MUSIC & EVENTS
Jazz Night
Thursday June 19 Doors 6:30 Music 7:00 $5 Cover. Come for the jazz, join for the vibe! Every Third Thursday of the month, the Belmar Arts Center will transform into an intimate lively Jazz Club, where live music will flow as freely as the creativity with swinging rhythms and smooth improvisations! Wear your dancing shoes, bring a snack and your favorite drink (BYOB), and if you play, bring your instrument if you’d like to sit in for a number or two. Whether you're here to play, dance, or just soak in the soulful sounds, this is the place to be for a night of pure musical magic. |
An Evening of Original Music with:
SSP (Smit,Stagnitto & Peckman) Sunday July 20 Doors 6:30 Music 7:00 SSP is a trio of boundary-pushing composer-improvisors—Ian Smit (guitar/electronics), Jim Stagnitto (trumpet/electronics), and Steve Peckman (winds/electronics)—who first joined forces as members of the renowned World Jazz septet, Monkeyworks. Their musical pedigree includes having performed at storied venues like NYC’s Knitting Factory, Asbury Park’s Showroom & The Saint, and a month-long residency at the Guggenheim Museum. Together, they merge deep improvisational instincts with cutting-edge sonic tools, crafting real-time explorations that are as accessible as they are innovative. Expect bold harmonic journeys, shimmering textures, and electrifying interplay that transcends genre. For this special performance, SSP will also be joined by two extraordinary singer-songwriters, weaving their voices and songs into the trio’s adventurous soundscape and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in live music. Cory Blair is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter based in Asbury Park, blends elements of indie-folk/rock story-telling with experimental electronic music, producing atmospheric soundscapes ripe with groove. Sam Tunkel is a New Jersey based singer/songwriter, recording artist, and is a student of music at Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts. He has played gigs consistently all across New Jersey for more than eight years now, and is happy to continue playing with great musicians, and see where the road takes him. |
An Evening with CRAIG BICKHARDT
Friday, July 25 Doors 7:00 pm Show 7:30 pm Craig Bickhardt is a journeyman singer-songwriter and performer with a career spanning five decades. He signed his first record deal at 19 and has since recorded 11 CDs for multiple labels including Capitol-Liberty Records, Warner Brothers Records, MTM Records and his own Stone Barn Records label. His latest critically acclaimed CD, Outpourings, reached #2 on the Folk/Americana Chart in 2023. Craig's songwriting is praised for its emotional depth and literary lyricism. His original song catalog contains over 800 songs, some of which have been covered by Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Alison Krauss, Kathy Mattea, Art Garfunkel, Nicolette Larsen, the Judds and B. B. King. He also wrote and sang the closing theme for the multiple Academy Award winning film Tender Mercies starring Robert Duvall and Tess Harper. Bickhardt continues to tour and perform extensively, captivating audiences with his filigreed acoustic guitar playing, his soulful voice and articulate songwriting. He has appeared at prestigious venues and festivals such as the Grand Ole Opry, Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage, the Philadelphia Folk Festival and The Bluebird Cafe. He has shared the stage with legends such as Bruce Springsteen, Judy Collins, Harry Chapin and Stephen Stills among many others. "Craig Bickhardt is the American counterpart to Richard Thompson... stylistic, original, creative and daring." - John Apice, No Depression CraigBickhardt.com https://www.facebook.com/craig.bickhardt.7 https://www.facebook.com/CraigBickhardt |