COMING JERSEY SHORE ATTRACTIONS: Friends for Danny  Federici Benefit at Bar Anticipation on  Saturday May 9     By Calvin Schwartz    

When I was told about this event, it was one of those “have to be there “experiences for several personal reasons.  Of course it’s Danny Federici, a Jersey native and part of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band.  In 2014, Federici was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the E Street Band. Danny died on April 17, 2008 in New York City after three years fighting melanoma.  So the benefit is to raise money for Melanoma research. The Danny Fund, part of The Melanoma Research Alliance was founded and named after him.

Melanoma personally hit home for me 15 years ago when a dear friend, a powerful, black belt karate, part time bar bouncer and gentle giving soul had a small sore on his arm which became the entry point of this horrific disease. He passed away within a few months, devastating his family and friends. I had never been that close to melanoma. I saw his family unravel and his father soon pass away seemingly from the overwhelming loss and tragedy.

So the fund raiser for Danny Federici , in Belmar, close to E Street is the perfect place and time to celebrate his life and to raise consciousness and funds to fight a terrible disease.

Calvin Schwartz   April 27, 2015

For more info please check the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1587321221482975/

Friends For Danny is a fund Raising Effort Featuring The Jersey Shore’s most popular bands coming together to raise monies for the Research Of Melanoma. The Danny Fund part of The Melanoma Research Alliance was founded and Named after The Late great Danny Federici,keyboardist for Bruce Springsteen’s E. Street Band. Please join us to celebrate the life of Danny Federici and support our effort to raise money and awareness for Melanoma in the hopes of someday finding a cure.

Friends for Danny Benefit at Bar Anticipation on

Saturday May 9th 1:00 pm to 9:00pm

with friends Tommy Byrne , Bobby Mahoney , Projex Band , Strumburry Pie, The Eddie Testa Band, Sandy Mack “Band” , Alex Julia, StoneBaby , The Nick Clemons Band , JT Bowen, Jo Wymer , Slim Chance & The Gamblers , Bob Polding, Dawg Whistle with Rock N’ Roll Hall of Famer Vini Lopez and Ryan Maher

Produced by:

Marta Elena and Jersey Music Live Productions LLC

Associate Producer:

Jesse James Warren of Jesse James Productions

Creative Consultant:

J Robert Stanton – Creative Music Marketing Group

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE:

http://friendsfordanny.bpt.me/

Asbury Angels Induction Ceremony: Asbury Park NJ Sunday September 23rd.  Calvin Schwartz (writer) Tara-Jean Vitale (video)

By Calvin Schwartz

Twenty minutes before the Asbury Angels ceremony. Shooting down Asbury Avenue for the 78^th time this year; that’s an approximation but probably close. I’ve developed a love affair to remember with Asbury Park and find myself there three or four times a week; hey, I’m a music, art, environmental and evolving cerebral journalist and Asbury has morphed into a renaissance/ re-birth. I’ve been saying for some time now in my writings that part of this dynamic is the celestial descending of particulates of molecular energy from the living and past musical history of this town; I’m saying that the world knows about Springsteen, Southside Johnny, Vini Lopez, and the vast array of current performers whose roots came from Asbury.

Yes, for me this energy  is absolutely palpable. Last summer I remember walking down Cookman Avenue and looking across the street at several houses. One had a pastel green back porch; a young teenage boy was playing a guitar and gyrating. I was certain he was pretending /dreaming ‘Springsteen.’  I thought to myself; it’s the sprinkled particle energy of the living legends. I also thought while heading down Asbury Avenue, adhering to the speed limit, passed an Italian restaurant and beautiful red brick church, that I was heading to an emotional poignant ceremony honoring particulate energy of Asbury music history of those who have passed on.

Iconic Tony Pallagrosi, so deeply involved in the musical and philanthropic composition of Asbury Park founded the Asbury Angels.  “The mission of the Asbury Angels is to honor and memorialize the lives and history of members of the Asbury Park musical community, including but not limited to, musicians, tech support persons, DJs, journalists, club owners, record company personnel, managers and promoters.”

NJ Discover’s team, Tara-Jean Vitale (editor, producer) and I quickly slammed car doors in front of the Stone Pony, and joined the hundreds assembling on the boardwalk for the induction of the 2012 class (first one) of the Asbury Angels. Jackie Pappas from the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce introduced Tony Pallagrosi who read brief biographies of the inductees. Families and friends applauded each reading; the ocean glistened in the background; the sky was perfectly blue and the weather Gods cooperated. The night before, Pallagrosi hinted, Springsteen’s concert at Met Life stadium was rain delayed until 10:30pm.

I listened to every word of each bio. These were legends and icons that did so much for Asbury music. I kept thinking in the midst of the throngs consuming the whole width of the boardwalk, that someday these Angels would’ve contributed to making Asbury Park one of the world’s music destinations. I want to think everyone thought like me. After all, look at the depth, range and impact of these Angels. Its two days later as I write this. I’m still intestinally queasy. I was so moved being there.

As each name was read, a plaque on a boardwalk bench was unveiled with the bio of the Angel.  Huge scissors were summoned to cut the yellow ribbon to share the memorial for the ages. It was Asbury Park’s walk of fame.  The 2012 Asbury Angels are: Arthur Willard Pryor, Bobby Alfano, Larry ‘Bozo’ Blasco, Bill Chinnock, Clarence Clemons, Danny Federici, John Luraschi, Joe Arthur Major, Arthur Morris, Tom and Margaret Potter, and Moe Septee.  When the ceremony was over, I watched people hugging and shaking hands, photographers capturing plaques, old friends seeing one another after decades, smiles and bittersweet  teary eyes; a panoply of emotions.  I did my joyous deep inhalation/exhalation. “Hey Mah, look where I am,” and thought ten thousand people should’ve been here to experience this. (Or more)

You can find the biographies and information on the Asbury Angels here:

http://asburyangels.com/default/index/