It was a rainy, overcast day, but that didn't stop the NJBS hosted monthly blues & brews at Montclair Brewery from shining! This month's artists included Charlie Apicella & Iron City featuring Madame Pat Tandy.
Band members: Madame Pat Tandy (vocals), Charlie Apicella (guitar), Dan Kostelnik (organ) and Austin Walker (Drums).
The appreciative crowd sat under tents and were warmed by nearby fire pits and heating lamps. The band kicked off the music set with the trio playing some swinging blues. Madame Pat Tandy joined the band and belted out some sweet jazzy blues. All in all, it was a fabulous day of blues & brews.
Charlie Apicella studied composition and improvisation with musical titans Yusef Lateef and Pat Martino and was trained as a historian by Archie Shepp and Dr. Billy Taylor. As a young guitarist he met his idol BB King, who offered him advice and shared some stories. He has performed concerts and recorded with jazz legends Dave Holland, Sonny Fortune, John Blake, Jr., and Avery Sharpe as well as contemporary masters Joe Magnarelli, Vic Juris, Dave Stryker, Don Braden, and Jon Herington of Steely Dan. In 2022 he formed The Griots Speak with bassist William Parker, saxophonist Daniel Carter, and percussionist Juma Sultan who is known for his work with Jimi Hendrix. Charlie Apicella is Director of Music Curriculum for The Blues and Beyond. He is an Eastman Guitars Featured Artist a Guild Guitars Sponsored Artist and a ZT Amplifiers Official Artist.
Madame Pat Tandy was influenced early on by the music of the Baptist Church as she began singing in gospel groups and school choirs. She studied jazz with former Ellington bassist, Professor Aaron Bell at Essex County College in Newark. She went on to earn an Associate’s Degree in Arts & Science with a focus on Music Education.
A native of Newark, NJ Pat has been singing professionally since the 1970′s including a long stint with the popular R&B recording group “The Pretenders” who had several minor hits on Carnival Records.
Pat has performed in off-Broadway musicals including “Good Time Blues” and “Billie” and portrayed Queen Evileen in the musical “Wiz” at NJPAC in Newark, NJ.
Madame Pat toured abroad and performed in Japan, Italy, and Switzerland and most recently, Russia. She is a legend on the New York City jazz scene and is widely known as the First Lady of New Jersey Jazz. She is a powerful and dynamic performer who has left audiences all over the world mesmerized.
Below are some photos from the event:
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