The Asbury Park Music Foundation recently wrapped up a successful series of summer concerts. With the support of many sponsors, volunteers and community members, free shows were held weekly, livening up Asbury Park’s west side and boardwalk while bringing Asbury Park live music to Newark Airport.
The Music Mondays in Springwood Park popular free summer concert series wrapped up with the Sensational Soul Cruisers on August 27th. In addition to the Sensational Soul Cruisers, who have held the closing-show spot for the last three years, the musical lineup this season focused on big bands with broad appeal like Layonne Holmes and the Motor City Revue, Al Covington and Nu’Eara, Funktion, Louis Prima Jr. and the Witnesses, Dorian Parreott’s All Stars, JT Bowen and Mighty Kings of Soul, Des and the Swagmatics and Waiting on Mongo. Opening acts like Ashley Delima, Arlan Feiles, Ms. G and DaGuyz, Rachel Ana Dobken, the Mayor’s Players, the New Jersey State Youth Orchestra and Promise Robinson and Nicholas Bloom/NGXB Music – the winners of Asbury’s Got Talent — provided an opportunity to spotlight local talent.
Fans of the series were also treated to a bonus, 11th show on September 1st by avid APMF supporter, Remember Jones, who organized a festival in the park and donated their talent to raising additional funds. The show brought in more than 1,000 people over the Labor Day holiday weekend.
This year’s music series included a farmer’s market courtesy of CoGrow Community Greenmarket Organizers, an on-site wellness check vehicle provided by Hackensack Meridian Health , Kula Café, Rona’s Coffee Beans and an SAT support information station.
The 10-week free concert series, dubbed “Asbury Park’s New Summer Saturday Night” by the TriCity News and a favorite of Asbury Park residents and beyond brought an average of 500 people per week to the 4-year old Springwood Park on the west side of the city. In addition to raising money through merchandise sales and donor contributions to fund APMF’s youth music initiatives, the anticipated concerts serve as a way to connect people of all ages, genders and socio-economic means.
The series is supported through the generosity of our community-minded sponsors Interfaith Neighbors, Spring Lake Five Mile Run, Asbury Park Press, New Jersey Natural Gas, Madison Marquette, Asbury Audio, Diane Turton Realtors, Arrow Limousine Worldwide, Rockrete Recycling Corporation, The Mullin Family Foundation and the City of Asbury Park.
On Wednesday nights this summer, the Asbury Park LIVE concert series brought live music from emerging bands, fan favorites and Lakehouse student bands to the Boardwalk while raising over $7,500 for youth music education. The outdoor shows were held on the First Avenue Green located next to Watermark and MOGO. Several shows moved to the Asbury Park Yacht Club who graciously hosted the events due to bad weather.
Sponsors included MOGO Korean Fusion Tacos, Watermark, Pepsi, Ansell Grimm & Aaron, 1st Constitution Bank, Stone Pony, Lakehouse Music Academy, Asbury Park Food Collective, Live Music Loyalty, Asbury Park Distilling, Makin Waves, Pucker and Crepe Shop. Musical acts who played the series included Dark City Strings, Sonic Blume, The Vaughns, Jackson Pines, Waiting on Mongo, Alexander Simone & WhoDat!, Black Suburbia Music Group, Blaise, Pamela Flores, Latewaves, Well Wisher, The Extensions, The Vansaders, The Tide Bends, Sunshine Spazz, Rachel Ann Dobken, The Mercury Brothers, Vendetta Rose, B. Wood & Company, Shoobies and Connor Bracken & The Mother Leeds Band. The series offers an opportunity to showcase the top original acts who make up the current local scene and support their efforts to grow their audience base.
Together the sponsors, the bands, APMF volunteers and donors at events made it possible to fund scholarships for under-served kids in the Asbury Park community to attend Lakehouse Music Academy’s premier Songwriter’s Camp over the summer. Additional funds will also support scholarships for kids to participate in our highly successful Mash-Up program that brings students from the Hip Hop Institute together with Lakehouse students to create and play new music that blends diverse genres.
The Asbury Park Concert Band concluded its 74th season of bringing big band/orchestra music to the boardwalk. The free concerts, held every Thursday evening in front of sponsor, Robinson’s Ale House, has long been a favorite of locals and visitors. Each concert focused on a different theme including Broadway, patriotic, big band, jazz, and two special children’s concerts. The concerts are led by conductor, John Luckenbill. Additional sponsors include Investors Bank Foundation, the American Federation of Musicians and Madison Marquette who provide seating on the boardwalk.
Summer travelers through Newark Liberty International Airport were treated to the sounds of Asbury Park musicians as part of the Mockingbird Concert Series at the CBGBs Lab stage in Terminal C. This series, run by APMF and sponsored by Tito’s Handmade Vodka, OTG and Owen’s Craft Mixers, featured 20 musical acts performing Thursday and Friday evenings throughout July and August. In addition, Tito’s Handmade Vodka donated $20,000 for youth music education for a second consecutive year.
About Asbury Park Music Foundation
The Asbury Park Music Foundation provides music-based programs, events and resources that generate opportunities for our youth, artists and community to succeed and build on Asbury Park’s legacy as a thriving, music-rich city by the sea. Funds raised by APMF support youth music programs, including the Hip Hop Institute at the Boys & Girls Club of Monmouth County, in-school music classes at Hope Academy, after-school music classes at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School and Asbury Park public schools, and scholarships for under-served youth to attend the Lakehouse Academy.
Additional information on the Foundation’s programs and events are available at www.asburyparkmusiclives.org or https://www.facebook.com/