On Wednesday, November 6, 2013, we released our debut charity CD, “Bright Lights on Broad Street”. After almost a year of planning, writing, submitting songs, rehearsing and recording, advertising, and meeting deadlines – we celebrated the release of our CD with a fantastic party at The Downtown, in Red Bank, New Jersey – where it all began. What a way to celebrate our efforts and the completion of this project! Talk about coming full circle.
The Downtown is where we all met and became a family. It’s where the ideas were born and the conversations started, so we decided that it would be the best place to have the release party for “Bright Lights on Broad Street”. How fitting that a group of people who was brought together by music, would select a music oriented charity for their maiden project. It was magical from the birth of the concept, to the close of the night on November 6th.
For just $10, our guests got admission to a night of amazing live entertainment by some of New Jersey’s finest musical performers. We had some of our established, well known artists on stage as well as new rising Jersey Stars! The CD release party was a celebration of music, community, and charity wrapped up in one amazing package! We had a great turnout, well over 100 guests, and we had a full house until the very last note was played. What more could we ask for!
The lineup consisted of some of the artists who either wrote specifically for or generously donated their original work to be published on this CD with the purpose of raising funds for “Little Kids Rock”, a national non-profit organization that provides free instruments and curriculum designed to foster the skills kids need to lead creative, purposeful lives. Check it out:
- Dan Apy & Riley Schiro – performed moving, emotionally packed acoustic numbers.
- Pepperwine – Kelllie Shane on vocals/keyboard and Breece Panepinto on vocals/guitar performed songs full of rousing harmonies and catchy hooks.
- Terry Bakal and the Lords of Darrenland – Two time cancer survivor Terry Bakal shared a duet with Darren Johnson on “Huggable Love”, a grunge-soul anthem of friendship and devotion. The duo was backed by talented teenage musicians, Andrew D’Alba 16, on keyboards, Chris DeCarolis 15, on lead guitar, Aaron Manzo 16, on bass/backing vocals, and Victor Montanaro 15, on drums, making up the Lords of Darrenland (L.O.D.)
- VyntEdge – Sondra spread her sultry vocals on top of old school classic rock hits.
- Xol Azul – This local band packed the dance floor with their latin-flavored rock and roll stylings.
- Moroccan Sheepherders featuring Herbi Freeman and with special guest Gil Velazquez rocked the party with album oriented rock.
- Woodfish – Members of Woodfish joined with the Sheepherders for an all-star jam for the ages, including an impromptu cameo by fellow All-Star, Linda Silverberg-McGowan.
- Poppa John Bug and the Jam Band, closed out the night with the pulsing, urban rock sound that has been his signature for over three decades.
A full evening of live entertainment, and the spirit of uplifting others with the power of music, made for one magical night, and a successful introduction of this project to the community.
Our work is not done – the CD and album download will be available for sale on our website through August of 2014, for the benefit of “Little Kids Rock”. Look for us at local events and at the shows played by our featured artists. In the near future we will begin work on our next CD, and we will choose our next charity – but in the meantime…join our movement and get your copy of “Bright Lights on Broad Street” – or to donate freely for the benefit of “Little Kids Rock”.
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