All-Star Jam for Access One

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT > FEATURES

The Tony Mart’s Presents series has a sensational slate of musicians banding together to support a Somers Point medical resource center.

By Ray Schweibert

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Jun. 4, 2010

Billy Walton.

Once you’ve attended an event in the Tony Mart’s Presents series you’re likely to become a fan for life, and a prime opportunity for newcomers to get their proverbial feet wet will take place Sunday, June 13, at Sandi Pointe Coastal Bistro in Somers Point.

Hosted by the Danny Eyer Band, the All-Star Jam for Access One will include local musical mainstays Dr. Bobby Fingers, Bob Campanell, Billy Walton, Bubba Mac, Ernie Trionfo, Jeff Schwachter (doing the Dylan songs and more) and keyboard phenomenon Arthur Migliazza. Proceeds from a $15 donation will benefit Access One — a Somers Point-based non-profit organization that provides comprehensive medical, dental and social services to those in need.

Doors will open at 4pm and the show will start around 5pm. There will be a light buffet of bar snacks and desserts compliments of Sandi Pointe Bistro, Formica Brothers Bakery Café, Smithville Bakery and Weinrich Bakery of Willow Grove, Pa. There will also be a full menu and bar service available. The Danny Eyer Band will serve as house musicians and share the stage with the guests, and guitar virtuoso Billy Walton will close out the show in a sort of multi-musician grand finale.

“This will be a great way to kick off the summer season, because almost all of those guys are going to be doing gigs for the [Somers Point] beach series or other Tony Mart’s events at various times throughout the summer, so this should serve as a great preview event,” says Carmen Marotta, producer of Tony Mart’s Presents. “There’ll be a lot of dancing and jamming, and a lot of dynamics and spontaneous interaction. And of course, I’ll have my microphone and my big mouth in the middle of it all.”

Somers Point physician Dr. Christopher Lucasti, an infectious disease and internal medicine specialist, is affiliated with Access One.
“Chris and I go so far back — his father actually worked for my father [the late Anthony Marotta, owner/operator of the bygone Somers Point nightlife institution Tony Mart’s], and his mother is my sister’s godmother, so we’re very close with the Lucasti family,” says Carmen Marotta. “It’s a close relationship, and I became very friendly with the staff and the Access One people and all they do to help the community. I just felt it was my place to step up.”

Migliazza is a classically trained pianist turned blues musician and a Tony Mart’s special guest of sorts, having just relocated to New York City from the Tucson, Arizona area (see arthurmigliazza.com).

“This will be my first time in [southern] New Jersey and I’m really looking forward to it,” says Migliazza in an e-mail correspondence. “I just moved out to New York City last month from Tucson, where I’m good friends with Carmen’s brother Tony. I’m originally from [Hyattsville] Maryland but moved to Arizona with my family when I was 11 [he’s 29 now]. As far as songs go, I was hoping to play/sing ‘Rockin’ Pneumonia’ by Huey ‘Piano’ Smith and ‘I’m Ready’ by Fats Domino.”

“Arthur Migliazza is a really great keyboard player,” says Marotta. “He plays with [Tuscon blues vocalist/drummer] George Howard, and one night we were at a gig with him and I’m telling him, ‘Play some Professor Longhair [a famed New Orleans blues pianist].’ Well, he kicked ass, and that’s when I fell in love with the guy. Anybody who can rip off Professor Longhair is alright by me.”