Celebrities in Ocean Grove on December 12, 2021| 5 Comments »
From Stan Goldstein: “Last week Patti Scialfa, Bruce Springsteen’s wife, posted this photo of her, Bruce and Rita Wilson (Tom Hanks wife) on Instagram.
Patti says Asbury Park, but if you look closely, that’s right in front of Nagles facing east (Bruce, Patti and Rita facing west)… Pretty cool! I think it was taken last Thursday (May 14).”
“Here they were right in downtown Ocean Grove!”
Rita Wilson (L), Patti Scialfa and Bruce Springsteen. Corner of Main Ave.and Central Ave. Submitted by Stan Goldstein. Summer, 2015.
Maybe the Boss was in the Grove waitin’ on a sunny day. Looks like he found one.
“I’m waitin’, waitin’ on a sunny day
Gonna chase the clouds away
Waitin’ on a sunny day”
News from the past: “Man Bites Fish at the Ocean Grove Beach.”
Posted in Ocean Grove events, Photograph by Paul Goldfinger, Photographic Gallery: Ocean Grove, tagged Fish are running in the Grove, Fishing in Ocean Grove on December 11, 2021| 2 Comments »
South Beach. Oct. 31, 2014. Click to make the boats and the fish bigger. By Paul Goldfinger ©
Many fishing boats showed up this morning at the OG beach. We’re told that stripers are in town due to the bait fish, bunkers, which are currently going bonkers, swimming by in great schools, attracting the bigger fish. But the biggest fish, man, has also joined the life chain as he circles around in his little boats.
Others joined the parade included photographers on the pier and boardwalk plus a flock of birds on the shore. Tourists walking around stared at the spectacle. Two surf fisherman arrived as well, hoping that the guys in the boats knew something special. Maybe they do, with their sonar equipment.
I met a guy at the pier named Chris. He was taking pictures, so I took a picture of him. We spoke. He said that he lives in Asbury Park, but he comes to Ocean Grove daily to swim. He starts his routine around Father’s Day and continues to swim every day until it gets cold. He said that time had about arrived.
Chris, from Asbury Park takes pictures from the OG non-fishing pier. ©
I asked him why he prefers to swim in OG instead of our naughty sister city AP, and he replied that he is not allowed to swim there now for safety reasons. OG doesn’t have such restrictions which are determined by the Camp Meeting Association.
America still hasn’t evolved to the point where a citizen can’t find a place to jump in the ocean any time he feels like it.
–Paul Goldfinger, Editor@Blogfinger.net.
OSCAR PETERSON: