Musicians helping NJ musicians with a watch party

While workers from the food and beverage industry have lost their jobs and layoffs hit so many other industries as well, a career few think of affected by this pandemic is that of your professional musician. Think not of the superstars but the solid working class bands across the state. With all venues ordered closed by the state, it meant their jobs were sent packing too.

Dozens of local musicians got together virtually to record a project that will stream Friday evening at 9pm. It’s called “The Acoustic Engagement” and according to The Jersey Journal it was produced by The Latest Noise partnering with ALEO-Music
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There will be live elements to this with the participants in a chat room able to communicate with an audience.

Think covers. 9 of them. Stuff from Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, George Harrison and more. Here’s a sample from YouTube and it seems incredibly well done.

At first the idea was to raise money for a worthy charity but the more they thought about it and networked the idea, the more they talked with other musicians who are displaced and hurting who are forgotten in this whole mess. So money raised is going to help them which is nice. Jersey bar bands have bills and need to eat too. A cool job doesn’t make you any less vulnerable. Donations can be made through a Venmo link —@ALEOproductions.

GETTING NJ BACK TO BUSINESS: LIVE, THURSDAY at 7 p.m.: Eric Scott welcomes state Senate President Steve Sweeney into the studio to take your feedback on how to help local NJ businesses as they restart and grow their operations, after shutdowns due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. More information here.

The watch party will be available for streaming Friday, June 5 at 9pm.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski. Any opinions expressed are Jeff Deminski's own.