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Extremely personable, Patti Scialfa spoke freely of her experience as a mother and free feminine spirit. Most of her melodies roused the participation of all ‘round’ artists. When this occurred, the blend of supportive vocals was so ‘on’ one couldn’t help but feel amazed that it came from a short warm-up before the show.

I’m not sure which came first: the actor or the musician. But the playfulness that Kevin and his brother Michael (i.e., the “Bacon Brothers”) conveyed throughout the show easily leads one to conclude that music is their first love. Armed with the luxury of being a two-person act, their high energy and commitment to pleasing the crowd is reason enough for the recognition they have received in recent years. Their show following the ‘round’ further demonstrated their musical versatility(from Michael on soothing cello, to Kevin bopping around the stage with strapped-on djembe).

The second of the two up-and-coming solo artists, Ari Hest wooed the audience with his intimate originals and sparkling guitar riffs. His unique voice –- that of a sonorous baritone with an amazing falsetto range -– surprised and delighted the listener. Reminiscent of Al Green or Marvin Gaye’s sweetness, Ari’s uplifting sound added a vocal depth that (I’m certain) few can replicate. Thus each song was uniquely his, with a power to guide the listener to new emotional heights.

My favorite memories of the evening include: observing a line of Bacon Brother’s fans swaying and clapping in sync with each other to Kevin’s rather revealing song about his father’s advice (they knew all the words!), and Patti’s generosity in joining the audience and personally greeting each fan during the third part of the show. A special thanks goes out to guitar tech Kevin for his polite and informative conversation, and to Patti for agreeing to a short interview on the spot.
   by Karen Anne Litecky

Support

Local

Music!

There is an open mic night going on every Wednesday in Belmar and it is well attended and worth a visit. Coffee Blue is at 600 Main Street in Belmar. This location has long been a supporter of the local arts. You can get a great cup of coffee and enjoy interesting paintings in a cozy, downtown, friendly atmosphere. The establishment has just enjoyed its second anniversary. You may remember the open mic nights going on when it was the Java Hut.  The tradition was picked up by Freddy Gomez of Green Machine, who brought it all back to life when Coffee Blue reopened the doors.

I arrived early and watched as the place filled up with an eclectic mix of urban youth, seasoned veterans of the Jersey Shore performing scene, and some newcomers, all armed with keyboards and guitars.  The host of the night, Don Lee, was full of energy and ran a tight ship. Sign-ups are at 6:00 with a scheduled start of 7:30.  (If you’re not there when the show starts and someone else has signed you up, you may get bumped down the list of performers.)
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