Monmouth University’s Department of Music and Theatre is pleased to announce the return of distinguished New Jersey Songwriters Joe Rapolla and Joe D’Urso for the Songwriters by the Sea series, Saturday, March 30 at 8 pm at the Lauren K. Woods Theatre. The duo will be joined by singer-songwriters Eryn and Jeffrey Gaines. A special intro set will be performed by Mark Geary, and the opening set will feature Monmouth University student artists. Tickets for Songwriters by the Sea are priced at $30, and can be reserved through the Monmouth University Box Office at 732-263-6889, or online at www.monmouth.edu/mca. Pre-show reception will be held at 7 pm for all ticket holders.
Throughout his two-and-a-half-decade recording career, Jeffrey Gaines has maintained an impressive standard for soul-searching, introspective lyrics and catchy, uplifting melodies. Since bursting on the scene with his self-titled 1992 debut album, the charismatic singer-songwriter-guitarist has built a beloved body of recordings that’s won him a large and deeply devoted international fan base. Interview magazine described Gaines’ work as “soul-searching” and “refreshingly free of jargon, sentiment or cliché.”
Eryn Shewell has developed a reputation as one of the premier up and coming voices on the scene today. Originally from Maryland and now living in New Jersey, Eryn’s style is heavily influenced by the musical traditions of the south. Her respect for the traditions of Jazz, Blues and Country fused with her modern pop style and brought together by Eryn’s incredible vocal ability has been said to give even the most hardened critic chills.
Dublin-born Mark Geary is an intoxicating mix of spontaneous wit, charismatic storytelling and finely crafted songs reminiscent of those penned during the halcyon days of Dylan. Having spent the last 20 years between his native Ireland and NYC, where he cut his teeth on the music circuit, playing alongside the likes of Jeff Buckley at the renowned Sin-e cafe, he has garnered respect and attention from both audiences and fellow artists. Of Mark’s time in New York, Time Out NY magazine said “His delicate songs about love and defiance recall Richard Thompson and John Lennon. One of the East Village’s favorite adopted sons.”
About Songwriters by the Sea:
Songwriters by the Sea began as intimate, casual coffeehouse jam sessions around Asbury Park, and has since evolved into a national show attracting some of the most revered singers and songwriters of today’s scene— from Joe Grushecky and Garland Jeffreys to Glen Burtnik, Marshall Crenshaw and Alison Moorer. Along the way, D’Urso (front man of Stone Caravan and board member of WHY Hunger and Light Of Day) and Rapolla (a veteran music industry executive, solo performer, and front man of the band Perfect Square) have fine-tuned their circle of artists, trading favorite songs and illuminating backstories behind their most personal works, into a vehicle that brings out the best in the assembled talent. Whether the venue is a club, a historic theater or a campus performing arts center, Songwriters by the Sea has been known to turn any space into an intimate house party atmosphere; a gathering of friends and a place where something akin to magic often takes hold.
Song Writers by the Sea is sponsored by the Monmouth University Leon Hess Business School and Business Council. All net proceeds will support Monmouth University’s Endowed Music Industry Scholarship.
