Vichy Water – Author's Blog Just another WordPress weblog

 

 

My blog. My blog. My kingdom to find more time like the old days (2 years ago) when I blogged once a week or so. Life is beautiful and accelerating beyond comprehension. Sometimes I think that my writing and music journalistic pursuits are leading me to a non-snow covered mountaintop in Tibet where I’ll be able to see forever but  it has to be a clear day. It’s a clear day right now in central Jersey.  So I’ll get there and get back to my blog, my love, and my forest through trees and a babbling brook of streams of consciousness; in time. Meantime, I went to this most amazing ceremony in Asbury Park this past Sunday honoring the Asbury Angels, those who have passed on but have given their molecular energies and spirit to the phenomenon of Asbury Park music. Here’s some of what I took away. But also at the end of this Asbury Angels piece is a very unique review of a new film, ‘Just Around the Corner: The Story of Bob Benjamin.’ Why unique review? It’s just one word. “Riveting.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twenty minutes before the Asbury Angels ceremony. Shooting down Asbury Avenue for the 78^th time this year; that’s an approximation but probably close. I’ve developed a love affair to remember with Asbury Park and find myself there three or four times a week; hey, I’m a music, art, environmental and evolving cerebral journalist and Asbury has morphed into a renaissance/ re-birth. I’ve been saying for some time now in my writings that part of this dynamic is the celestial descending of particulates of molecular energy from the living and past musical history of this town; I’m saying that the world knows about Springsteen, Southside Johnny, Vini Lopez, and the vast array of current performers whose roots came from Asbury.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, for me this energy  is absolutely palpable. Last summer I remember walking down Cookman Avenue and looking across the street at several houses. One had a pastel green back porch; a young teenage boy was playing a guitar and gyrating. I was certain he was pretending /dreaming ‘Springsteen.’  I thought to myself; it’s the sprinkled particle energy of the living legends. I also thought while heading down Asbury Avenue, adhering to the speed limit, passed an Italian restaurant and beautiful red brick church, that I was heading to an emotional poignant ceremony honoring particulate energy of Asbury music history of those who have passed on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iconic Tony Pallagrosi, so deeply involved in the musical and philanthropic composition of Asbury Park founded the Asbury Angels.  “The mission of the Asbury Angels is to honor and memorialize the lives and history of members of the Asbury Park musical community, including but not limited to, musicians, tech support persons, DJs, journalists, club owners, record company personnel, managers and promoters.”

 

 

 

 

 

NJ Discover’s team, Tara-Jean Vitale (editor, producer) and I quickly slammed car doors in front of the Stone Pony, and joined the hundreds assembling on the boardwalk for the induction of the 2012 class (first one) of the Asbury Angels. Jackie Pappas from the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce introduced Tony Pallagrosi who read brief biographies of the inductees. Families and friends applauded each reading; the ocean glistened in the background; the sky was perfectly blue and the weather Gods cooperated. The night before, Pallagrossi hinted, Springsteen’s concert at Met Life stadium was rain delayed until 10:30pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I listened to every word of each bio. These were legends and icons that did so much for Asbury music. I kept thinking in the midst of the throngs consuming the whole width of the boardwalk, that someday these Angels would’ve contributed to making Asbury Park one of the world’s music destinations. I want to think everyone thought like me. After all, look at the depth, range and impact of these Angels. Its two days later as I write this. I’m still intestinally queasy. I was so moved being there.

As each name was read, a plaque on a boardwalk bench was unveiled with the bio of the Angel.  Huge scissors were summoned to cut the yellow ribbon to share the memorial for the ages. It was Asbury Park’s walk of fame.  The 2012 Asbury Angels are: Arthur Willard Pryor, Bobby Alfano, Larry ‘Bozo’ Blasco, Bill Chinnock, Clarence Clemons, Danny Federici, John Luraschi, Joe Arthur Major, Arthur Morris, Tom and Margaret Potter, and Moe Septee.  When the ceremony was over, I watched people hugging and shaking hands, photographers capturing plaques, old friends seeing one another after decades, smiles and bittersweet  teary eyes; a panoply of emotions.  I did my joyous deep inhalation/exhalation. “Hey Mah, look where I am,” and thought ten thousand people should’ve been here to experience this. (Or more)

You can find the biographies and information on the Asbury Angels here:

http://asburyangels.com/default/index/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCING THE FILM  “JUST AROUND THE CORNER”  The Story of Bob Benjamin.

A POWERFUL RECOMMENDATION (I rarely do this)     http://www.amazon.com/Just-Around-Corner-Bob-Benjamin/dp/B008B49FHG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1348600934&sr=8-2&keywords=just+around+the+corner+dvd

 

On a Thursday(first day of 4) night, two weeks ago I attended, ‘Glory Days, A Bruce Springsteen Symposium’ at Monmouth University. It was an academic, musical and geographical adventure into the world of Bruce Springsteen. On that first night in Wilson Hall at Monmouth University there were two special events as part of the symposium; a ‘Songwriters by the Sea’ concert with gifted singers, Joe Rapolla and Joe D’Urso; in a room of indescribable ambiance so their acoustical  music lifted me a few thousand miles away. That’s what this ‘Songwriters by the Sea’ series does to me every time. The concert was preceded by a special screening of the new film, ‘Just Around the Corner: The Story of Bob Benjamin.’  Sometimes I’m less of a reviewer or journalist but a conduit of feeling emotions and expressing my environment when doing so. Thus an observation about the viewing audience and me: it was about as silent and intense absorbing/viewing a film as I’ve ever seen. A human interest and story of courage. So my only one word  review so to speak, “riveting.”  Probably means if you follow my one word lead; pick up a copy at Amazon and other places.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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