PHOTO BY JESSICA PASCHKES/PRETTY PICTURES MARKETING
I was supposed to be flying to Florida in a few hours, but when I heard the other six guys were available for the gig, I moved my flight. There was no way I was missing Garcia’s,” said Jordan Saletan, saxophonist for the Chappaqua rock band, The Station Agents. They were just offered their biggest gig yet, a headlining set at Garcia’s Bar inside the legendary Capitol Theater in Port Chester, where their childhood heroes performed.
The Station Agents formed like many great bands before them: from a big impromptu jam session at a party. The jam led to an email list that led to rehearsals for nothing yet in particular. “Then pretty quickly it was whittled down to the seven of us from Chappaqua. And then it just stuck,” said Saletan. Unlike a lot of bands, The Station Agents didn’t grow up together. In fact, their kids are currently growing up together. “We knew each other through our kids. At least one person was connected to everyone else, and then we just came together and finally all met at our first rehearsal,” said Saletan. The Station Agents hold their practices at the Chappaqua Transportation garage where the school buses are kept, which is owned by a member of the band. “We’re a true garage band,” said Saletan. Their logo is even of a school bus. If they ever open up a Dad-Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, it would be difficult to think of a more fitting image.
“We have very eclectic tastes, but we try to pick songs that most of the crowd are going to know so they want to sing and dance along. That always comes first for us,” said Saletan. All seven members of the band bring their own unique tastes and influences, but all come from a bedrock of classic rock. “We started with all the old stuff like Bruce, The Stones, Tom Petty, and the Allman Brothers, then slowly branched out. Now we do a big block of 90s music and even some Disco too.” Not only is the band a whopping seven musicians, they have four singers. If you’re wondering if it’s common to find a seven-piece rock band that includes three guitarists, a saxophonist, and four vocalists – it’s not. “Having four singers really makes us unique because everyone has their own range and specialties.”
“A couple years ago my son sat in on alto sax and Mike’s son sat in on trombone,” said Saletan. Situations like this are something of a holy grail scenario in dad rock as the schedules of the kids can be as busy as those of the adults. Saletan laments the fact that they haven’t been able to recreate the moment or get the kids around for every show, especially as many of them are held in bars and pubs, but he’s beyond grateful for the support The Station Agents’ friends and family have shown them. With seven dads, no matter who is able to show up on any given day, they still have quite the audience and cheering section for their gigs. And what more could a rock star hope for than that?
“One of our guitarists has a friend who underwent a double lung transplant, so we’re honored to be able to play the Benefit for the Transplant Forum at Columbia University Irving Medical Center again after the success of last year,” said Saletan. The event will take place on Saturday May 4 at Captain Lawrence Brewing, Elmsford. On June 8th, they will perform at the First Annual Greeley Sports Boosters Bash, a fundraiser at the Captain Lawrence Barrel House, Mt Kisco. “All of us are Chappaqua dads, so we’re really excited about this one!” said Saletan. The Station Agents will perform for their third year at the Chappaqua Summer Concert Series on Wednesday, July 17, at Recreation Field Gazebo, Chappaqua, and will make their debut at the Briarcliff Manor Summer Concert Series on Thursday July 25, at Law Park, Briarcliff Manor. Visit thestationagents.com And their Youtube at: youtube.com/@stationagentsband
