Historic Night: Celebrating the Birthday of Clarence Clemons at Wonder Bar, Asbury Park

 By Calvin Schwartz

On Jan 12th hundreds of fans, family and friends came together to celebrate the birthday of Clarence Clemons, ‘The Big Man’ at a sold out Wonder Bar in Asbury Park. NJ Discover TV was given the honor by the Clemons Family to video personal reflections of some who knew and loved the Big Man. The evening was also a benefit to raise money for area school district music departments that lost instruments and various supplies in Hurricane Sandy.

What made the evening uniquely special was that the State of New Jersey made an official declaration (the day before) on January 11th  which now recognizes “Clarence Clemons Day”  every  January 11^th and although there will be many events in the following weeks; this was the official “Clemons Family Event” birthday celebration.

For NJ Discover, the evening was purely magical and wondrous to have been involved with such an outpouring of love and memories of Clarence’s unique and historic presence. Feeling the electricity and energy the entire night was easy; all palpable and recorded for posterity. To be able to share is very special.

Before the special night, I composed the following thoughts why I thought the evening was historic. Perhaps fitting and proper to share those words again here:

WHY THIS BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR CLARENCE CLEMONS:

Historic ingredients (alignment of celestial forces of relevancy) of a special day/musical concert: There have been Hurricane Sandy events throughout our state. We’ve all come to understand what ‘Jersey Strong’ means. We live it every day; always have; just so much more pronounced these days. You take this awareness and add the late great Clarence Clemon’s Birthday on January 11^th and the historic resolution by the New Jersey Senate to annually honor one of the Jersey Shore’s (and worlds) most iconic musicians with a day named after him. Every Jan. 11 will now be Clarence Clemons Day. Last week the NJ Senate passed a resolution sponsored by Senator Jennifer Beck (R-11) that memorializes the legendary saxophonist from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band.

More ingredients. The Clemon’s Family and Nick Clemons (Clarence Clemons III) have chosen to celebrate Clarence’s birthday with “Celebrating Clarence: The Big Man’s Birthday Benefit” at the Wonderbar in Asbury Park  January 12^th.

Even More ingredients. Nick Clemons has a sensitive and caring soul tuned to the pulse of what’s relevant, happening and charitable (pay it forward) in our Jersey world. Back last summer, he produced the Asbury Comedy and Music Festival to benefit the Lenny Bruce Foundation and Lenny’s House.  With this benefit on January 12^th, Nick and the Clemons Family decided to raise money for area school district music departments that have lost instruments and various supplies in Hurricane Sandy; how relevant and meaningful to give to the dramatically impacted world of music education in the name of iconic musician Clarence Clemons.

I spoke to Emma Fretz, instrument, choral and general music instructor at both Point Pleasant Beach High and Bay Head Schools which suffered heavy damage to their music resources. Things you never realize: In Bay Head School, they had seven feet of water in the music room. And “because the room is two feet below sea level, content insurance does not cover this and the insurance is null and void,” Emma explained. So their music program resources were completely destroyed. “You don’t realize how expensive even the little things are, like sheet music or hand bells,” Emma continued.  Along comes Clarence’s birthday, Nick Clemons, his energy and commitment and we’ve got a night of music and birthday celebrations ; as I say, “Get off the sedentary sofa and come for music, celebration, poignant causes and history.”

I think the perfect celestial alignment of stars, moon and Big Man.

Calvin Schwartz