Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger. Shaboom, Shaboom.
The Doo Wops used to usher in the summer season in OG and then return in September with a different lineup. But in the last couple of years, the CMA has eliminated most pop concerts from the summer schedule—except for the Beach Boys.
But now, in a surprise announcement, the CMA has taken seriously the adage “See You in September” with a “Doo Wop Extravaganza” on September one in the Great Auditorium. The program contains all excellent choices, so this concert should not be missed if you like the music from that era.
There is magic associated with the Doo Wops in Ocean Grove, because every year a large crowd would assemble, and they always seemed to be the same age year after year, never getting older than old enough.
This Doo Wop concert is one of two secular pop musical shows this season. The other is The Beach Boys on August 18.
Here is a link to the Blogfinger article about this 2016 concert. Kudos to the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association for making such remarkable events possible in our town. The link below has a photo gallery of Marvelous Mendelssohn brought to life by Maestro Jason Tramm, the musicians, and the choir.
Did you ever dream of traveling around the country in a van with a rock band? Well, Daniel Hickman of Tennessee, currently of Ocean Grove, did just that for five years when he was in his twenties. But he wasn’t a musician. He was a technician who made sure that the group’s guitars were fit as a fiddle. Daniel loved the experience; is there any doubt? ——– especially if you read Keith Richards biography.
Daniel has trained for years working on guitars—-repairing them and building them. He continued studying his craft with experts along the way as he traveled all over America with the Latin Rock group “de Sol.” He calls himself a “luthier” (definition: “a maker of stringed instruments such as violins or guitars.”)
Daniel comes from an artistic family and he probably inhaled guitar music living near Nashville. His career as a luthier has been progressing since 2005. After that rock gig, he moved to New Jersey and found himself with a very special business opportunity at the Jersey Shore Arts Center in Ocean Grove (66 South Main Street in Neptune) where he has had a workshop/studio since 2015 called “Don’t Fret Music.”
Daniel is grateful to Herb Herbst and the staff at the JSAC for providing him with a rare situation. He not only builds and repairs guitars and other stringed instruments,, but he has begun a program to provide lessons in guitar, piano, and uke. Dan has recruited a talented young teacher to work with students of all ages, and the lessons are given in a separate space off Dan’s workshop. He also repairs amps and he is moving into “retail.” Daniel plans to develop a “full service guitar shop and music store.” His shop is downstairs off the parking lot, with a private entrance to the left.
At the age of 32, Daniel is ambitious and enthused. “We are in the infancy of Don’t Fret Music.”
Daniel’s workshop/studio is a fascinating place, and to watch him work, you get the impression that he is highly competent. He worked on my guitar–he is an exacting craftsman.
Daniel is excited about the future of the Jersey Shore Arts Center. “There is a lot going on here,” he says; “The venue is full of talented artists in residence ,some of whom paint, do screen printing, social media, and photography.” There also is an acting ensemble “La Strada.” He wants to be supportive of his artist colleagues at JSAC.
One of his ambitions is to see a variety of new music performances in the JSAC theater. He hopes for bluegrass and jazz among the choices. This ambition seems very real given the recent downsizing of the secular programming in the Great Auditorium and the real need for some musical variety to satisfy OG’s diverse demographics and to balance against the music scene in Asbury Park.
Blogfinger will help promote new music and arts programs in Ocean Grove. It sounds like the JSAC may be on the threshold of something more than yoga and children’s ballet. Currently there is an arts show going on. Call them for details.
Daniel’s shop is open Tuesday through Saturday 3 pm -7 pm except Saturday which is 11 am to 5 pm. Call 732 361 5060 or DontFretNJ@gmail.com or the web site: DontFretNJ.com.
On August 20, Daniel is inviting the public to an open house to celebrate his second year anniversary in Ocean Grove. There will be music, food and other festivities. More info. to come. And, for the record, Daniel lives in Ocean Grove and he “loves the town.” It makes him happy because he knows his neighbors, people say hello, and the town is charming. Daniel knows most of the business people in the Grove and he feels at home here.
MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR with the PHILADELPHIA BRASS ENSEMBLE AND PERCUSSION. With a favorite English Christian hymn. “Rock of Ages” that goes back about 250 years . The MTC has 360 members, smaller than the group which appeared in Ocean Grove tonight.
By Paul Goldfinger, music editor @Blogfinger.net. Eileen Goldfinger video clips
July 6, 2017 in the Great Auditorium of Ocean Grove:
We enjoyed this concert by the Imperial Brass very much, as expected, but there were some “knock your socks off” special moments.
As many of you know, the famous trumpeter Phillip Smith has a summer place in Ocean Grove. His tone and technique are so good that it makes you want to jump up and cheer, which is what happened. Phil Smith played an intricate duet with Mitch Brodsky called “Deliverance.” In the second half he soloed on an amazingly complex piece called Scherzando.
Phil told the audience that he has missed playing in the Great Auditorium and how much he loves the salt air and the pleasures of being back in his little cottage on Pilgrim Pathway. Phil retired from his long-term position as principal trumpet with the NY Philharmonic and now he is on the faculty at the University of Georgia.
Other highlights included a lovely trombone solo of an African American spiritual “Swing Low” by Robert Tiedemann. (We have a brief video from that below.)
We have been attending musical performances in the GA for years, but my greatest wish, until now ungranted, was to hear authentic live jazz in that terrific venue. Tonight the Imperial Brass granted that wish in what I suspect was the first time a real jazz man played, without amplification, on our stage.
Warren Vaché is an acclaimed jazz cornetist from New Jersey who had two beautiful solos with the Brass, but the one that I savored was his rendition of Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile” Vaché delighted the crowd with a vocal chorus as well as a jazz solo. Hopefully we can get some more jazz players at the Grove.
If you like jazz, check with the Axelrod Theatre in Deal where they often feature first rate live jazz. Last year they had John Pizzarelli. Also, Shanghai Jazz in Madison is a fine restaurant that features jazz and has done so for years. It is worth the trip.
The Imperial Brass is such a fine ensemble, and they vary their content so that you never get bored. The instrumentation is thrilling for you brass fans–a diverse collection of horns— baritones, French, euphoniums, trumpets, and more that I couldn’t identify. But the end result is a magnificent sound where the components come together in a remarkable way.
They have a web site if you want to sign up for their mailings or buy their recordings:
The group astonished the crowd with their last number, a most unusual rendition of the “Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Phillip Sousa whose premier march is often played in the Great Auditorium, but it is always done “straight.” However tonight the Brass astonished us with a raucus, jazzy, 21st century version of this piece including the classic piccolo solo done tonight by a marvelous soprano cornet player. I wish Sousa could have been there. Below is a bit of that march:
But there was an actual composer present–Joseph Turrin, who got to have a standing O because some of his brass compositions were performed tonight including a marvelous tribute to New York City called “Landmarks.”
Here is a brief segment of Robert Tiedemann’s trombone solo: “Swing Low” Video by Eileen Goldfinger
And here are two selections from the Imperial Brass & Friends CD.
PHILIP SMITH (Trumpet) with a hymn that he loves (he introduced it and played it tonight.)
WARREN VACHE´ (Trumpet) “April in Paris.” ( I could not find a recording of “Smile”)
The Summer Stars Classical Series begins on Thursday, July 6, at 7:30 pm in the Ocean Grove Great Auditorium. The Imperial Brass will be there, a 28 piece ensemble with first rate musicians. They have appeared in the Grove before, and they are marvelous.
But this time they will have two famous soloists. The first is Ocean Grove’s Phil Smith, formerly the principal trumpet of the New York Philharmonic.
And also featured will be jazz great Warren Vaché whom we have featured before on Blogfinger. We have hoped for some fine jazz in the Grove, but this time we will get our wish.
The impressive program will feature a variety of classical and contemporary works, and the mixing and matching of musicians will delight fans of brass arrangements.
Can you talk without moving your lips? Taylor Mason can. Go to the show and see if you think the dummy on his lap is talking.
Regarding the summer secular schedule in OG, Mike Love of the Beach Boys told APP.com, regarding the Great Auditorium, “I love that place, it’s great, it’s one of the classic venues that we perform at,” Love said of the Great Auditorium in a 2014 interview.”
And, he added with a laugh, “One of the great things about Ocean Grove is the proximity to some fantastic ice cream parlors. We find a lot of pleasure in coming there.”
And he is just one of many GA Saturday night performers who have praised that fabulous music venue as they stood on the stage of the GA including Tony Bennett who liked to try and sing acapella there. I have heard quite a few musicians and singers express how awed they felt being inside that giant cello of a building.
