Every song has a story, but not every story is always shared. At RiverJAM Music’s The Listening Room: Songs & Stories on November 12 in Red Bank, NJ, this sentiment was the focal point of the night.

Three local musicians took the stage—Johnny Kasun, Jake Thistle, and Erik Mason—giving attendees a night of original music and stage conversation. Though they all shared the stage simultaneously, the night proceeded with each musician taking a turn, one song each, until all had played four songs.

Johnny Kasun started off the night, his virtuosic guitar playing serving as a gentle ease into the night. Lyrics aren’t the main focus of Johnny Kasun’s music, but his guitar sings enough for both of them. With fingerstyle songs, Kasun performs as a whole orchestra, effortlessly blending melody, bass, and harmony lines. Songs like “Limestone” are thus able to evoke an encompassing feeling, something that’s more effective when seeing the music produced by one person. According to Kasun, during his set, this is the intention. “Since my songs don’t have lyrics, I try to encapsulate places or feelings,” he said, before performing “Limestone.”

Jake Thistle, a regular around New Jersey local venues, performed as well on Wednesday night. Used to sharing the stage with Kasun, as the latter is Thistle’s guitarist, Thistle flawlessly executed more acoustic versions of some of his most popular songs. Opening with “The City Whispers,” his scratchy tenor voice filled the small room easily, giving audience members a unique sound to hone in on. Thistle is no stranger to the stage, but all good performers know when the stage isn’t theirs, making Thistle a perfect addition as accompaniment to the other performer’s music.

Erik Mason finished off each round, his country-influenced music providing a soulful twang to the overall set. Complete with a slide guitar, the musician of which was brought on during Mason’s songs, Mason utilized the talent next to him to fill out his sets, the singer himself providing piano backing. He certainly showed off his range, as well, with the performance of “Dark and Stormy,” which he considered a Jimmy Buffett-inspired track. With beachy lyrics and a soft country swing, Mason could’ve fooled listeners into thinking “Dark and Stormy” was written by Buffett himself, as it served as a solid tribute to the late musician.

“Last night was simply a joy,” Kasun said, post-performance. “I had the great privilege of sharing the stage with some of my closest friends, playing our original music to a sold-out and engaged crowd. There are not many other platforms around that allow for that sort of thing. I left feeling so inspired and see nothing but a bright future ahead for RiverJAM in the New Jersey music scene.”

And it was obvious just how close the three on stage are. Despite all of the artists established as their own solo acts, they could not have sung (pun unintended) each other’s praises more. It wasn’t a show of three separate musicians, but rather three musicians coming together for a night of community and music. The chemistry on stage was palpable, proving the camaraderie and respect among them.

“I was incredibly honored to have been a part of it,” Thistle explained. “Johnny and Mason are both fantastic fixtures of the Jersey shore music scene, and RiverJam is certainly becoming a beautiful piece of that world as well. Meant the world to play for such a great cause.”

Mason also remarked, “It was such a privilege to share the stage with two incredible songwriters and even better people in Johnny and Jake. I could feel the energy of our music connecting with the crowd the whole night, and our banter in between songs really showed off our friendship and appreciation of each other as artists.”

As Kasun mentioned, the night as a whole was a sold-out success, the funds of which go directly to the musicians themselves. Food and drink purchases, in turn, supported the nonprofit. Meredith Kasun, co-founder of RiverJAM Music, said, “I was so impressed by our musicians’ performances last night. The stories they shared were authentic and entertaining, and the chemistry between the three of them was incredible to watch.”

Only the second of RiverJAM’s Songs & Stories series, January holds the next performance with even more musicians. Meredith Kasun concluded, “It is so wonderful to see familiar faces coming out to support these artists and the original music community. I am so grateful for everyone that made our second Songs and Stories happen, and we are looking forward to the next!”

Photo taken by Gabrielle Sangataldo