Zion
Church offers a weekend schedule of three Liturgies.
Saturday Lessons & Themes usually anticipate the coming
Sunday
Saturdays: 5:30
P.M. Word & Sacrament
Sundays: 9:15
A.M. Family Worship:
Word & Sacrament & Sunday School
Sundays: 10:30 A.M. Word & Sacrament with Choir
Comments? Questions?
Would you like us to contact you? Send us an email or phone us
at 732-388-1815 with your contact information and we'll get back
to you.
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Designer/
Webmaster
Jeffrey Mayer Enterprises www.jme1.com
Café Z
is held the third Saturday of each month in the Social
Hall of Zion Lutheran Church. The show begins at 7:00 pm.
The
show begins with an open microphone that includes music,
poetry, etc. Anyone interested in performing is encouraged
to participate. The featured performer will take the stage
at about 8:00 p.m. The $5.00 admission charge covers the
show and light refreshments.
Bronx Boy Jake
July 19, 2008 at Cafe Z
Performing under the stage name Bronx Boy Jake, Elliot Fischer was born in the Bronx, New York in 1952 and has been playing blues guitar since he was 16 years old. His favorite music is the delta blues from the 1920’s and 30’s. He has read extensively on the subject and taken workshops with expert blues guitarists. Elliot has tour ed the Memphis/Mississippi delta region, visiting the haunts of famous blues players, playing at clubs in Mississippi, and appearing on the famous radio show “The King Biscuit Flour Hour”. Elliot teaches a “History of the Blues” class at local adult schools.
Circle
Round the Sun
May 17, 2008 at Cafe Z
On August 20, Café Z will return with
featured act Circle ‘Round
the Sun, a duo composed of Jay Wilensky and Marie
Trontell, two very accomplished artists who teamed up after
meeting at the Café Z last year. Their return as a duo
is much anticipated and should prove to be a stellar evening
of music and song.
Cafe Z is pleased to announce the April 19 performers; Slight Imperfection. SLIGHT IMPERFECTION is Odarka and Redentor (a.k.a. Red), a singer/song-writing duo blending musical genre of traditional Celtic, folk, rock and roll and all in between. Odarka is on vocals, Celtic harp and percussion with Red, on guitar and vocals. Songs and music are carefully arranged, crafted of life experiences and mythic tales, with plenty of poetic license. The melodies can be traced back to grass roots of American folk with Celtic flavor, 50s innocence, 60s pop and classic rock and roll. Odarka Polanskyj Stockert (www.odarka.com) an accomplished harpist, classically trained, yet folk minded, plays an eclectic repertoire with Celtic and Ukrainian / Eastern European overtones, and has been performing since the 80s, when she spent her summers in Ireland competing in the Irish harp competitions, hallmarks of the modern renaissance of the Irish Harp. Redentor Jimenez, having minimal formal musical training, learned the art form from listening and observing various artists to formulate his own songwriting and performing style. Red fronts the original NJ based band, RED REYNE (www.reyneonline.com) who performs in the tri-state area.
Dennis Young is a self-taught musician who started playing drums at an early age from which his curiosity led him to other instruments that included marimba, percussion, keyboards, guitar, and vocals. He composes his own music and his compositions combine influences from rock, jazz, dance, folk, and world music while incorporating unique rhythms and colorful musical textures to create his own original music. As an added bonus, everyone will receive a free CD of Dennis' latest release "Shadow" when they pay the $5.00 cover charge.
Ken Galipeau
Feb. 16
Ken Galipeau, a storyteller for over 13 years, is a collector of stories, songs and poems that touch our hearts and funny bone. He has performed in schools, libraries, church, storytelling festival, parties, etc. He has been the featured storyteller at numerous Tellabrations in NJ including Crosswicks, Jersey Shore and Morristown. He has presented a storytelling program at the NJ Storytelling Festival for the last 11 Years. Ken is also a favorite festival, coffeehouse and concert performer. Ken performs for people of all ages and accompanies himself on guitar, drum, and piano and sings a cappella.
Spearheading
one of the latest trends in Jewish music, Laible Ben Moshe’s
music is highly diversified and spans the range from country,
folk, blues and rock to chazonos in a very original form.
Laible
is a virtuoso guitarist and the lead vocalist of the BAAL
T’SHUVA BOOGIE BAND, which he founded 15 years ago.
Before that he was known as Michael Loren, a highly successful
and sought after entertainer on radio and television.
In
Florida, he appeared in the Jewish Vaudeville Theatre and
in the major hotels such as the Fountainbleu, Eden Rock and
Palm-Aire Hotel. Laible
has also opened for such notable acts as Jackie Mason and
Shlomo Carlebach, who made a major impression on him. But
it wasn’t until he traveled to California where
he appeared at Disneyland and on international cruise
ships , that Laible met up with an outreach program that
changed his life. He took focus and his music crystallized
into a classical Jewish Folk-Rock Sound.
What took Laible a lifetime of travel and spiritual
quest is revealed in his latest release "Wellsprings II- The Day
Is Gonna Come"- a highly diversified and soulful album,
which can be found at most Jewish bookstores and heard on
WFMU.
"I’ve always wanted to give an audience more than
they expected," Laible said. "Before, I was more
entertainment. Now, I want to give them more of a message.
I’m trying to light a spark of godliness in
people."
Lisa Argentieri
Sept. 15
September’s featured performer is Lisa Argentieri. Lisa Argentieri is a guitarist and singer from Freehold, NJ. She performs rock, country, and pop tunes with a uniquely expressive style. With a goal of becoming a full-time solo performer, she is currently building
a repertoire of her favorite songs. Lisa began playing the guitar five years ago and secured her first paying gig in 2005 at the Café Allure in Howell, NJ. She performed three times a month for one year.
Currently, she is performing at the Cornerstone Café in Freehold. Lisa also performs in Phoenix Arizona at an annual fund raiser for the Phoenix
Children’s Hospital. She’s also performed at Cunningham’s in Spotswood, The
Shore Institute of the Contemporary Arts, her parents 50th Wedding Anniversary,
and various open mic nights throughout New Jersey.
Lisa also plans on releasing a CD of original music next summer.
Raised in Northern New Jersey, Christine has always had a deep dedication to music. In fact, very first memories of her childhood were of being captivated by the sounds coming from the radio. Both her mom and grandmother handed down an artistic drive and ability that fostered that curiosity. Upon discovering the joys brought through singing, she gravitated toward her family's church where she was a member of the children’s choir.
Throughout adolescent years, Christine dove full force into any music program she could find while cultivating her skills becoming accustomed to sharing her affinity for song with large and small audiences alike. At the age of 14, she began to teach herself to play guitar as a means of accompanying herself. It was around the age of 17 that she began songwriting.
As an adult, Christine came upon the chance to lead song and play guitar at many churches which led to her much loved part time position as Cantor at Holy Trinity Church in Hackensack, New Jersey.
After devoting much of her time to expanding her songwriting skills, she recently felt ready to share her own songs and so she began the quest for performance opportunities. An internet search of local open mics brought her to the Folk Project where she remains an enthusiastic member and performer.
From primitive old-timey music, through the 50’s Folk Revival repertoire, to contemporary singer-songwriters all the way to the fringes of rock and roll. “Liz Pagan and the Judeo-Christians definitely falls into the rock side of folk,” said lead singer Liz Pagan. “We’re the jam band of New Jersey folk music.” Pagan and her cohorts Dave Kleiner, Bill Meyer and Dave Sherman bring their brand of folk-music-with-a-beat to Café Z on Saturday, May 19.
The Judeo-Christians met through the New Jersey folk music organization the Folk Project. “We’ve been playing together in basements and living rooms for more than a decade, and over the past few years we’ve begun to morph into a more formal unit,” Pagan said. The band’s music ranges from originals penned by Pagan’s husband, Dave Kleiner, to “folk Top Forty” by artists such as Nancy Griffith, Steve Earle and Richard Thompson. The band members come from varied musical backgrounds. Kleiner is a well-known singer-songwriter with three CDs to his credit. He has played lead guitar for many bands. Current projects include Big Jeff and his Middle-Sized Band, a line-up popular with the pre-school crowd. As a couple, Kleiner and Pagan have headlined at folk clubs throughout the northeast, and opened for such national acts as the Austin Lounge Lizards and The Kennedys. Basist Bill Meyer is at home with a wide variety of music – jazz, classical, folk-rock. He attended the Manhattan School of Music, and is known for his Norwegian wit. Adding the “Day-O” to the Judeo-Christians is Dave Sherman on rhythm guitar and vocals. Sherman spreads much of the jam on the Judeo-Christian musical sandwich, with his vast repertoire of classic 70’s folk rock – including a substantial dose of the Grateful Dead. As part of the duo Sherman & Siehl, he played at innumerable venues throughout New Jersey. Sherman provides strong vocals and an infectious beat. “What we call ‘the Dave Sherman Rhythm’ is a great to dance to,” said Pagan.
Sometimes the group works with a drummer “But Café Z is an acoustic place,” said Pagan, “So we want to keep it on the softer side. Plus, it’s hard to keep a drummer. They always want to get paid because they’ve got all that equipment to haul around, and folk gigs don’t pay well.” And the name of the band? “We’ve worked under several band names, usually based on the name of whoever got the gig – The Dave Sherman Experience, Bill Meyer and Friends. Since my last name is Pagan. ‘Liz Pagan and the Judeo-Christians’ just came naturally.”
An alumnus of the New York/New Jersey club scene, singer-songwriter Rich Deans has shared the stages of the Bottom Line, CBGB’s, The Bitter End, The Stone Pony and various other venues with national and local acts including, The Smithereens, The DB’s, Primus, Level 42, Kate Jacobs and The Marys.
Rich has also been a staff songwriter for ABC/Dunhill, Laurel Canyon Music, Dreena Publishing and Castle Hill Music. His song “Blue Eyes and White Lies”, written for Kim Carnes, was chosen by Billboard Magazine as album cut “pick hit” and his composition “Tiger on The Lawn” was recorded by Paul Cotton of the country-rock band POCO for his solo record. Recently, his composition “Don’t Dig My Grave Too Deep” was recorded by Pat Wictor on his excellently reviewed "Waiting for the Water" release. And the recent release by Hope Machine includes a stirring version of Rich's "You Can Count On Me."
Spearheading
one of the latest trends in Jewish music, Laible Ben Moshe’s
music is highly diversified and spans the range from country,
folk, blues and rock to chazonos in a very original form.
Laible
is a virtuoso guitarist and the lead vocalist of the BAAL
T’SHUVA BOOGIE BAND, which he founded 15 years ago.
Before that he was known as Michael Loren, a highly successful
and sought after entertainer on radio and television.
In
Florida, he appeared in the Jewish Vaudeville Theatre and
in the major hotels such as the Fountainbleu, Eden Rock and
Palm-Aire Hotel. Laible
has also opened for such notable acts as Jackie Mason and
Shlomo Carlebach, who made a major impression on him. But
it wasn’t until he traveled to California where
he appeared at Disneyland and on international cruise
ships , that Laible met up with an outreach program that
changed his life. He took focus and his music crystallized
into a classical Jewish Folk-Rock Sound.
What took Laible a lifetime of travel and spiritual
quest is revealed in his latest release "Wellsprings II- The Day
Is Gonna Come"- a highly diversified and soulful album,
which can be found at most Jewish bookstores and heard on
WFMU.
"I’ve always wanted to give an audience more than
they expected," Laible said. "Before, I was more
entertainment. Now, I want to give them more of a message.
I’m trying to light a spark of godliness in
people."
Award-winning
contemporary folk singer/songwriter Terry Kitchen is a performing
artist who’s as much storyteller
as musician. "That’s how it used to be", his seventh
solo CD, showcases the full range of Kitchen’s songwriting
skills, from poetic love songs ("Living Proof") to
historical tales ("Bang Your Head Against the Sky," about
the Wright Brothers) to up-to-the-minute political commentary
("Ninety-nine"). It follows 2002’s "Right
Now" (which reached #34 on the national folk DJ chart), 1999’s
"Blues for cain & abel" (a deeply personal collection
of songs of doubt and faith which includes his bluesy rendition
of the Beatles’ "Let It Be"), 1997’s
"Blanket" (which was voted #21 best CD of that year by Folk
Digest) and 1995’s "I Own This Town".
Singer-songwriter
Gary O'Neill, Rahway resident and “Z” Café regular,
brings his assorted song styles and passionate expressive vocal
arrangements to the next “Z”. Joining him will be some of the
wonderful musicians and singers who have generously helped
him on his way through a 30 year plus musical journey.
New Jersey native
and Café Z emcee, Tom Picard is also
a versatile singer / songwriter / musician of some renown.
His songs emcompass many popular (and some not so popular)
genres. Bring your sense of humor and something to make noise
with!
The June Café Z will be held on Saturday
June 17 and the featured performer is Singer – Songwriter – Musician,
George Wirth. George will touch your soul with his stories.
On Saturday, May 20th we will
welcome Betsy Rose and the Chicago Fire. Betsy Rose, a.k.a.
Elizabeth Lachowicz, is a natural entertainer with a firm grip
on the heart of the blues. Her clear voice and saucy style
are rooted in the sights and sounds of Chicago's toughest neighborhoods
and rowdiest music bars. Betsy's brand of the blues is filled
with life lessons, raw emotions, heartfelt sorrows and playful
innuendos. Her backup band is the Chicago Fire, and it's packed
with some of the finest musicians anywhere. This should prove
to be an unforgettable evening of entertainment.
On April 15, Cafe Z is pleased
to welcome back Jennifer Johnson. Jennifer Johnson, deeply
inspired by travels and studies in Ireland and Cape Breton
Island, Nova Scotia, performs Celtic/Folk music as a singer,
fiddler, and at times, dancer. Please join us on the 15th;
open mic beginning at 7:00 p.m. Jennifer will take the
stage at approximately 8:30 p.m.
We are pleased to
announce the return of Mike Agranoff as our March 18 performer.
If you've been around the folk scene, you couldn't miss seeing
Mike. Tall, red beard, and always around where the music
is. He's been on the scene for many many years, listening
to the fine details of what makes this genre of music so
special to the soul, so able to make us laugh and cry and
think. And lucky for us all, he got serious about having
fun at it.
Equally at home
in the contemporary and traditional camps of the Folk world,
he is a fine musician and storyteller. His prime instrument
is the guitar, upon which he shines with intricate fingerstyle
arrangements of anything from Tin Pan Alley tunes of the
'20s to fiddle tunes to his own music. He also plays concertina,
piano, banjo, or sings acapella. He can be uproariously funny,
contempletive, and powerfully emotional in the space of a
few minutes. The man will capture your attention, and then
your heart.
Chuck
E. Costa is a fresh voice delivering an interesting mix of
unique, intimate and honest songs. He draws on a range of
influences creating music unfettered by time or place, defying
common labels like "folk-pop." Chuck's songwriting explores
subtle yet significant themes with the tacit goal of challenging
his audiences to think (or re-think) about what may often
be taken for granted and his honest enthusiasm continually
permeates audiences at each live performance. His powerful
and sincere vocals (comparisons range from Jonathan Edwards
to Michael Stipe) and acoustic guitar delivery seamlessly
complement the lyrical content of the songs. Chuck's songwriting
and performance skills have received national recognition
from several festivals this year.
On
January 21 we are happy to welcome the very talented singer-songwriter
Eric Metzger. Eric has been a fixture around coffee houses
and open stages in NJ, NY and PA for many years. His musical
style is wide and varied. Blues, funk, folk and jazz blend
together to make a sound truly Eric's alone. His music paints
moods and moments in time. Working in the film industry by
day (Sopranos, Men in Black, the Producers, etc), Eric reflects
his blue collar experience with humor and irony woven in
for good measure. Eric lives in Westfield with his wife and
three daughters.
Café Z
welcomes back performers Dave Kleiner and Liz Pagan. Dave
Kleiner is a singer/songwriter; Liz his wife and musical
partner. In Dave and Liz's performances a genuine love of
music comes through, and a sense of fun and camaraderie that
is contagious. Between the laughs, a few inspiring moments
manage to catch you when you least expect in. You may realize
that there is more going on here than silly puns and self-deprecating
jokes. For more information about Dave and Liz, check out
their website at www.davidkleiner.com.
Laura
Berrnstein
October 15, 2005 at Cafe Z
Laura Bernstein is a singer-songwriter
whose music will touch you emotionally and spiritually or just
make you feel good and get you singing along. Her style combines
elements of folk, rock, country and blues. Laura performs original
material with a few tasty covers added to the mix. Fellow singer-songwriter,
Tom Picard, will be sitting in the side man’s seat, providing
support and keeping things fun with his improvisational lead
guitar and harmonica. Laura is blessed with some very talented
friends (and relatives), so expect some surprise guests to
show up and share the stage.
Fabulous
Furry Harmonica Brothers
September 17, 2005 at Cafe Z
The September Café Z features
Ralph Litwin. Ralph is one of the top troubadours in New Jersey
, in demand for his prize-winning brand of country, folk, old-time
jazz, ragtime, blues and other quintessentially American sounds." He
will be performing with Al Podber. Together the two form The
Fabulous Furry Harmonica Brothers. This will be a night of
fun and surprises.
On August 20, Café Z will return with
featured act Circle ‘Round
the Sun, a duo composed of Jay Wilensky and Marie
Trontell, two very accomplished artists who teamed up after
meeting at the Café Z last year. Their return as a duo
is much anticipated and should prove to be a stellar evening
of music and song.
On Saturday, July 16, the Café Z
audience was entertained by singer-songwriter Rich Deans. Rich's
carefully crafted songs told stories of love and loss and painted
vivid pictures of cowboys, outlaws and other colorful characters.
He also brought copies of his new CD Blue City which
was available for purchase. Those grown on soft rock, country
honk or quietly intelligent folk should have no trouble latching
on to such gems as “Try and Stop The Rain” or the almost-angry “House
of Stone”.
Some of you may have experienced
Deans' music as he has performed at the open mic segment of
the Café in the past. For more info on Rich Deans, or
to hear a clip of his music, visit his website: www.richdeans.com.
Once again the featured act
will be The Diminished Four. The Diminished Four consists
of Pat Hickey, Gary O'Neill and Tom Picard. All
talented singer-songwriters, they will provide an evening
of fun for all. Their music runs the gamut from folk,
bluegrass, blues, jazz, pop and then some! Hear
originals and all time favorites - please join us. The Cafe'
Z begins with an open mic at 7:00 p.m. The Diminished
Four will take the stage at approximately 8:30 p.m.
Café Z is pleased to announce the return
of Spook Handy on Saturday, evening, May 21, 2005.
Spook Handy is a musician who combines the
musical influences of folk, blues, bluegrass and rock with
a message of hope, peace and survival. He is a talented singer,
acoustic guitar player, harmonica player and most of all a
song writer.
MUSICTOWN
March 19, 2005 at Cafe Z
On March 19, the Café Z is proud to
present MUSICTOWN, a five piece all star acoustic band. MUSICTOWN
brings together the dynamic Evelyn McNally on lead vocals,
backed by multi-instrumentalists Jeff Loy, Andy Koenig, Mark
Schaeffer and Café Z alumnus Ken Galipeau. Accomplished
performers all, the members of MUSICTOWN come together to create
an enthusiasm and energy that is even greater than the sum
of its illustrious parts. This will be an evening of family
friendly entertainment not to be missed!
We at the Café Z wish to thank all
those who came out on February 19 th and helped form our biggest
audience to date. Featured performer Mary Shannon, accompanied
by violinist Colleen Scarry performed an entertaining and uplifting
variety of songs, jigs and reels from Ireland. The open mic
portion of the show was lively and fun, thanks to the efforts
of a long list of talented performers. Hats off to all who
contributed!
On Saturday, February 19 th Café Z
will welcome vocalist Mary Shannon. A native of Carteret, Ms
Shannon is an accomplished interpreter of traditional Irish
songs as well as more contemporary material. She is known for
her rich voice and appealing selection of songs. Mary accompanies
herself on guitar and bodrum (Celtic drum). Ms. Shannon also
plans to feature some surprise guest musicians. This evening
of Irish music will be an entertaining event for the whole
family!
"As a songwriter, Kathy
remains open to the muse, allowing songs to flow from her pen
as water flows from a mountain spring. The breadth of her subject
matter and her chameleonic style carry the listener down an
adventurous path."
Otto Bost, WDIY, Allentown, PA
"Kathy Moser is a topical singer/songwriter with some of the most amazing,
amusing and insightful songs around; her way with an audience is nothing short
of fantastic."
Mike Space, Artistic Director, Godfrey Daniels
"KATHY MOSER brings energy,
frankness, and a straightforward perspective to her driving
guitar performance. Her acoustic originals mix a whole lot
of thought with a whole ton of stage presence." Lea Popielinski,
Soda Pop Shop Newsletter, Montclair, NJ
