by Tom Baldino
Once again, the JSJBF was invited to have a presence at the bucolic grounds of the Unionville Vinyards, in rural Ringoes, for the Sourland Mountain Festival. It was a day of mostly local and regional music, food, vendors and of course wine (and beer). After several years of unbearably hot weather, festival goers were treated to a perfect day of warm sunshine and no humidity. As always, the focus of the day included respecting those that tread on this land before, the Lenape, and being stewards of the land, leaving it as, or better than we found it, for those that come after us.
The day began with a Lenape blessing, and later a drum circle during an intermission, where members of the audience joined the native descendants, beating on a huge community drum. The music kicked off with The Swiss Guard, a local band formed in 2018 with Justin Pope on guitar and vocals, Brian Green on lead guitar and vocals, Evan Straley on bass and Will Hosey on drums. Their thirteen-song original set ranged from a fun country style tune, “Jesus Pay My Rent,” with great tongue in lyrics, to “3439,” a nice ballad which showcased a powerful guitar solo by Brian, to a hard driving rocker, “Sleep,” with its melodic bass line, courtesy of evan. It was a very enjoyable hour number one.
Next up was Gravity Hill, another local band that formed out of an open mic night, where they were the only musicians to show up, and they played for two hours! The leader, Ed Hynes was on guitar and vocals, joined by Rob Moreno, also on guitar and vocals, with Bill Emhof on bass, and Jim Linnehan, formerly of Great Road West, and a founding member of The Freds on drums. Their entirely original set began with a straight-ahead rocker, “Lonely Roller” but included songs with a mix of pop, folk rock, punk, alternative and contemporary sounds. All were on display on this afternoon to the delight of the audience. Who knew there were so many great local bands.
They were followed by someone who at 22 years old, didn’t need an introduction to anyone who is a fan of American Idol. Jake Thistle, a Rutgers grad and Paramus native, who we had the pleasure of seeing last year at the Wonder Bar, was joined on this gig by his excellent band, Johnny Kasun on guitar, Nick Nella on bass and Mike Santa Cruz on drums. While Jake didn’t sing any of the songs from that show, his set included some great originals like “Keeping It Alive,” which featured his teriffic vocals, and a searing guitar solo from Johnny. Mixed in were two covers, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Call Me the Breeze,” which featured Rob Friedland from Hickory sharing the vocals, and a nod to one of his biggest influences, Tom Petty, on theclassic “Mary Jane’s Last Dance.” Jake’s vocals and playing are mature beyond his years and are a product of all the effort he has put into his short career. One could see the poise and professionalism in his on-stage persona, but talking with him backstage, he seems grounded and humble about his accomplishments. All these attributes will serve him well as his career continues to unfold. I must mention that speaking with, Johnny, who, at almost the same age, also has a bright career ahead of him, I noticed a guitar that I was not familiar with. He told me he had just picked up this Duesenberg beauty. Being a car guy, I was familiar with the brand but did not know the company also made guitars. After the show, I told him it sounded as good as it looked!
The band up next, Hickory, hails from North Jersey and brought an Americana flavor to their music. The players this day included Rob Friedland on guitar and vocals, Dave Foschino on guitar, mandolin, and vocals, Matt Nalducci on drums and vocals, Ted Rainey on bass and vocals, and Dan Rainey on guitar and vocals. With five vocalists, they imbue their songs with great harmonies and varying leads, allowing a level of complexity not found in many bands. Their set of mostly originals showcased their individual skills, as well as their tight interplay. Songs like “Mead,” and “As It Were,” had some wonderful Mandolin set against a solid rhythm section with some fine interplay on guitar. They also did a rousing version of the Jagger/Richards tune “Loving Cup.” Based on their performance, they earned their place in this day’s lineup.
The closer, The Harrisons and Company were the expanded version of The Harrisons, a husband-and-wife duo that plays the tristate region, switching between configurations. The leaders, Christian and Jennifer are both vocalists, with him playing guitar and her playing a Hofner bass. The four piece horn section included Lea LaChance on trombone, Eric Donough on alto sax, Andrew Aslanian on trumpet and James Aslanian on baritone sax. Mike Spoer on guitar and Dominic Kozlowski on drums round out this octet. The husband-and-wife duo traded vocals on several of the many originals; Christian on the opener, “Take Me Home,” and “Right Now,” with Jennifer on “Get Lost With You.” The horns were a great addition, adding depth and texture to many of the songs, without taking them over. Unfortunately, due to time constraints because of a lack of lighting, they weren’t able to get their entire set in but it was well after the cut off time, when the last strains of The Bands “Ophelia” wafted over the crowd. They received a warm ovation and then those in attendance started packing up, content with a full day of music, food and drink, as well as gaining a new appreciation for this area they call the Sourland Mountains region.