RiverJAM
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RiverJAM Music highlights local voices and personal stories at Songs & Stories showcase
On September 23, RiverJAM Music hosted its sixth official Listening Room: Songs & Stories event in Red Bank, New Jersey. The evening highlighted and honored four local musicians: Cole Hallman, Johnny Kasun, Sandi Joy, and Jack Romano. The night began with an introduction from Reagan Richards and Gordon Brown of Williams Honor, members of the RiverJAM…
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In conversation with Jack Romano: from Johnny Cash to his own voice
“We have a saying in my band: ‘All roads lead to Cash.’” For Jack Romano, Johnny Cash’s influence extends far beyond the sound of his country voice. Like the late musician, Romano’s catalog is rooted in honesty, vulnerability, and raw emotion—songs that explore what it means to be human and, more specifically, what it means…
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In conversation with Cole Hallman: riding the sound wave
In the words of folk musician Jack Johnson, “time is just a melody.” And for singer-songwriter Cole Hallman, the time is now. Growing up in Manasquan, New Jersey, Hallman was surrounded by an endless coastline and a rich, local music scene. “There is a lot of music in my area, a lot of music in…
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In conversation with Sasha Perskie: exploring contemporary indie & working with RiverJAM
“I don’t just record them [songs] myself, but I write them too,” explains indie pop artist Sasha Perskie. “And that’s been a huge part of my life: writing music, performing, playing gigs, playing open mics.” Last year, Perskie released Day Night, a four-song EP self-described from the influences of Fiona Apple and Lizzy McAlpine. The project…
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In conversation with Johnny Kasun: one guitar, endless possibilities
For many musicians, the guitar is just one piece of a larger band. For Johnny Kasun, it is the entire show. Through his use of fingerstyle guitar, Kasun creates the sound of multiple musicians at once, weaving melody, rhythm, and basslines together on a single instrument. When a guitar was placed in Kasun’s hand at…
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In conversation with Pat Guadagno: how to make your own kind of music
If you’re lucky, you’ll get to hear two versions of a song: the original version and the Pat Guadagno version. For almost 50 years, the celebrated singer and musician has been entertaining audiences with his lively and unique stylings of beloved music, continuing to elevate songs with his innate musicality and one-of-a-kind perspective. Born and…
