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NJ DISCOVER SPECIAL EDITION LIVE RADIO SHOW: TUESDAY DECEMBER 10TH 8 PM: With Special Guests and Live Music including Nick Clemons, JT Bowen, Jo Bonanno: Highlighting upcoming January 11th “Big Man’s West Reunion Show” in Point Pleasant Beach. It’s ALL about CLARENCE CLEMONS!! Don’t miss this LIVE SHOW with hosts Tara-Jean Vitale and Calvin Schwartz(0)

FOR TUESDAY’S LIVE RADIO SHOW TUNE IN HERE 8 PM:

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS RADIO SHOW/ CALVIN SCHWARTZ:

How thrilled I am these past few years to have come into the aura of Clarence Clemons. For me here in Central Jersey and so cognizant of the music scene with all its cascading particulates of special energy (Bruce, E-Street, Clarence and the band) and being in such absorb-able proximity to all the extant energy has been some of the most meaningful collection of months in my life. What I’m saying is that I’ve loved and cherished all my time spent close to the aura of Clarence and being part of his special Jersey music scene.

I fondly remember walking around Asbury Park in late fall last year, bumping into an early Springsteen band affiliate and talking about Clarence. I just asked questions endlessly like the first time Bruce and Clarence met and a door coming unhinged. According to my boardwalk acquaintance, it was a car door that blew off the hinges in a near hurricane. It doesn’t matter for me. I need everything I can imagine and hear and learn; I’m just like a wide-eyed kid trying to learn everything about Clarence. I’m in total awe of the greatness and depth of his talent. And to think, he started out right here in central Jersey.

I consider it one of the more precious synchronistic moments in my life to have met Clarence’s son Nick Clemons in Asbury Park two summers ago after his first annual Asbury Park Comedy Festival. Nick and I were both wearing red Rutgers hats and the rest is history. And now I’m hosting with Tara-Jean Vitale and NJDiscover our radio show featuring Nick Clemons and musical friends of Clarence’s. On our radio show, we’ll take a retrospective look back at Clarence’s venture in Red Bank, ‘Big Man’s West’ and listen to some poignant music and tell the world about Clarence’s big birthday party at Martell’s Tiki Bar in Point Pleasant on January 11^th 2014 which is a reunion celebration.

This is going to be one memorable incredible radio show. Nick Clemons and great musicians all gathered for an historic hour here in central Jersey about 3 miles from Clarence’s first home here in Jersey. How perfect this all is; and its two weeks and a day from Christmas adding to the ambiance and spirit of NJ Discover’s radio show. Looking forward to Tuesday.

Calvin Schwartz December 6^th 9:44 PM 39 degrees outside my office window in central Jersey.

Join Cal & Tara-Jean at Listen Right Here to all your favorite podcasts of NJDiscover RADIO

Reflections and Interviews: Celebrating the Birthday of Clarence Clemons (The Big Man) at Wonder Bar, Asbury Park (Video) By Calvin Schwartz(1)

Historic Night: Celebrating the Birthday of Clarence Clemons at Wonder Bar, Asbury Park

By Calvin Schwartz

On Jan 12th hundreds of fans, family and friends came together to celebrate the birthday of Clarence Clemons, ‘The Big Man’ at a sold out Wonder Bar in Asbury Park. NJ Discover TV was given the honor by the Clemons Family to video personal reflections of some who knew and loved the Big Man. The evening was also a benefit to raise money for area school district music departments that lost instruments and various supplies in Hurricane Sandy.

What made the evening uniquely special was that the State of New Jersey made an official declaration (the day before) on January 11th which now recognizes “Clarence Clemons Day” every January 11^th and although there will be many events in the following weeks; this was the official “Clemons Family Event” birthday celebration.

For NJ Discover, the evening was purely magical and wondrous to have been involved with such an outpouring of love and memories of Clarence’s unique and historic presence. Feeling the electricity and energy the entire night was easy; all palpable and recorded for posterity. To be able to share is very special.

Before the special night, I composed the following thoughts why I thought the evening was historic. Perhaps fitting and proper to share those words again here:

WHY THIS BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR CLARENCE CLEMONS:

Historic ingredients (alignment of celestial forces of relevancy) of a special day/musical concert: There have been Hurricane Sandy events throughout our state. We’ve all come to understand what ‘Jersey Strong’ means. We live it every day; always have; just so much more pronounced these days. You take this awareness and add the late great Clarence Clemon’s Birthday on January 11^th and the historic resolution by the New Jersey Senate to annually honor one of the Jersey Shore’s (and worlds) most iconic musicians with a day named after him. Every Jan. 11 will now be Clarence Clemons Day. Last week the NJ Senate passed a resolution sponsored by Senator Jennifer Beck (R-11) that memorializes the legendary saxophonist from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band.

More ingredients. The Clemon’s Family and Nick Clemons (Clarence Clemons III) have chosen to celebrate Clarence’s birthday with “Celebrating Clarence: The Big Man’s Birthday Benefit” at the Wonderbar in Asbury Park January 12^th.

Even More ingredients. Nick Clemons has a sensitive and caring soul tuned to the pulse of what’s relevant, happening and charitable (pay it forward) in our Jersey world. Back last summer, he produced the Asbury Comedy and Music Festival to benefit the Lenny Bruce Foundation and Lenny’s House. With this benefit on January 12^th, Nick and the Clemons Family decided to raise money for area school district music departments that have lost instruments and various supplies in Hurricane Sandy; how relevant and meaningful to give to the dramatically impacted world of music education in the name of iconic musician Clarence Clemons.

I spoke to Emma Fretz, instrument, choral and general music instructor at both Point Pleasant Beach High and Bay Head Schools which suffered heavy damage to their music resources. Things you never realize: In Bay Head School, they had seven feet of water in the music room. And “because the room is two feet below sea level, content insurance does not cover this and the insurance is null and void,” Emma explained. So their music program resources were completely destroyed. “You don’t realize how expensive even the little things are, like sheet music or hand bells,” Emma continued. Along comes Clarence’s birthday, Nick Clemons, his energy and commitment and we’ve got a night of music and birthday celebrations ; as I say, “Get off the sedentary sofa and come for music, celebration, poignant causes and history.”

I think the perfect celestial alignment of stars, moon and Big Man.

Calvin Schwartz

COMING ATTRACTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Coming Together “A Hometown Heroes Benefit for Seaside” Strand Theater, Lakewood. Saturday January 26th 2013 By Calvin Schwartz(0)

COMING ATTRACTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Coming Together “A Hometown Heroes Benefit for Seaside” Strand Theater, Lakewood. Saturday January 26th 2013

I’m always selective on this segment for NJ Discover before I recommend. I look at venues/performers and in this case one of my favorite historic theaters replete with ambiance and ghosts of The Great Gatsby; the Strand was built in 1922. What a wonderful venue to listen to rock, dream, drift back to the future for a few moments. Yes I love the Strand. I also love when the message gets out to the world embraced by NJ Discover to get off your sedentary sofas and take full advantage of all that New Jersey has to offer. And the offerings these days come with reasons to believe; doing something for our home state and benefiting Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. There used to be a New Jersey tourism commercial, “New Jersey and You, Perfect Together.” Same deal here at the Strand. I love LOVE this line up of hometown Jersey rock bands and opportunities to meet and greet actors and band members before hand. It’s all a perfect night. And there is NO football this weekend. Perfect. Music. Food. Drink. People. Strand Theater. and Rock and Roll. and a great cause: To benefit Seaside with some of Jersey’s Greatest Hometown Heroes. See you at the Strand.

Calvin Schwartz

Event: Coming Together! Benefit Fundraiser for Families Struck by Hurricane Sandy

January 26, 2013

Strand Theater – Lakewood NJ

Meet & Greet –

Tentatively: 5:00 to 6:30PM

Includes food and beverages and DJ

Cake from Cake Boss

On Hand for Meet and Greet:

Joe Sernio ( All My Children )

Warren Bub ( No One Lives Forever)

Garry Pastore (Law and Order, Hudson Film Studio)