Two Weeks of APHS Reunions & JSJBF Live Jazz and Blues
by Tom Baldino
Beginning on October 14th and culminating on the 25th, I personally attended a whirlwind of events—some of which highlighted the deep, enduring ties between Asbury Park High School (APHS) and the Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation (JSJBF).
Airport Runs, Jazz Jam, & Keyport Tunes
The first event, the Karen Lee Schwartz Ultimate Jazz Jam, now in its second month, was created by the afore mentioned JSJBF member, musician and educator who was the long-time band director at APHS and who supplied student bands to open the JSJBF festivals held at Bradley Park during her tenure.
I was not able to attend the jazz jam on this night as I was picking up my brother Mark, also a contributing member of the Foundation, and his family, from Newark Airport for a week-long stay. We did have time to stop at the Keyport Minipark on the way home, to catch some of member Tom Brennan’s band, Tommy B and the Deep Blue Sea (photo above), with board member Gary Neuwirth on harp.
Honoring APHS Royalty: HOF Dinner & Local Jams
Both Mark and I are graduates of APHS, he in ’67 and myself in’65, and we were in attendance at the APHS HOF dinner two nights later to honor a very close friend and fellow graduate. The entertainment was provided a fellow graduate and someone who has been a Foundation member and performer, Dorian Parreott, the APHS band director, teacher and graduate ’54, and his band which included keyboard player Mark Cohn, ’65.
The next night my nephew John Howard and I stopped by the Red Horse Steakhouse to catch the opening set of one of our newest members, Dawn Lorentz, then continued on from there and attended “Lady Sings the Blues” a new jam at Max’s Bar & Grill, hosted by our own Sherri Ehrlich, which featured no less than five female vocalists, who wowed a packed house. She is currently working on future dates for this event.
Weekend Beats: From Ocean Grove to Fox Hollow
Saturday we all went to Nagles in Ocean Grove for lunch and to visit former JSJBF board member Maxine Snow, and taste some of her culinary delights. From there, it was off to Fox Hollow Vinyards to see member band and our IBC winners in 2024, the Shade Three Mechanics, who were playing as a trio, hence the clever name change. It was a little chilly that afternoon, but “Elmo, Redman and the Rev” warmed things up with some great songs.
Blues Jam Resumes @ The Pickle
On the following Monday, the entire Baldino clan ventured over to the Chubby Pickle for the rejuvenated Blues Jam hosted by member Jack Pic, and his fellow band members, Wayne Kessler and John Dammacco. After a brief hiatus, when the venue changed hands, the jam resumed last month with the return of many of the jammers and blues lovers. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to stay as long a we would have liked, due to having to return to Newark Airport at 4am for their flight back to Tallahassee.
There was no rest for the weary, as it was down to Icarus Brewing that night for the first of a series of bi-weekly Jazz Jams hosted by board member Jay Sweet, who’s house band ironically included Sherri Ehrlich’s husband Charlie Clarke on keyboards! Held in the Barrel Room of the brewery, members Walter Dobrentz on drums and Dawn Lorentz on vocals help to make this a successful first-time event.
Celebrating a Century at APHS & Shore Memories
It was back to Asbury Park High School (APHS) Saturday with my good friend and JSJBF member Bob Cahn, class of ’67, for the Asbury Park High School 100-year Anniversary celebration. It included a viewing of the video documenting the school’s history, which I was interviewed for, and entertainment was provided by Karen and Dorian on sax and keyboards respectively.
We also had lunch at Frank’s with Dorian and some other classmates, which sure brought back some great memories.
The next afternoon followed with small gathering of the class of 65 at Vic’s in Bradley Beach for some of the best thin crust pizza on the Jersey Shore, and more reminiscing with classmates, including accordion master, Bruce Gassman, who has played Reckless several times as part of the Hot Takeout Band. He was someone who I saw play the Hammond B3 at the Pandemonium bar, back in the late sixties, in the now long-gone Shore Motel on Rt. 35, with that other Bruce!
It was quite a ride down memory lane.