I was eight years old when Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys released the album, "Pet Sounds." By then the band already had a huge catalog of hits and this album was meant to compete on a serious level with The Beatles, "Rubber Soul" -- and it did. Unfortunately, it was not the commercial success Wilson had hoped for. In 1972 it was re-released as part of a package with the Beach Boys album, "Carl and the Passions - So Tough," an atypical record for the band that had little involvement from Brian. I was in high school when I found that set in a cut-out bin and it has been a favorite ever …
Steven Wright has been around for awhile, and he hasn't changed a bit. Okay, he's older and heavier and he looks as if he's auditioning for a Beckett play, but his act and his delivery are still very, well, Steven Wright. And that was just fine for his audience. Wright is the master of ironic one- liners, spoken with a fine tuned lethargic delivery that makes his humor even more unique. You can try telling the jokes to friends, but somehow they are just funnier coming out of Wright's mouth. And they come at you constantly. Every once in a while he gives you a moment or two to let the joke …
Why does one go to see a legend perform? Optimism or curiosity? Dave Mason, founding member (with Steve Winwood) of the 60's band Traffic, answered a few questions with his performance at Temple B'nai Jeshurun. He's obviously not the 22-year-old kid who recorded "Feelin ' Alright" in 1968. He's lost the hair and gained some weight, but he still has that guitar and a repertoire that may surprise you when you realize how many of his songs you know. "Only You Know And I Know,, "Every Woman," "40.000 Headmen," "World in Changes," and "We Just Disagree," to name a few, were played more than …
Usually one looks to a museum to find a national treasure. But we can find a trove of them at Montclair State University and dozens of lucky students get to play with them. We are referring to the handmade instruments of composer Harry Partch (1901-1974), who created them to play his original music, which left behind standard tunings for unexplored territory. Using materials such as driftwood, gourds, light bulbs, artillery shell casings, tuned liquor bottles and hubcaps, he created musical pieces of art which sound as unique as they look. Since 1990, Dean Drummond, now a professor at MSU, …
If you're going to be in the audience for Paper Mill's production of "Curtains," one thing you should know is that the actors are having as much fun as you are. Jumping into a mix of big production numbers, sardonic comedy and murder (and that's just in the first scene), the cast relishes the job. Backstage, one can feel the enthusiasm of the cast members as they do what every performer does before a show: Costumes, wigs, makeup, stretches, moments of meditation. Unlike the ill-fated play within a play that is produced on stage, this is a cast that looks forward to getting out there and …
Howie Mandel has been performing for over 30 years. He's been on countless stages (as many as 200 shows a year), numerous TV shows (from "St. Elsewhere" to "Deal or No Deal" ) and frequently appears on the talk-show circuit. But this was only his second performance at a temple. The last time, he said, he "was reading his haftorah." The unusual booking was the result of the ambitious programmers at Beth Shalom, some generous contributors and the invaluable assistance of temple member Andy Muser, who knows Howie from his previous life as an agent at the William Morris Agency. All proceeds from …
Wake up everybody! Livingston High School sent out a clear message on Friday. Jello Wrestling is a legitimate sport! It involves training, intelligence, skill, endurance—and at least 90 gallons of green jello. The dedicated athletes proved that not anyone with a silly costume or a clever team name can hold his or her ground (or footing) in an inflatable ring filled with slime. In a night filled with bouts that pitted "Charlie Sheen" against "The World" and "Lumberjacks" against "Trees," these teens showed why this sport needs to be recognized. Larry Greenfield of Partybusters Entertainment …
So you like photography? You'll want to go to the AIPAD Photography Show. You love photography? You may not want to leave. Over 75 photo dealers from all over the world have moved into the Park Avenue Armory in NYC for the weekend. Coming from London, China and numerous U.S. locations, these dealers have brought with them the cream of their collections for the benefit of serious collectors and the window shoppers among us. The range of work on display is fascinating. Classic works by Brassai and Ansel Adams sit next to Bettie Page's naughty nudes. Prices range, too. The Halsted Gallery …
Jim Hegedus, musical director for Livingston High School's two jazz bands, loves his work. In addition to teaching, he spends hours of rehearsal time with the Lancer Jazz Band and the Lab Band. This is big band jazz. Working out the arrangements, whipping the soloists into shape, and getting 19 or so musicians (plus vocalists) to swing together isn't easy. Hegedus says there are many rewarding parts to the whole experience of directing the two jazz bands. "The most rewarding would be seeing the students start from nothing and transforming that into an exciting performance as the culmination …
On February 12th the prize winning Lancer Jazz Band and the Lab Band from Livingston High will take the stage at the First Annual Valentine's Dinner Dance at LHS for a program of big band jazz. These few hours will be preceded by many more hours of rehearsal time. There are a lot of ingredients going into this mix and musical director Jim Hegedus is hoping that they are going to add up to more than the sum of their parts. The Lancer Jazz Band, made up of five trumpets, four trombones, six saxophones, piano, guitar, bass, drums and two vocalists, spend about 2 1/2 hours a week together. …
The Chinese New Year brought hundreds of Livingston residents and their friends and families together on Sunday afternoon, a celebration of Chinese heritage, fittingly held at Heritage Middle School. From the moment lion dancers wended their way through the packed auditorium, envelopes of lucky money gingerly placed into their mouths, we knew we were in for a treat of Chinese traditions and customs, performed by the children of the Livingston Chinese School. Livingston’s Chinese community has a rich and diverse cultural heritage. It has a large presence in the town, where more than 14 percent…
Part of the Lauryn Hill experience is waiting. Waiting for Ms. Hill is a little like waiting for Godot, although your companions are better dressed, there's some good music playing, and you can get a beer if you want to. And eventually, she does show up. The doors opened at 7 on Friday at the Wellmont Theatre in Montclair. DJ Rich Medina started spinning tunes at 9. Warm '70s grooves gave way to remakes of warm '70s grooves and then some disco and hip-hop. The DJ started to pack up around 9:45, lights started flashing and the crowd started to cheer. Then he went back to playing tunes. Finally…
The rich tradition of Chinese dance took center stage on Saturday night as Livingston celebrated Chinese Culture Day and welcomed the Year of the Rabbit. Performances included dance by Livingston's Huaxia Chinese School and Yana Ballet, music by violins and traditional bamboo flute, and Chinese martial arts by Master Chuantong Lin and the students of the Wushu - Kung Fu Fitness Center along with special guest Master Panda. We take you behind the lens of Bob Krasner to show you the beauty of the culture displayed on Saturday night at the Chinese New Year festivities at Livingston High School.
Only one guy got to be Elvis Presley and he's gone. He left behind the rest of us, who get up and go to work and dream about a different life while sitting on the train. But also out there are guys like El King (real name -- he wouldn't say) who live out their own dreams by literally pretending to be someone else. In his show at the Livingston Library, Mr. King started out as Frankie Valli and ended doing Sinatra's "My Way," with a whole hunk of Elvis in between. Sharing the stage with him was Laura Lee, who belted out tunes in the guise of Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli and Marilyn Monroe…
Tucked away upstairs of Town Center, Mo Menzel is comfortably tucked in a blanket on a favorite chair. Surrounded by the richly polished wood of hundreds of violins, she literally has the world on a string. By day, she carries on the legacy of Menzel Violins in a stylist showroom in Town Center. By night, she hosts an eclectic concert series at MoFiddles, an underground arts space on the top floor of the suburban New Jersey shopping center. Featuring bluegrass, jazz, blues and more, MoFiddles “is a breath of fresh air for this region,” said Larry Maltz, a Livingston musician who frequents the…
It's a cold Saturday night and you're looking to hear some first-rate music . You'd like to relax in a warm, intimate setting and hear a mix of new, original tunes and some old classics arranged in a unique way. You want the playing to be top-notch; maybe you'd even like to sit in and jam when the show is over. So you head to the ... shopping center? If you live in Livingston, you do. Tucked away in the center of town is MoFiddles, the alter ego of Menzel Violins. On certain nights it becomes a haven for musicians and music lovers. Saturday was no exception. Caroline Doctorow came to town …
Even legends catch a cold and BB King had a bad one on Thursday night. The regally attired 85-year-old bluesman was greeted by a standing ovation from the packed house when he entered the stage at Montclair's Wellmont Theatre. After tossing out guitar picks to his fans, he apologized for the state of his voice and then proceeded to hold court, putting everything he had into favorites like "The Thrill Is Gone," "When Love Comes To Town," and an instrumental version of "When The Saints Go Marching In." He frequently took time to talk and joke with the crowd while the seasoned veterans of his …
We've begun this snowy scrapbook with images of branches in white and set against a setting sun. Email your pictures to marilyn.lehren@patch.com and we'll add them to this gallery. If you're out frolicking, shoveling, sledding, skiing or slipping, we want to see it. This time around, the forecast calls for just 2 to 4 inches. You can check out readers' photos from last month's blizzard here.
Livingston began the new year with a new beginning in local government with some light-hearted kidding and a promise to end politics as usual. More than 200 township employees, residents, and dignities attended the Jan. 2 public swearing-in ceremony for Michael Rieber and Deborah Shapiro, the first Republicans to serve as elected leaders in 20 years; Rufino "Rudy" Fernandez, Livingston's new mayor; and Stephen Santola, deputy mayor.
Our New Year's resolution at Livingston Patch? To highlight and bring you some of the great coverage happening in nearby towns. And was 2010 was a year to remember at Patch! We added, oh, a few hundred new sites from coast to coast. Locally, we went from five Essex County sites to 10: In addition to Livingston, Millburn, South Orange, the Caldwells and Maplewood, we added West Orange, Montclair, Bloomfield, Verona-Cedar Grove and Belleville. Here are some of the best images of the year, caught by Patch photographers and contributors. Some are from Livingston and some are from our sister …
