By Miriam Longobardi
“Pardon me, but do you mind if I ask what you do for a living?” was a question once posed to Jon Cobert on the platform of the Chappaqua train station after months of commuting to New York City in jeans and a tee shirt amongst business people dressed in suits. [Read more…] about Jon Cobert: Living a “True Calling”
Gotta Have Arts
Jam On: Welcome to a Scene of Amazing Talent
by Damian Petta
As you thumb through the weekly entertainment guide in your local paper looking for a music event, maybe you have come across a listing for an “open mic or jam.” If you don’t know what one is, or if you just haven’t checked one out, I recommend that you do. As much as you might enjoy seeing a specific band, “open jams” offer some of the best alternatives on the music scene.
Most open jams take place at a bar or restaurant, usually during the week. While this might make attending difficult, don’t forget about babysitters or holidays. Typically, a jam starts with the “house” band, consisting of professional or semiprofessional musicians who start the evening with a short set of about five songs. Other musicians sign up to play and specify their talent(s). After the “house” set, a new band is put together with players off the list. If needed, some of the house musicians will remain on stage and sit in.
Going to an open jam is a great way for people to get out and feel like they are doing something other than just drinking or looking for a mate, if you are single. There is a reason to be there–the music!
Best Jams
Mondays:
Pete “Hop” Hopkinson runs an acoustic open mic at Lucy’s Lounge–446 Bedford Road, Pleasantville (lucys-lounge.com) It’s a great night for singer/songwriters who want to showcase original songs and often has many surprises. In my opinion, Pete is one of best all-around musicians in Westchester I have seen. Pete just recently played at Carnegie Hall and many of his original songs can be found on YouTube and iTunes. The jam is unique in that most people play solo with just a guitar or keyboard and much of the material is original. This jam is an extension of who Petey Hop is, a great singer song writer who’s jam gives others like him a chance to hone their talents on his stage.
The Bayou Restaurant, 580 Gramatan Avenue, Mt. Vernon (bayourestaurantny.com), a famous music and food venue, has featured many amazing musicians. The jam is mostly blues and is run by Johnny Feds and Da Blues Boyz, a well-known band which plays at many local venues. With John “Elmo” Lawson on bass, Dave Schimansky on drums, and Fred Lind on keyboards. Johnny Feds is an exceptional blues guitar player and runs a very organized jam. If you like Cajun cuisine, the food is is a huge plus.
Tuesdays:
“The People’s Jam” with WVS and the Wolf Pack. This jam was started by Will Van Sise and Andrew Murphy of Lucys and is one of the best jams in the area. The house band consists of Will on guitar and vocals, Anthony Candullo on bass, Gary Schwartz on drums and myself on second guitar. Will is a super talented guitar player proficient in many different genres of music from rock to soul to country. There are dozens of pros who roll into jam on any given night; the degree of talent is astounding. Many come as groups with new unrehearsed material to try out. The music can be heard until the early hours.
Wednesdays:
You can stay local and enjoy the “Bring It On Home” Blues Jam at Katie Mac’s–30 East Main Street, Mount Kisco (katiemacspub.com). The band consists of “Little Marty” Schechter on guitar and vocals, Gary Schwartz on drums and the multi-talented Rich Kelly on bass, vocals or any instrument you need him to play. Gary is a wonderful host and really caters to the players and that makes for a warm, friendly atmosphere. If you happen to miss this particular jam, they do an encore “Back on Track” Blues Jam on Thursdays at Gordo’s – 415 Commerce St., Hawthorne.
Your other option is The Lazy Lounge–154 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains (lazyloungeny.com). Blues, Rhythm and Soul Jam” hosted by Gil Parris and Curtis Winchester. It draws a great crowd, especially in the summer when the sidewalk is open for outside dining. The house band consists of jazz guitarist Gil Parris and the incredible voice of Curtis Winchester with Kip Sophos or Anthony Candullo on bass, and Joe Piteo or Rudy Feinauer on drums and Dave Pressel on keyboards. This is pretty much an all-star lineup. This is definitely a house set worth seeing. The band covers artists like Marvin Gaye, B.B. King and Al Green. After a great house set of R&B, the jam is off and running with drink and food specials all night long.
Thursdays:
The jam which started just a few months ago at J.C. Fogarty’s, 60 Kraft Avenue, Bronxville (jcfogartys.com) has become an interesting evening with the John James Trio, John Piteo on guitar/vocals, Phil Rosenstock on bass, and Joe Piteo on drums. The house trio plays quality funk/jazz and blues. It’s a fun atmosphere with a good local crowd and draws many good musicians. This jam attracts a lot of new talent and it’s amazing how accomplished some of these young players are.
Sundays:
Jams seem to take a reprieve on the weekends, but there are plenty of bands who fill the void like, Buried in Blue, The Geoff Hartwell Band and The Worst just to name a few, who all play locally.
Sunday, however, is the exception. Once the quietest night of the week, it’s now a night filled with plenty of noise. “The Sunday Night Jam Sessions” at Elements, 161 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains (elementswhiteplains.com) created by Dan Carillo is extremely successful, with Dan on drums and a rotating cast that changes every week. The house musicians are some of the best you can find. There are also food and drink specials throughout the night and John Whelan behind the bar.
A Real Community
Over time, the jam community has grown and become a forum where people come together for music on many different nights of the week. Some come to network, some to play and some just come to listen. Others, like John Apicelli, enhance the experience by photographing each event he attends and Amy Kerwin bringing “Diesel Deserts” to the Sunday Night Jam Sessions.
Of course, there are the fans that follow the music almost seven nights a week and who wholeheartedly support the local scene. The community is very tight and growing and extremely supportive of one another. You can truly feel the love at the numerous benefits for those in need, including persons within the music community. It gives real meaning to the gift of music that the multi-talented musicians share to appreciative fans week in and week out.
Other Jams
Tuesday:
Pete’s Saloon
Jazz/Funk/Brazilian with Thierry Arpino, Jay Azzolina, Robert Aries, Kip Sophos
Wicked Wolf Tuesday night Jam sessions
Dan Carillo, “Big Jim Pope”, Rich Kelly
Thursday:
Duck Inn Bar and Grill, Mamoreneck
Duck Inn Jam, Dave Schimansky
3rd Thursday of the month
12 Grapes Restaurant Rock Jam with Andrew Bordeaux, Rich Kelly, and Christopher Burke.
Damian Petta is a financial advisor and avid guitarist.
Gotta Have Faith
By Michael Kohn
British superstar George Michael sings “I gotta have faith.” If the crowds who gather at her gigs are any indication, so do the fans of Justine Faith, owner of NightStar DJ and Karaoke. What she started on a whim has blossomed into a successful entertainment company for this resident of Pleasantville.
Justine didn’t set out on becoming a queen of karaoke. After studying Animal Science at Cornell, she hoped to become a veterinarian. William Congreve said: “music hath charms to soothe the savage beast…,” but taking care of animals was not to be. A love of singing, including a three-year stint with the All-City Chorus in Manhattan during high school, eventually brought her to a different career path.
Fifteen years ago, when just a regular karaoke singer, a DJ asked her if she wanted to learn the ropes. So, she learned how to dj, what to say to the crowd and began a business of her own, starting with one show a week. When another bar asked her to do a karaoke show on the same night, she trained her own DJ, and thus, a karaoke empire was born. Today, between Justine and her stable of DJ’s, NightStar DJ and Karaoke now hosts 21 shows each week, not including weddings and parties.
Along with regular gigs in Westchester, Connecticut and the Bronx (her one night “off” is Monday), Justine also hosts a regular Thursday night show at the world-famous Sylvia’s in Harlem. “The singers [there] will blow your mind,” she says.
When I interviewed Justine over the phone, I could hear in her voice the pride she took in her work, including the fact that she was the first African-American woman to own a karaoke company. She talked about how important the singers are to her and pointed out that other DJs sometimes steal time from the singers by singing too often themselves, in spite of the fact that she is blessed with an amazing voice of her own. (Her mother played piano at Carnegie Hall and taught music and piano, and Justine was an accomplished piano player by age six.)
She stressed the value of encouraging her DJs to talk to everyone at the bar, even non-singers, who just come to enjoy a good show. “Anyone can press buttons; it’s about personalities,” she says. As a karaoke DJ myself up in Albany, I was curious to see Justine in action, and fortunately found a chance to after visiting my daughter in New York City. She was returning to her long-running show at Thataway’s Café in Greenwich after a three month hiatus recovering from surgery, and invited me to see her “live.”
I arrived to find Justine ordering a soda amidst a sea of her loyal fans. On a Sunday night, no less! Justine began the show and I was delighted I made the trip. The atmosphere and the singers were fantastic and everyone was showing karaoke love. I even met a few of the karaoke hosts who work for her. It was clear that they all had Justine’s love for karaoke and her professional philosophy of giving the very best to the patrons. She wants to “make it [the show] memorable so they will come back.” I ended up staying over two hours.
Karaoke’s not all fun and games. In addition to managing all the shows, Justine works hard at booking, preparing contracts, and publicity. “It’s a tough business and I have to work hard to hold onto shows,” she adds. After seeing one, it’s obvious that the effort is worthwhile.
The central theme which emerged during the interview was how important the people are. Justine wants to give them the very best and has been rewarded over the years by meeting many wonderful people. Since she began, at least eight couples married after meeting at karaoke. Justine dj’ed at their weddings too, expressing how honored she felt that she was chosen to entertain.
Locally, you can find Justine and her other hosts at Quaker Hill in Chappaqua, Lucy’s in Pleasantville, Opus in Armonk. For a complete listing of her shows, visit her website at www.nightstardj.com.
Holiday Spectacular and More Planned by the Chappaqua Singers
by Michael Kohn
For over 30 years, the Chappaqua Singers have been delighting audiences with their upbeat repertoires, choreography and stage attire. A northern Westchester County performing arts treasure, the group was founded by musical director Marie Terotta Roche, a critically-acclaimed singer
dancer, actor and radio personality.
Accompanied by Broadway pianist Sue Anderson, the 15 women have
performed as far away as Romania while primarily sharing their talents locally.
Currently, they are in rehearsal for their “holiday spectacular” which will be performed at various venues throughout the area, culminating in a performance at the Met Life Building, adjacent to Grand Central Station in New York City on Thursday, December 16, from 5 to 6 pm.
According to Marie Terotta Roche, “our holiday program has something for everyone–from sacred church music to the
classics, including “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Sleigh Ride,” a beautiful medley of Hanukah songs, all the way to “Santa Baby” and “Jingle Bell
Rock.” The professional-caliber entertainers seamlessly mix their music and choreography into a wonderful show which includes soloists and four-part harmonies.
Member Marvel Griepp is especially excited about the show at the Met Life building where busy commuters stop on their way to work to soak up some holiday
cheer. She loves the workday rush contributing to a “wonderful ebb and flow.” Once, Broadway sensation Audra McDonald graced the group with her presence.
In addition to their holiday shows, the Chappaqua Singers have performed each year at the city-wide 9/11 observance. This past year, they performed in the high-traffic lobby of an office building
at 40 Worth Street in New York City.
Said Roche, “the program wove a rich musical tapestry that paid tribute to those who perished in the events of September 11. I lost a son-in-law that day, so being able to lift the spirits of people who work in New York has deep significance to me personally and to my singers.”
You can catch the Chappaqua Singers at the following places and times: Saturday, December 4 at 3:30 p.m. as part of the New Castle Community Sing followed by a
tree lighting; the Robert E. Bell School, 50 Senter St., Chappaqua on Friday, December 10, 1:30-2:30 p.m.; Chappaqua Seniors, Community Center, Senter St.,
Chappaqua on Thursday, December 16, from 5-6 p.m.. For further information, email Griepp at mgriepp@optonline.com.
And, they are always interested in new members.
Michael Kohn is a contributing editor and writer to Inside Chappaqua.
Jake Goldberg: A Meteoric Rise
By Sarah Ellen Berman
Down to earth and movie star do not normally appear in the same sentence. In Jake Goldberg’s case, they do. This 14-yearold is the epitome of the nonchalant movie star. Although he has appeared with Adam Sandler in “Grown Ups,” he remains a typical low-key Chappaqua teenager.
Goldberg’s successful path to Hollywood has been untraditional. Although he does work with an acting coach before auditions, he has had no formal training. When he was in third grade, his mother sent a photo of him to the CESD Talent Agency in Manhattan and the rest is history.
He began with a commercial for Verizon followed by an ad for the season finale of “The Osbournes.” He played the voice of Pablo the Penguin on “The Backyardagins”on Nickelodeon for five seasons. After auditioning for the movie “Grown Ups,” he received a call back. The next step was a “table read” in LA where he read the script with the rest of the cast. The next day he received a call saying that the role was his.
In Chappaqua, Goldberg is Norberto Goldberg’s son. In the movie, “Grown Ups,” he is Adam Sandler’s son. The movie is centered around the adults, several of whom have families. The kids get together at a 4th of July party and Goldberg takes the lead. In the film (as opposed to real life) Goldberg said, “I have to act like I’m a brat.” His work on the film was very rewarding. “All the actors in the movie were an inspiration,” he said.
How does schoolwork fit into Goldberg’s busy life? Effortlessly. All his work for Nickelodeon was done after school in the city. In May 2009, when the movie was shot in Massachusetts, Goldberg worked with a tutor and remained in contact with all his teachers at Bell to insure that he completed his schoolwork. He is “very excited” about attending Greeley in the fall.
When contemplating the future, Goldberg said that he would, “like to pursue my acting.” In the meantime he enjoys playing lacrosse and occasionally frequents the skatepark in Chappaqua