Category Archives: TVD Asbury Park

Thank God for performers like Esperanza Spalding—well-honed, masterful musicians confidently exploring new musical ground. Ms. Spalding’s new album, Emily’s D+Evolution on Concord Records is soulful, heavy, jazzy, melodic, proggy, challenging, and sure—let’s just say—kinda psychedelic. The vinyl copy this reviewer received was flat and mostly quiet.

Many tracks on the album are basically flawless (“Elevate or Operate” is a song in a league of its own)—heavyweight musicianship supports Spalding’s melodies and compositions. But, things move so fast! Many times I found myself saying out loud (to nobody, of course), “what was that?” Before I could catch that lyric, chord change, or musical phrase, it was long gone; part of me yearned for the pace of the record to just slow down—there’s so much good here, but it goes by in a flash, almost rushed. Repeated, close, listening allows a listener to fully immerse themselves in and appreciate this work.

Producer Tony Visconti wisely allows Spalding and her crew do their thing—most songs sport a tightly knit guitar, drum, and bass arrangement, albeit with intensive vocal supports. Playing is superb, Spalding is, as you know, a standout bassist, but she doesn’t let her bass playing steal the show—she wants you to appreciate these compositions and arrangements. Even though the personnel is barebones, there is still occasionally the feeling that things might go off the rails. The digital guitar effects and busy rhythm section of “Rest in Pleasure” are exciting, but nearly overwhelm.

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All jokes aside, New Jersey is a pretty great place. While it has a lot to offer as a state, it also has a rich musical history of which many people remain unaware. Everyone knows Sinatra and The Boss, but there’s much more.

First of all, thank you—everyone—for your patience during the recently concluded fundraising season. It’s not easy for me, and it’s not easy for you, but anything worth maintaining requires a little sweat equity once in a while. It looks like we’re safe for another year. Thank you for your support.

What better way to get back into the groove than by delving into the 45 rpm bin and digging out some New Jersey goodies? That’s what we’ve got here for your listening pleasure: NJ on 45. So, put a quarter on the tonearm, and let’s have some fun. You’ll hear Blondie, The Ramones, The Shirelles, Dr. Hook, Connie Francis, and many more. Here comes spring!

All jokes aside, New Jersey is a pretty great place. While it has a lot to offer as a state, it also has a rich musical history of which many people remain unaware. Everyone knows Sinatra and The Boss, but there’s much more.

It’s been a long five weeks and we thank you for sticking with us. This fundraising season has now come to an end, but it’s not too late to pledge your support and put your weight behind a program which features carefully curated music with connections to the great state of New Jersey. We need to fill the till!

So, click the link to hear a man fundraise with a stuffy nose: what could be more entertaining? We’ll also spin some Sinatra, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Queen Latifah, Dr. Hook, and many more. This is your last shot to help us stay on the air: visit www.wfdu.fm, click donate, and pledge your support now!

Scenes are a funny thing. Music has had countless different scenes bubble up over the years and spill their way in to the national spotlight, many of which are now spoken of in hushed tones of reverence. Others—most really—flicker out like a flare in the night sky. The psychedelic scene in the mid-to-late ’60s for instance, is held in higher regard than say, the largely forgotten American Legion scene of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey in 1993.

So what does all of this have to do with talk show hosts Ron and Gail Bennington? Well, anyone who has heard Ron Bennington on the radio, whether it was his early days on the “Ron and Ron” Radio Network in Florida, or the hugely popular “Ron & Fez” show in New York City during the dying days of the rock format at WNEW, or later in Washington, DC, or finally all over the world on Sirius XM, knows that music is something he can—and often does—discuss with the depth of a serious fan.

In 2014 Ron began the “Bennington” show with his daughter Gail Bennington who brought a fresh perspective and unique wit of her own and quickly showed she was not only more than capable of contributing to any of the wide spectrum of conversations the show veered into, but she could also carry them.

Initially airing sporadically on Fridays when Ron’s longtime on-air partner Fez Whatley retired in April of 2015, “Bennington” replaced the “Ron and Fez” show on Sirius XM’s Raw Dog Comedy channel in the 12PM-3PM slot. In October 2015 after years of talking intelligently about music, the Benningtons launched “GPS,” an hour-long show that features the music of one scene from a particular city. 

Anyone who’s listened to you on the radio knows that music is a big part of your life, Ron. You’ve been in the radio business for a long time—why did now seem like a good time to start doing a music show?

RON: They asked. That was really it. We were doing the Bennington show on Opie Radio and we would use a different band as bumper music, and Gail and I would start discussing that, and then we got a call from management who basically said, “Hey, is there any way you guys would interested in talking about music and playing music?”

GAIL: It was already what we had been doing on those early morning shows. They were already kind of music heavy, but because we played a couple of tracks which usually either had a theme or would just focus on one artist—and we’d start it at the beginning of the show—it wound up being a music discussion that was usually fluid. People would call and that section of the show took off on its own.

RON: Yeah, it wasn’t supposed to. We would just be discussing different songs and people would call in and give their opinions and then people would call in and give their opinion against us. But what really got us started on this idea of GPS is not just the music but the scene that was around the music.

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Nearly half a century has passed since fans have had a chance to hear new music from Emitt Rhodes, but Rainbow Ends has made it worth the wait.

Backed by a crack group of in-demand musicians, Emitt returns to lay down new compositions and sings with a surprisingly spry and smooth voice. Chris Price turns in a solid production job—he stays out of the performer’s way and helps to provide thick drums and meaty guitar parts.

Price explains his take on the project in a press release saying, “I view this as a continuation album, meaning it isn’t meant to be recreating the sound from his first record, but instead what he might have sounded like after his third album, Farewell To Paradise, if he kept making music in the mid-to-late ’70s.” In that vein, both Price and Rhodes succeed in doing so both sonically and compositionally.

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All jokes aside, New Jersey is a pretty great place. While it has a lot to offer as a state, it also has a rich musical history of which many people remain unaware. Everyone knows Sinatra and The Boss, but there’s much more.

Let’s talk about this concept of maintenance. You buy a house, but you’ve got to replace the roof. You drive off the lot in your hot new Jaguar, but one day you’ll need some new tires. All of the things we struggle and strive for in life require some sort of maintenance. It’s not always the fun stuff to spend money on, but it is necessary if we are to keep our prized possessions in tip-top running shape.

Here is a program about music in New Jersey and it’s coming up on the 70th episode. At this point, we need some air in our tires, perhaps an oil change, and a fresh coat of paint—we need some maintenance.

Of course, this week, we aren’t totally cruel, we’re also playing some great tracks: The Rascals, The Smithereens, Tony Bennett, and more. So, help us out. Please take a moment to visit WFDU and offer up a few bucks to keep this unique, independent program on the air for another year.

All jokes aside, New Jersey is a pretty great place. While it has a lot to offer as a state, it also has a rich musical history of which many people remain unaware. Everyone knows Sinatra and The Boss, but there’s much more.

We continue to beat the drum this week and we appreciate you sticking with us. WFDU—the station that allows for the production of this show—is fundraising during February. That means “Garden State Sound” must fight for its right to party.

Of course, in the meantime, we play some great music: Blondie, Bruce, the Four Seasons, etc. Music and musicians that give NJ its voice. Our little show is unique. It’s not for everyone, but that’s exactly why we need those who do listen to help us out. Now is the time! A million thank yous!

All jokes aside, New Jersey is a pretty great place. While it has a lot to offer as a state, it also has a rich musical history of which many people remain unaware. Everyone knows Sinatra and The Boss, but there’s much more.

Do you know of any other radio programs that focus solely on music from New Jersey?

Hey, we fill a niche here! Help support this unique program. Your donation keeps Garden State Sound on the air for another year and it also gives voice and support to the many wonderful artists highlighted on this program—artists who may not otherwise have an outlet.

So, here we are and now is your chance. It’s your chance to make a difference and keep alive a program with an important cultural goal and a very personal touch. Support radio that does its best to accomplish all of the great things that radio can be.

Click the link, we need you!

All jokes aside, New Jersey is a pretty great place. While it has a lot to offer as a state, it also has a rich musical history of which many people remain unaware. Everyone knows Sinatra and The Boss, but there’s much more.

It’s fundraising time! The simple fact is this, Garden State Sound is a program supporting NJ based music and serves the fertile musical ground which is underserved in our great state. Look, our show is certainly a “local” venture, but it is something that anyone, anywhere, can enjoy—that’s why The Vinyl District has been so supportive. If nothing else, New Jersey’s music consistently goes global.

Your help is imperative to keeping this valuable musical and historical resource alive. This February we will engage in some serious pitching, so feel free to make a secure, tax-deductible donation to Garden State Sound at this link!

Many thanks for your generous support! Serious about the arts in NJ or anywhere? Click that link and help with your support. Only YOU can make a difference. (Yes, you!)

We’ve got lots of wonderful guests ready for 2016—help make that a reality.

The eve of a new release and tour is usually an exciting time for any band no matter how much success they’ve achieved in their career. Hunter Valentine is no different in that respect, however this time—after a decade of recording, tours, TV appearances, and anything else a band could hope for—it’s a little bittersweet.

The “So Long For Now” tour is just as advrtised: a sort of goodbye. But don’t read too much into it. While many bands with half the list of accomplishments might sooner or later self-destruct, this is certainly not a funeral procession—it’s a victory lap for the group to celebrate with their fans before they move on to the next phase of their lives.

Listening to their new EP “The Pledge” wouldn’t give you any indication of a band on the outs, instead founding members Kiyomi McCloskey and Laura Petracca knew going in that this could be its epitaph and wanted to give its fans a parting gift of loud, sneering, catchy rock ‘n’ roll.

The “So Long For Now” tour, featuring touring members Lisa Bianco and Leanne Bowes, makes 31 stops in just under two months arriving at the Saint in Asbury Park on February 12th. I spoke with Kiyomi about “The Pledge,” the tour, and ending the band.

Hunter Valentine has been on such a roll the last few years I guess the obvious question is why go on hiatus now?

It’s funny, because most bands go on hiatus when they are fighting or the music starts sucking. In our case, we are laughing more than ever together and made one of our best records yet! I’ll be starting new projects and I’ve been playing solo acoustic shows already. Laura is going back to the kitchen grind as a chef and is really looking forward to putting her creativity into food.

Was it known during the writing and recording of “The Pledge” that this might be the last Hunter Valentine release?

Yes, we wanted to leave this band on a high note and we wanted to put in our best effort in doing so. It was also really important to us to leave our fans with one last recording and tour. This is going to be a celebratory tour for us. We are very proud of what we’ve achieved over the years.

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All jokes aside, New Jersey is a pretty great place. While it has a lot to offer as a state, it also has a rich musical history of which many people remain unaware. Everyone knows Sinatra and The Boss, but there’s much more.

One of the keys to success in the music industry—or, perhaps any industry—is dedication and commitment. You can’t just give it a shot for six months and, when it doesn’t work out, throw in the towel. You’ve got to keep going; it’s at that point that you begin to build a loyal fan base and an identity that’s really yours. Though they’ve had many incarnations over many years, Speed the Plough has been plugging away since 1984 and they are still vibrant, creative, and eager to continue their musical pursuits.

This week, John and Toni Baumgartner visit “Garden State Sound” to discuss their brand new album, Now. We discuss how in many ways they’ve come full circle and remain very much committed to the New Jersey music scene, their new lineup, the vinyl process, and much more.

Tune in to hear how John and Toni have cultivated and nurtured Speed the Plough for over 30 years. It’s no small feat.

All jokes aside, New Jersey is a pretty great place. While it has a lot to offer as a state, it also has a rich musical history of which many people remain unaware. Everyone knows Sinatra and The Boss, but there’s much more.

This week, on “Garden State Sound” we get into the car and drive all over the state before the snow starts falling. That’s right, this episode was taped while Jonas was out there lurking and preparing to dump two feet of snow on the New York City metro area.

Let’s take advantage of the snow-free streets and sample all the best that NJ has to offer: Melody Gardot, The Battery Electric, Spiraling, Wyclef Jean, Chris Barron, A Girl Called Eddy, and more!

All jokes aside, New Jersey is a pretty great place. While it has a lot to offer as a state, it also has a rich musical history of which many people remain unaware. Everyone knows Sinatra and The Boss, but there’s much more.

A musician’s vehicle often says a lot about their dedication to the craft. Francie Moon’s well-worn mini-van displays the many miles this young lady has logged in search of a stage and an audience. The vintage bicycle hanging on the back of the van communicates that she likes to explore, and the red bandana hanging off of the lift gate, exclaims that she’s a bit of a free spirit.

Francie is one of those NJ musicians who always seems to be out there, doing a gig somewhere, getting some people together, and making some sounds.

And then there are the sounds that Francie makes: her voice surprises; explodes out of her small frame and fills the room. And her guitar chops: meaty, riffy, and chewy. When coupled with her unique vocals, she grabs you by the lapels and dares you to do something else while she’s performing.

Come on in, meet Francie Moon. There is a lot to learn about her. You’ll be charmed.

All jokes aside, New Jersey is a pretty great place. While it has a lot to offer as a state, it also has a rich musical history of which many people remain unaware. Everyone knows Sinatra and The Boss, but there’s much more.

The late’ 70s were a weird time for the boss. I wasn’t there, but from what I’ve read on the internet, it seems that he was a popular musician, but was creatively weighed down by contractual obligations. Sadly, this is how many bands and musicians finally come to an end: “the record label won’t let me do what I know will work, so I’ll just pack it in. I gotta make some bread, man.”

Well, that’s what many musicians might say; not the Boss. No way, he persevered through it all and did the thing that makes musicians famous and successful: he worked and kept working. Before The River proper was released in 1980, Bruce worked on what was going to be a single disc version of The River. That version is included on the new Ties that Bind archival celebration of Bruce’s double-album epic.

So, that’s what we explore this week: the alternate universe that is the single disc version of The River: a few extra tracks, some different takes, and old chestnuts. Tune in!

All jokes aside, New Jersey is a pretty great place. While it has a lot to offer as a state, it also has a rich musical history of which many people remain unaware. Everyone knows Sinatra and The Boss, but there’s much more.

“What better way to start a year—or, end a year—or do anything, than to do it with Frank Sinatra? This week, we are joined by Chuck Granata, author of Sessions with Sinatra: Frank Sinatra and the Art of Recording.

Hey, let’s throw in another Sinatra expert for fun, right? Audiophile, Martin Melucci also joins us. Both Melucci and Granata produced the recently released box set, Frank Sinatra: a Voice on Air, which features rare radio recordings and transcriptions charting Frank’s rise from Hoboken quartet singer to global phenomenon.

Many of the recordings were unearthed from a sweltering DJ’s attic on Long Island by Granata and Michael Feinstein. Talk about crate digging, right? The lacquers were then digitized and cleaned up using a mixture of best 21st century technology and the technology of yesteryear.

Certainly, you’ll want to listen to the whole box set. But you should also tune in and hear Granata and Melucci discuss not just Sinatra, but American musical history.” —EZT