Assorted

Some of the pictures on this site came from some very old and yellowed copies of the enterprize entertainment weekly. It was out around in 1976 and featured articles by some of the entertainers who were playing around town in those days. Paul Plumeri did a blues column, Ernie White did a entertainers expertise column called "Good Vibrations", Jeff Guenther did record reviews (as a matter of fact he did one on a Van Eaton Brothers album!). Barbara Willson Smith did movie reviews. The editor & publisher was a guy named Norman P. Teidemann (who I don't think I've ever met), who did a tremendous job putting it together. Wind's 45 was released on the enterprize records label and he is listed as producer.

N.P. Tiedemann wherever you are, thank you for the inspiration.

WPST 97.5 had a contest in 1982 in conjuction with their twice a week "Unsigned Heros" segement, to select 10 artists to record their original material on an album.

Included were Bricks Mortar, Construction, Tom Marolda, Chuck DeAngelo and Under Five Shillings. Pretty cool that 5 of the 10 were from the Trenton area!

Pygmy (45 sleeve 1982)

Jerry Monk played in this band. One of the few bands that I have never seen (hey, even I'm surprised at that!).

Richie's Big Cole album

A tenure with Buddy Rich's big band beginning in 1969 when Buddy hired him straight out of Boston's Berklee College of Music. Also included in Cole's professional career, as are stints in the 1970's with Doc Severinsen, Lionel Hampton and others. In the early 1980's he served as musical director and saxophonist for Manhattan Transfer.

Richie Cole's 1st solo album, fittingly titled
TRENTON MAKES, THE WORLD TAKES

One of the finest musicians ever to come from Trenton is without a doubt saxophonist Richie Cole. Richie fell in love with jazz as a youngster, listening to the music at his father's jazz club in Trenton, New Jersey. He got his first horn at the age of 10, and while in high school, he was tutored by Phil Woods, with whom he later recorded the album Side By Side. He's recorded several highly acclaimed jazz albums over the years, many stamped with his signature "Alto Madness" style of playing.

Slippery Rock (1974)

l to r: Rick Pogany, Frank Pinto, Mike "Trenton Jones" Hudak, George Greener, Joe Kramer

Gambone (1985)

l to r: Gregg Gambone, Kristin Monath,
Scotty Barnes, Elvis Jendy

This is the cover of their 45 Life b/w Cryin' In The Rain. It was recorded at Joe's Sound and engineered by Van Weller. Not to long after this came out, Domenic Bartolini joined the band.

Deja Vu 1960's Show (1982?)

Mike Hudak at the top in leather jacket, Frank Pinto to his right in white shirt. Frank Pinto was also a solo performer. His album "Trenton Uses What the World Refuses" was a big hit on the folk circuit. Down in front is their lead singer Melody Joy who later went on to write children's songs with Frank. This picture was taken on the steps of the Trenton War Memorial Building.

l to r: Danny Kish, Melody Joy, Al Dyatt (from The Young Monkeymen), Jim Mortimer, Frank Pinto and Mike Hudak

Preservation (1983)

clockwise from bottom right:
Pasquale "Sev" Severino, Melody Joy, Mike Musk,
Bryan Marszalek, John Furda & Jules Bush

Alliance Against Hunger (1985?)

standing l to r : Dave Hart, Tom Marolda, Ricky Collins (Bricks Mortar), Bob Scanella, Frank Pinto (Nutz), Joe Mancuso (Cop Shoo Bops),
seated l to r : Ernie White (Aviator), Jerri Mancuso (Cop Shoo Bops), Joe Zook (Blues Deluxe)

A group of Trenton's finest musicians got together to record a song called "Have You Ever Seen Their Eyes" for the benefit of the Ethiopian Family Relief Fund. It was recorded at Tom Marolda's Song Gram Studio.

The Breakers (1984)

top l to r: Charlie Ross, Sean McCormick, Cliff Wright
bottom l to r: Stephen Hartnett, Fran Kowalski

I'm not sure this band ever played live, but they put out an excellent Beach Boyesque single. Art director for the cover was Joe Hosey. Fran Kowalski toured for many years with the Alex Chilton Band (the lead singer of The Box Tops). He and Cliff Wright also write and perform the many advertising jingles you hear on radio stations around the country. They also developed the system that plays the sound effects and music at Trenton Thunder games. And you know the, "Trenton's Got That Thunder Power" song that you hear in the radio commercials, they did that too! It's sung by Bobby Bandiera from Asbury Park to give it that Bruce/Jersey sound.

Traveler (1980?)
Clockwise from bottom: George Caruso, Jeff Guenther,
Sam Masiello, Billy "B.G." Gibson, Ed Karwatske

After Ernie left Wind to join Sam The Band, Jeff, Sam & Ed re-grouped with George Caruso who played bass with Duke Williams & The Extremes and former stage singer/actor B.G. Gibson to form Traveler. The would do a tribute show featuring the music from "Jesus Christ Superstar" since B.G. had previously performed in the rock opera on Broadway.

Trilogy was, in my opinion, the VERY BEST disco band to grace a stage in the Trenton area. They were favorite of the crowd that danced at Brothers Saloon in 1977-1978.

Strong vocals from Dave Files and Chaz Burns and later Marilyn Miller. Tight horns by saxman Frankie Miller and trumpeter Jeff Lesser, great guitar work of Skip Edwards, the percussive Hammond B3 organ attack of Hugh Callahan all piled onto a rhythm foundation of the funky jazz flavored bass lines of Vince Gilligo and the rock solid, and tastefully flashy backbeat of drummer Victor Panfilli. These guys played disco right!

The core of Trilogy lasted long into the late 90's as one of the area's finest wedding and social affair entertainers.

(top row) Skip Edwards, Frank Miller
(middle row) Hugh Callahan, Vince Gilligo, Jeff Lesser, Victor Panfilli
(seated) Marilyn Miller, Dave Files

Sainte Anthony's Fyre album

They were an early 70's heavy/acid rock band. The south Trenton based band included guitarist Greg "Ohm" Onushko, Tom Nardi and Bobby Sharples.

Here's a review of the album that I found:

Sainte Anthony's Fyre N J "Sainte Anthony's Fyre" 1970
If you're looking for the ultimate local basement hardrock blowout this trio might just be the ticket - one look at them on the sleeve tells you all you need to know. The kinda guys that work factory shifts during the week and blow all their money on booze, speed and women on Friday night. A fantastic echoey live sound adds to the appeal.

l to r: Tomm Nardi, Bobby Sharples and Greg Ohm

Three Penny Opera concert poster. This shot was taken in front of the Olden Theater, Trenton, NJ.

left to right: Billy Tunnecliffe,Ron (Mr. Ron) Gittleman, Frank Belardo and Jerry Monk.

From Mr.Ron, "I think this was from around 1973. I remember that Al Lewis (Grandpa Munster) came down to hear us because, at the time, he was looking to invest in a rock act. We took him to Briehlers (where 3PO played weekly) for dinner before going to the Olden. For the life of me I can't remember what that slogan means (maybe I never knew)."

While not a rock & roller, Trenton jazz drummer virtuoso Tony Dinicola (seated) taught many of the area's best musicians.

He toured and recorded with the Harry James Big Band and was a professor at The College of New Jersey (Trenton State)

Collin Tilton from the Lawrenceville area (also the home of Jon Stewart) plays one of the most well known flute solo's ever recorded on Moondance by Van Morrison. Besides touring and recording with Van, he also played with Etta James on the 1978 Rolling Stones tour and served as horn arranger for Clarence Clemmons & The Red Bank Rockers

An ad for Blank Zippa, a band that included drummer Cheech Iero. His son Frank Iero is the guitarist for the band My Chemical Romance. A tattered crew pass for a showed I worked with an early version of Bobby Lenti's post JDB band, Blue Eyes. They opened for Kingfish whose guitar player at the time was Danny DeGennaro.

Smart Remarks was always one of my favorite bands. Infectious power pop with great lyrics, they put out a couple of very good records, which by the way are each selling in the $100 range on e-bay these days (I wish I would have bought a box of them back then!)

Todd Ellis was the guitar player/singer who was the driving force and wrote the bulk of their original material. Tony "Ant" Barbalace played drums, with Chris Gordon and Steve Destefano taking turns playing bass. They recorded these at Tom Marolda's studio, (one track was done at Joe's Recording Studio) and former Shades and Rettmans bass legend Scottland Evans produced.

I worked a few shows with the guys during an early incarnation of the band which at the time included Mark Mahoney on guitar when they were playing covers as Kartunes. I remember being called up onstage one night by Mark to sing Louie Louie, and saying to him "I don't know the words" and his response "so? does anyone actually know the words?" We did it, people danced and sang along.....I guess we did it good!