This event at The Chubby Pickle, presented by J v Archer Entertainment in association with the Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation, delivered a powerful showcase of regional talent — blending the gritty, hard-driving Jersey Shore blues of the Incinerators with the Mojo Gypsies’ masterfully curated mix of jazz, blues, and rockabilly.
by Tom Baldino
Once again Joseph Vincent Riggio booked a terrific double bill, with host band, the Incinerators opening for Dave Orban’s Mojo Gypsies at JSJBF member venue, the Chubby Pickle.
The Incinerators: Setting the Stage on Fire
John Fernandez and his band are one of most underrated blues acts on the Jersey Shore, and on this night they showed why. Their seventeen-song set covered a range of blues styles framed by their unique take on both the familiar and the obscure. With Rich Coccoli on second guitar, Gary Neuwirth on Harp, the stellar rhythm section of Steve Smith on bass and Chris Martell on drums, and Miss Kimmie on vocals, they deliver every time.
Highlights included, their swampy version of Johnny Kidd’s 1960 British hit, “Shakin All Over,” John and Kimmie trading vocals on Rufus Thomas “Walking the Dog,” and Gary’s great harp intro to Keb Mo’s “Dangerous Mood.” Howlin’ Wolf’s “How Many More Years,” featured Richie’s outstanding lead guitar and Gary’s harp soloing. One of the funniest moments of the night came when John, who is known for changing up the lyrics of a song, was singing with Miss Kimmie on Ray Charles “Unchain My Heart,” and he slipped in unzip my pants. The look on Kimmie’s face and the audience reaction were priceless! A swinging version of Elmore James “Shake Your Money Maker,” was followed by the closer, the band’s original tune, “Showdown,” a song that is equal to anything they played on this night. Again, they set the bar high for this nights headliner.
A Masterclass in Musicianship: The Mojo Gypsies Take the Mic
The Mojo Gypsies hail from the Trenton area and were certainly ready to unleash their brand of blues on the crowd. While there was no evidence of Muddy Waters, Django Reinhardt, or any wagons in the parking lot, they served up a savory stew of jazz, and jump blues, with a dash of rockabilly to create their own version of tunes previously recorded as well as originals. Leader Dave Orban had one of the coolest rigs ever to grace the Chubby Pickle stage, a 1953 Gibson ES175 guitar playing through a 1952 Fender Deluxe amp. He was joined by tenor sax master, Mike Scott, and the fine rhythm section of Chuck Hearne on bass and special guest Al Panebianco on the skins.
They kicked off the set with the instrumental Sonny Rollins “Tenor Madness,”and Mike demonstrated why is in demand, with a fine display of versatility on his instrument. The first of several originals by Dave, “Someone Else’s Woman,” was prefaced with the statement that they were all true stories, a comment that was not lost on the audience. “Dallas,” another original, included a nice solo on the sax by Mike, which complemented the fine playing and singing by Dave. One of the songs which the band dug deep for, was Paul deLay’s “Fourteen Dollars in the Bank,” and their presentation musically got across this song’s point about financial hardship. Rick Estrin’s “My Next Ex-Wife,” a tongue in cheek relationship story was a perfect fit here, with the band giving it a fun filled workout. “Bloodshot Eyes,” best known for singer Wynonie Harris version, had the band cooking on this jump blues classic. Another fine original “Every Woman I Know,” was followed by a song written by the Godfather of British blues John Mayall, “Takin’ it All to Vegas.” Given a big introduction, the band then launched into a hard driving version that would have made the author proud. The finale “Ain’t Nothing Shakin,’” was a fitting ending to an evening of high energy playing, by a group that has honed their craft to make these songs come alive, and move an audience, bravo!
Check them out on https://mojogypsies.com for information and upcoming gigs. They are well worth a listen.