Mini-blues festivals to feature high caliber entertainment

HACKETTSTOWN - Peter Tork, one of the originals from the television show “The Monkees,” Peter Karp, Sue Foley, Plainfield Slim & The Groundhawgs, and Anne Mironchik, will help launch the Centenary Stage Mini-Blues Festivals in Hackettstown this winter on March 12 and 13 at Centenary College. The Mini-Blues Festival is a weekend of events for the Hackettstown area, with Centenary Stage hosting music both nights, preceded by matinee shows at Marley’s Gotham Grill in the late afternoon from 4 to 6 p.m. and post-show parties both nights at Charlie Brown’s, from 10:30 p.m. to 12 midnight. The Centenary shows begin at 6:30 p.m. each night and runs until 10 p.m. Headlining the Friday night performance are Peter Karp and Sue Foley, who will play together as part of their “He Said, She Said Tour,” as well as taking the lead on their own tunes. Peter Tork and his band, Shoe Suede Blues, will headline the Saturday night show. A gifted songwriter and American troubadour, Karp’s music is fueled by the Yankee-Rebel juxtaposition. He is a critically acclaimed songwriter and an accomplished guitarist/pianist, with impressive guitar and slide licks infused by his love of Freddy King and Elmore James. Canadian Juno Award winner Foley is considered to be one of the finest blues/roots artists working today. Born in Canad, by age 16 she was living in Austin, Texas and already recording for legendary blues label Antone’s Records. Foley honed her craft working/sharing the stage with such artists as BB King, Buddy Guy, Lucinda Williams and Tom Petty. Since 1999 Foley has received a record-setting 18 Maple Blues Awards, and three Trophée de blues in France, and a nomination for the prestigious W.C. Handy Award for Best Contemporary Female Artist. Peter Tork Long before Tork became a legendary part of the prefab phenomenon known as the “The Monkees,” he was a well-respected musician/artist in the burgeoning New York folk and blues scene. He plays a variety of instruments (bass, guitar, keyboard, banjo and french horn) which generated high demand for his services as a sideman/back-up artist. While Tork and the band usually play a few Monkees hits, its focus in concert is on traditional blues sounds, such as those on their latest CD, “Cambria Hotel.” Shoe Suede Shoes band-mates Richard Mikuls, Jeff Olson and Arnold Jacks have shared the stage with some of the most influential recording artists of the last 50 years: Ray Charles, BB King, Ronnie Dawson, Chaka Kahn and David Benoit just to mention a few. Following Tork’s Centenary performance, he’ll be on hand at the post show party at Charlie Brown’s. Even more blues Also appearing at Centenary on Saturday night are Plainfield Slim & The Groundhawgs, a Mississippi-type juke joint blues band, and Hunterdon County native and now longtime New Yorker Anne Mironchik with her swinging blues trio. The Plainfield Slim band features singer-songwriter Gar Francis on guitar, Lee Fink on slide guitar, Myke Scavone on harp, and Mike Caruso on bass, and Rocco Scavone on drums. Described as “Carole King, with some extra swing!” Mironchik’s music is reminiscent of R&B hits of the 70s and 80s. She is a vocalist, pianist, composer and lyricist with a conservatory degree in jazz and roots in rock, blues, R&B and country. General admission for each night is $20 each, which includes a discount to the post show party. Two-day tickets are $35, which includes admission to both post show parties. For more information, visit www.centenarystageco.org or call 908-979-0900.