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In Sound to Premier on NJN
Friday, February 9 at 8:30 pm; and Wednesday, February 14 at 11:30 pm
STATEWIDE – In Sound is a half-hour special program that features blues guitarist Joe Taino and singer/songwriter Stefanie Fix. Viewers will see these talented local artists performing at The Stanhope House, the legendary blues club in Stanhope, New Jersey, as well as interviews with each. World-renowned banjo player Tony Trischka hosts the show. The premier of this independently produced program airs on NJN on Friday, February 9 at 8:30 pm, with a rebroadcast on Wednesday, February 14 at 11:30 pm.
Guitarist Joe Taino plays music with an inexhaustible energy that spans the Delta Blues to Jazz. As a child in Puerto Rico, he first heard American music through his uncle. Joe came to the United States in 1973 with a guitar and fifty dollars in his pocket. Since then he has shared the stage with the likes of Rick Derringer, Peter Frampton, Cindi Lauper, and Judas Priest — to name just a few. Joe, a resident of Union, New Jersey, is a fixture on the local New York/New Jersey blues scene. He hosts a jam session every Saturday at Scotland Yard in Hoboken and has released several CDs on his own label.
Singer/songwriter Stefanie Fix has released four CDs. Her songs have been described as having the hooks of Sheryl Crow, the depth of Tracy Chapman, and the intensity of Ani DiFranco. Most of her career has been spent traveling alone in her van playing her original compositions in small clubs all across America. She now lives in the music-rich town of Austin, Texas where she’s starting to make a name for herself. For the past two years, Stefanie was chosen as one of a hundred artists from among 10,000 to represent the best independent music from mp3.com. Stefanie is accompanied by violinist Sylvia Grendze.
The program is hosted by internationally acclaimed banjo virtuoso and Rounder Records recording artist Tony Trischka, a resident of Fair Lawn, New Jersey. Tony’s innovative music personifies the catch phrase of In Sound, which is “eclecticism”: he fuses traditional banjo styles with rock, jazz, and classical music. Tony recorded his debut album in 1973 and has been breaking barriers in banjo music ever since. One of his former students, noted banjo player Béla Fleck, says, “My springboard was Tony Trischka, and without Tony, none of what’s happened with my music would have happened.” As host, Tony is not a slick TV personality. Instead, he brings something special to the program: a real musician introducing other real musicians with the honesty and integrity only a fellow artist can convey.
In Sound was conceived and developed by Paul Levinsky, a native of Teaneck, New Jersey, who now resides in East Brunswick. He started his company Aacorn Media to film local and unknown musicians in performances for television. Paul’s father, Kermit Levinsky, was a composer, arranger, and conductor who also arranged for and performed with artists such as Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, The King Sisters, and Les and Larry Elgart. Before beginning a career in television 20 years ago, Paul Levinsky was a professional drummer, playing in everything from small jazz combos to hard rock and blues bands to big swing bands to Broadway show reviews. During his television career, he worked as an editor for the major networks, public television and cable. Most recently, Paul worked for MTV as an editor and producer.
In Sound has been underwritten through a grant from the Puffin Foundation of Teaneck, New Jersey as well as through in-kind support from the New Jersey television production community and the New Jersey music community.
Background
The performances were recorded live in front of an audience at the historic Stanhope House, circa 1790, which originally began life as a private residence. Beginning in the early 19th century, the House was transformed into a stagecoach stop on the Morris and Sussex Turnpike, a boatman's hotel serving the employees of the Morris Canal, a post office, a general store, a roadhouse tavern, and some say a brothel. In the mid-1960's, the House was once again transformed, this time into a venue for live musical performances. Now owned by Maureen Myers, The Stanhope House is widely known for presenting the finest musical artists in various genres, including bluegrass, rock, folk, and America's indigenous musical art form, the blues. Stevie Ray Vaughan, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon, Bill Monroe, Sam and Dave, Hot Tuna, Doc Watson, Bob Weir, Buddy Guy, and Richie Havens are among the luminaries who have performed at there.
NJN is available on all New Jersey cable systems, satellite systems, and Time Warner Cable channel 750 in NYC.
The half-hour program is also available via video streaming at njn.net after the original broadcast.
Additionally, the program is repeated on NJN’s JerseyVision available on Comcast Digital Cable in New Jersey.
(Check http://www.njn.net/digital/schedule.html for detailed listings.)
NJN – Uniquely New Jersey
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