The Weight, performed by The Magnolia Bluegrass Band

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The Magnolia Bluegrass Band performing "The Weight" at the Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey.

On a warm Summer night, after a golf tournament, club members were entertained by this band.  The gig was almost over, the sun had gone down and we had been taking videos of the band for our YouTube Channel.  The band asked if anyone had a request and someone yelled out, "how about  The Weight!"  They weren't so sure if they wanted to play the song since it wasn't part of their regular repertoire, but the crowd urged them and the result is this beautiful rendition of a well loved classic.

Enjoy the music and take a listen.

"The Weight" is a song by the Canadian-American group the Band that was released as a single in 1968 and on the group's debut album Music from Big Pink.  It was their first release under this name, after their previous releases as Canadian Squires and Levon and the Hawks. Written by Band member Robbie Robertson.  The song is about a visitor's experiences in a town mentioned in the lyric's first line as Nazareth. 

"The Weight" has significantly influenced American popular music, 

having been listed as No. 41 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time published in 2004. Pitchfork Media named it the 13th best song of the Sixties, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named it one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. PBS, which broadcast performances of the song in Ramble at the Ryman (2011), Austin City Limits (2012), and Quick Hits (2012), describes it as "a masterpiece of Biblical allusions, enigmatic lines and iconic characters" and notes its enduring popularity as "an essential part of the American songbook."

"The Weight" is one of the Band's best known songs, gaining considerable album-oriented rock airplay even though it was not a significant hit single for the group in the US, peaking at only No. 63. After it was released, the record debuted just six days later on KHJ's "'Boss 30' records" and peaked at No. 3 there three weeks later.

The Band's recording also fared well in Canada and the UK – in those countries, the single was a top 40 hit, peaking at No. 35 in Canada and No. 21 in the UK in 1968. 

Cash Box called it a "powerhouse performance." American Songwriter and Stereogum both ranked the song number three on their lists of the Band's greatest songs. 

In 1968 and 1969, three cover versions with arrangements that appealed to a diversity of music audiences.

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Emily & Johnny, Norwegian Wood

Johnny & Emily at Upper Montclair Country Club on a Friday Evening

D N A, The Sound of the Islands

DNA’s Music is an entertainment duo.  They combine live performance with DJ and MC services to complete your special occasion, leaving it one to be raved about by your guests, long afterwards.

Devon and Athenia, ( DNA ), operating as a duo, first emerged on the scene in 2009, making their premier performance at the then Ross’ Dockside in Sea Bright New Jersey. Since then DNA has performed at various other bars and clubs on the Jersey Shore including, the legendary Parker House in Sea Girt, Bar A - Belmar, The Mad Hatter, The Beach Bar, and have partaken in a variety of charity events including the 5th Annual Bene-fest - Sea Bright, A Day for Kelly, Red Bank and Artspiration Festival in Philadelphia.  

The Duo is also on the roster for performances with a New York City based non-profit organization that provide music for special events in  the 5 Boroughs.   

The two talents are involved in creating a sound which incorporates a merge of cultures, that of the Caribbean and Urban North America. Their performance includes a blend of original and cover music in the genres of pop, r&b and reggae.  DNA, as a team, focuses on  merging the best of the Caribbean and American pop culture. 

Athenia Henderson was  born in the Caribbean but raised to the  influence  of North American music. She writes and composes her songs including “A Song In My Head" 2008, “Always” and “Come Over” 2009. Athenia has performed as lead singer for various cover bands and has shared the stage with singing sensation and winner of several  international awards - The Mighty Sparrow. Her Career started as singer and back up vocalist for world renowned Swinging Stars band, and has since  evolved to Athenia being one of the founding and current members of DNA. Voice of an Angel’ and ‘Extremely Entertaining’ are some of the phrases used to describe Athenia ... (Parker House, Ocean Place Resort and Spa, Taste- Red Bank).  

Devon Atherley, from the twin Caribbean Islands of Trinidad and Tobago, has earned the name Steel-Pan Maestro. Not only is he proficient in playing the exotic, chromatically tuned and pitch percussion instrument, but he is also master in delivering the sounds in a manner that entertains. His career as a pannist began in 1993 with Kalomo Kings Steel Orchestra, a group still prominent in the pan scene. In addition to his ability on the pan, Steel-pan Maestro is a skilled keyboardist. He arranges the live music sounds of several local bands, mostly of  Caribbean backgrounds. 

To reserve DNA  for your next event contact us at;

Email:  ecmusicnj@gmail.com

or 

Call:  (908)464-0038, (908)451-1955

Godchild, Virtual Jazz Trio featuring Rick Crane, Vinnie Cutro

https://www.musicnewjersey.com Godchild, performed by Virtual Jazz Trio of Rick Crane on bass, Vinnie Cutro on trumpet and Joe Verrusio on guitar. The musicians recorded this video in their own homes, during the time of the Corona Virus Pandemic. The song Godchild was composed by George Wallington. The following information is from the site Wikipedia: His best-known compositions are "Lemon Drop" (which gained attention when played by Woody Herman in the late 1940s), and "Godchild" (one of the pieces played for The Birth of the Cool recordings led by Miles Davis). Birth of the Cool is a compilation album by American jazz musician Miles Davis, released in February or March 1957 on Capitol Records. It compiles eleven tracks recorded by Davis's nonet for the label over the course of three sessions during 1949 and 1950. Featuring unusual instrumentation and several notable musicians, the music consisted of innovative arrangements influenced by classical music techniques such as polyphony, and marked a major development in post-bebop jazz. As the title suggests, these recordings are considered seminal in the history of cool jazz. Most of them were originally released in the 10-inch 78-rpm format and are all approximately three minutes long. Wallington was born Giacinto Figlia in Sicily, and then moved to the United States (New York) with his family in 1925. His father sang opera and introduced his son to classical music, but Wallington listened to jazz after hearing the music of saxophonist Lester Young. He said that he acquired the name Wallington in high school: "I like to wear flashy clothes and the kids in the neighborhood would say, 'Hey, look at Wallington!'" He left school at the age of 15 to play piano in New York. In 1960 Wallington stopped playing music and moved to Florida to work in the family air conditioning business, citing the stress of endless touring. He returned to music in 1984 and recorded three albums, Virtuoso in 1984, Symphony of a Jazz Piano in 1986 and Pleasure of a Jazz Inspiration in 1992. He also performed at the 1985 Kool Jazz Festival in New York Email: ecmusicnj@gmail.com Call: (908)464-0038, (908)451-1955 Subscribe to this Channel! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Entertainmen... or https://www.facebook.com/MusicNewJersey Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/#!/MusicNewJe... Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MusicNewJersey Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MusicNewJersey

On a Misty Night, Rick Crane, Vinnie Cutro & Joe Verrusio, Virtual Jazz ...

We are musicians, our friends are musicians and the lock-down isn't going to stop us from doing what we love.

When the pandemic started we were out working at clubs, weddings, parties, etc.  You name it, if someone wanted music, we were there for them.   Most of us have degrees from some of the most prestigious music programs in the country.  Those of us who don't have the degrees spent years studying under our mentors and learning our craft while performing.  Some of our musicians have Grammys or are Grammy nominated artists.  Currently these artists are making $0 income.  They still have families to support.  

Music is in the DNA of our friends and colleagues.  While performing for the public has come to a screeching halt, we continue to compose, create and play our instruments.  Just like athletes who must continue their daily workouts to remain in shape, we continue to practice every day in anticipation of our return to the work that we love.

In this video we are featuring three Jazz Musicians,  they are:  Rick Crane on upright bass, Vinnie Cutro on the trumpet and Joe Verrusio on the guitar.  All three men have been performing together in the New York Area for over 40 years.  In the course of their careers they have become dear friends.  

The idea to create virtual videos came to Joe Verrusio.  When the lock-down started, he was seeing a number of Zoom videos featuring orchestras and choirs and could not find any Jazz Trios doing the same thing.  He still wanted too perform with his band mates to keep up his "chops."  This is how this video came to be.  To this date we have made three virtual videos, improving on each one based on what we learned from the previous ones.  The first video in the series was Misty.  If you watch the video you can see that the lighting is poor on Joe, while the lighting is much better on Rick Crane.   The difference is that Joe taped himself using the Zoom app., while Rick used his iPhone.  Our second video was When You Wish Upon a Star.  
On When You Wish Upon a Star the lighting is much improved, because Joe used his iPad to self film.

Now we come to the third video in the series, On a Misty Night.  In this video we feature three artists:  Rick Crane on upright bass, Vinnie Cutro on trumpet and Joe Verrusio on the guitar.
The addition of a third instrument really enriches the overall sound and vibe that we want too convey to our viewers.

Amanda D., "I'm on Fire"

https://www.musicnewjersey.com Email: ecmusicnj@gmail.com Call: (908)464-0038, (908)451-1955 Subscribe to this Channel! Amanda D., sings "I'm on Fire" Amanda is that most rare talent. A performer who can electrify a room with her signature vocals, and a prolific songwriter who demonstrates mastery of various popular music genres. Amanda weaves a hook filled alchemy of pop, rock and R&B that flows seamlessly through her compositions. She is as true a musical triple threat as one could imagine. A New York transplant from her native Northern California, Amanda’s been performing since childhood, honing her talent. Moving from the Bay Area to Brooklyn in 2015, Amanda an her formernband, Dreams of June, were quickly embraced by the big city. Rooms such as Rockwood booked the band. They co-headlined the Brooklyn Music Festival and appeared on the legendary Larry Flick’s Sirius/XM show. All of which occurred within six months of their arrival as complete unknowns. In 2016, Amanda dismantled Dreams of June to carve out her own vision. The results are stunning and attracted an array of well-established talent to help record the new material. To book Amanda for your club or next event, contact us at: email: ecmusicnj@gmail.com Call: (908) 451-1955 Let's connect through Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Entertainmen... or https://www.facebook.com/MusicNewJersey Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/#!/MusicNewJe... Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MusicNewJersey Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MusicNewJersey

Amanda D., covers "Feel it Still" ~ soloist, singer, guitarist

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Amanda D., cover of "Feel it Still"

We like to show the range of our musicians.  This is our second release of a video with Amanda performing.  The first video that we released was of "Landslide" a classic rock tune.  For her second release at Entertainment Consultants we chose a more current hit.  This time we went with the Pop tune "Feel it Still."  The song was made popular by American band "Portugal.  The Man."  We wanted the clubs hiring Amanda for their events to get a quick sense of her talent and versatility.

Each time that we have introduced her at a new club, members and management alike have wanted her either bar-side or poolside on a regular basis.  The earlier that you book her the better.  This way you will not be disappointed later on in the season.

The song won the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards on January 28, 2018.

The song has a very long list of composers which includes members of the band and two producers.

Here is the list of the composers:

Robert Bateman, Zachary Scott Carothers, Freddie Gorman, John Baldwin Gourley, John Hill, Brian Holland, Eric Andrew Howk, Kyle O'Quin, Jason Wade Sechrist, and Asa Taccone



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