Holy Rosary Church celebrates 113^th Italian Festival in Downtown JC

By Sally Deering

August nights are a time to celebrate when La Festa Italiana, the Old World Italian Street Festival hosted by Holy Rosary Church turns Historic Downtown Jersey City into five summer nights of music, dancing, food and fun!

La Festa Italiana 2016 begins Wed, Aug. 10, and continues through Sun, Aug. 14, on Sixth & Brunswick Streets. On these five summer nights, the neighborhood surrounding Holy Rosary Church will come alive with rocking dance music, games of chance, kids†activities, and a wide-array of delicious foods and libations. La Festa Italiana runs from 5 pm-11 pm Wednesday-to-Friday, and 3 pm-11 pm Saturday & Sunday. The last night (Sunday) at 11 pm, the “Super 50/50” Raffle winner will be chosen. Last yearâ€s ticket-holder won over $10,200.

La Festa Italiana honors the veneration of Maria SS. Dellâ€Assunta & San Rocco, and offers the Downtown community the opportunity to party with its neighbors. This yearâ€s La Festa Italiana features live bands, fun for the kids, food and souvenir vendors and Italian delicacies made by Holy Rosary Church parishioners like Fresh Hot Zeppoles, lemony Limoncello and “Our Famous Rice Balls”.

Founded in 1885, Holy Rosary Church is the first Italian Roman Catholic Parish in New Jersey. Pastor of Holy Rosary Church, the Rev. Jerzy (Jurek) Zaslona says La Festa Italiana pays tribute to the churchâ€s 131-year history and strengthens community ties.

“I thoroughly enjoy this five-night feast,” Rev. Zaslona says.  “As a church, we are here to serve the people of Jersey City and La Festa Italiana gives us the opportunity to become a more integrated community.”

La Festa Italiana 2016 has a 5-star line-up of music performed by live bands and music groups, featuring

Wed, Aug 10:               CRAZY 80â€s

Thurs, Aug 11:     LTZ (Less Than Zero)

Fri, Aug 12:                 Matt Colligan & Friends

   Mike Buscio Acoustic (Caffe Italiano)

Sat, Aug 13:     The Cameos

    Party of Five Acapella (Caffe Italiano)                  

   

   

Sun, Aug 14:                Total Soul

 Every night of the festival, on 6^th & Brunswick St., DJ Dan of Blueline Productions will keep the party dancing!

Our sponsors for La Festa Italiana 2016 include Brunswick Center, Tony Ferrara & Associates of Jersey City, Grillo for Council-Nicholas J. Grillo 2017, Dr. Michele J. Dimaira, DMD, MS, PA, Catholic Cemeteries, Panepinto Properties, Commonwealth/Fleetwood, Monteleoneâ€s Bakery, Sorrentino Electric, and Yelp.

This year, La Festa Italiana 2016 will be a “Foodieâ€s Paradise” with vendors like Mayon Grillâ€s Filipino BBQ, Pure ‘n†Simple Flatbreads†coal-fired brick oven pizzas, the Angry Crab food truck serving crab cakes and lobster rolls; and Liege (Belgian) Waffles which will also serve crepes with lots of topping choices, and they have a gluten-free crepe, too. And thereâ€s more, like mouth-watering Italian sausage sandwiches, Greek specialties, and delicious desserts including hand-made cannolis at Caffe Italiano in Holy Rosaryâ€s backyard.

Lots of returning, local food vendors, too, like Gia’s Gelato & Café in Jersey City, which will be selling 26 flavors of Gelato like “Kitty Kitty Bang Bang”, vanilla gelato with Oreo cookies, raspberries and white chocolate. Owners Angela Ratliff and Deb Brackett agree La Festa Italiana has been great for business and offers many opportunities to meet people who eventually become regulars.

“It allows us to be part of the community and reach out to a large number of potential customers,” Brackett says. “When we sell Gelato at La Festa, we talk to so many customers who become aware of all we sell at Giaâ€s down the street.”

Lunaâ€s Bowtique will sell hair products like bows and headbands, and be sure to visit the Radical Wellness tent, where you can purchase essential oils, teas, and energy-therapy products.

“Weâ€ll be bringing a lot of new blends, teas, oils, and energy balancing bracelets, which were a big hit last year,” owner Jimmy Benito says. “At La Festa, we meet a lot of new people and build relationships with them.”

This is the 8^th year Jason Gitlin, owner of Delenioâ€s will be selling his delicious Brooklyn-style pizzas (thin crust) with fresh homemade Mozzarella, meatball sliders, clams and mussels.

“La Festa is a good experience and a great way to make new friends,” Gitlin says. “The people at Holy Rosary are really good people. I have a photograph from 1921 in my restaurant. Itâ€s the same festival. All the people and police are lined up on 6^th Street. La Festa is a long-running tradition thatâ€s great for the neighborhood.”

Lucky Honey Bee is a full-range of natural bee products that will again be sold at this yearâ€s La Festa Italiana. Other ‘stars†of the festival are the Hourly 50/50s, and the popular Money Wheel.

On Sat, Aug. 13, church parishioners who are Ferris High School alumni can meet at the Parish Center for the 7^th annual Ferris High School Reunion & Caffe Italiano, where Michael Buscio Acoustic and Party of Five Doo Wop will be entertaining. Both Buscio and Party of Fiveâ€s Joe Calamito are sons of Holy Rosary Church.

Religious traditions are another important highlight of La Festa Italiana 2016.

A Novena will be celebrated for nine days from August 6-14, in veneration to Our Lady of Assumption.

On Mon., Aug. 15, at 11 am, the Assumption Feast Day Mass, in veneration to Maria SS. Dell’Assunta will be celebrated. At this Mass, we will celebrate the memory of Most Rev. Thomas A. Donato, a son and dear friend of Holy Rosary Church. The Most Rev. John W. Flesey, a long-time friend of Bishop Donato is the Celebrant.

On Tues., Aug 16, at 11 am, the St. Rocco Feast Day Mass will be celebrated.

La Festa Italiana is Holy Rosary Churchâ€s special way of saying thank you to its parishioners and neighbors, as it celebrates 131 years of serving the spiritual needs of its parish and the Historic Downtown Jersey City community. For many years, La Festa Italiana has been the churchâ€s biggest fundraiser for the restoration and upkeep of the church. During La Festa Italiana 2016, the church will be open for visitors to see up close the magnificent beauty that is Holy Rosary Church. Visitors are also welcome to donate a 7-day Memorial Candle in memory of a loved-one.

“Traditions and customs define us as a community,” Rev. Zaslona says. “As a country we have traditions and customs that are recognized and embraced by those who come here; the same with our traditions as a church.  People like to become part of established traditions, therefore, it is important to cultivate and cherish these traditions for generations to come.”

If you go

Wed, Thurs, Fri, Aug. 10, 11, 12 from 5 pm-11 pm

Sat & Sun, Aug. 13 & 14, 3 pm-11 pm

La Festa Italiana 2016

Sixth & Brunswick Streets, JC

(201) 795-0120

www.lafestaitalianajc.com

www.Facebook.com/lafestaitalianajc

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The Art Circle of Bayonne announced that the opening reception for its next art exhibit will take place on Friday, February 8, from 6:00-9:00 p.m., at the Bayonne Community Museum.  The museum is located at the northwest corner of 9^th Street and Broadway.  This exhibit will include watercolors, photography, acrylics, oil paintings, and mixed media.  The opening night event will include a demonstration of charcoal sketching by artist Tuan Tran, the owner of Beeâ€s Art Studio.  Mayor Mark A. Smith said, “I would like to thank the Art Circle of Bayonne for sponsoring this exhibit at the museum.”  He continued, “My Administration is a strong supporter of the arts.  We took a major step last year by opening the museum for a variety of events that show the great artistic talent we have in the Bayonne community.”

            Following opening night, the exhibit will be open to the public on the following days:  Saturday, February 9, from 12:00 noon -5:00 p.m., and then Monday, February 11, through Friday, February 15, from 5:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m.

            Works by the participating artists were installed on Saturday, February 2. All exhibiting artists are members of the Art Circle of Bayonne.  It is not necessary to be a Bayonne resident to join the organization.  Membership in the Art Circle is available for $25 per year.  To join the Art Circle, please send an e-mail to info.artcircle@yahoo.com.

This will be the first art show at the museum in 2013.  Two exhibits that were slated for late 2012 did not take place, due to Hurricane Sandy.

The Bayonne Community Museum was constructed as the Bayonne Trust Company in 1912.  The City of Bayonne acquired the building from Fleet Bank eleven years ago.  Utilizing a series of grants, the municipality removed modern banking fixtures and a dropped ceiling from the building, and restored the interior walls and stained glass.  The former bank is on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The museum is available for exhibits, performances, cultural events, and meetings.  Several exhibits, other cultural events, and meetings have taken place there since an opening concert in March 2012.

            Museum visitors are encouraged to use mass transit.  The Broadway Bus stops outside the building.  The Hudson Bergen Light Rail stops a block away at the 8^th Street Station, which is located on West 8^th Street between Broadway and Avenue C.  Light Rail connects with the PATH system at Hoboken Terminal, and at Pavonia-Newport and Exchange Place PATH stations in Jersey City.

             

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La Festa Italiana 2010:  The Holy Rosary Church organizes this wonderful  street festival, celebrating Italian-American traditions, spirituality, with  evenings of music, dance and authentic Italian foods.

Since I can remember the Holy Rosary Feast has always been a downtown Jersey City tradtion. Holy Rosary was my parish and my family has lived in the Village section of Jersey City  around the corner from Holy Rosary, for for over 90 years. I love the area and the people. The old time Village people and the new residents that have made it home in the last 15 years. Wonderful people all of them living and loving their neighborhoods.  This is the fabric of the Village section of Jersey City, and the Holy Rosary feast. This feast  gets better every year.

 If you want to enjoy a fun night out take your family to this feast.  Smaller than St. Anne’s in Hoboken (Holy Rosary Feast runs one block between Monmouth Street and Brunswick, this feast is large in heart and spirit. The passion of the parishoners and the people who live in the Village section can be felt walking the feast and  over the years it has become the “In Spot” to meet old friends and school mates and a place to make new friends too. You will love the “Olde World Charm” of this feast.

 – Joe Calamito,  River View Observer

This is Holy Rosary’s 125th year as a parish church on Sixth Street. All the more reason to be here for Live Entertainment including: The B Street Band, Total Soul, The Three Po Tenors, the Lou Pompilio Band and The Edge. Great Food from  local restaurants,  Famous Rice Balls & amp; Hot, Fresh Zeppole,  Famious Wine and Peaches, served by the wine and peaches girls, Professional Bar services, gambling, games of chance, 50/50’s and sooo much more.

The festival takes place outside Holy Rosary Church, on 6th Street between Monmouth and Brunswick Streets.

August 11, 2010 Wednesday – August 15, 2010 Sunday 6pm-11pm

For more info, call 201-795-0120 or visit the Holy Rosary Church website.

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Debut CD from The Sons of Saint Rocco
is a roots of Rhythm & Blues explosion

http://sonsofsaintrocco.com

The River View Observer sat down with Phil Granito and talked about his debut album, The Sons of Saint Rocco, which “drops” this week, to talk about the tracks, life, and whatever comes up.

RVO : I have to say the record sounds like fun from beginning to end.

Phil: I was doing it for fun. I brought in a lot of friends to work with me. Bobby Jay and Angel Risoffs both came in and helped me out with the vocals. Bobby sang bass on all the tracks and Angel performed the background vocals on BOOT ‘EM UP. Just terrific, and very humbling, the caliber of players who came together for me. These guys have played with Chuck Berry, Darlene Love and Bo Diddely, just to name a very few. It’s not about name-dropping, you know, it’s about heritage. They’ve been at the center of the scene for the last quarter century and they feel the same way about this music as I do.

RVO: Yes, it’s obvious from listening to the performances that there’s a deep knowledge here, but also a very authentic passion.

Phil: I hope that comes across. I’m glad it does. I’ve always felt that it’s just as important to play the roots of Rhythm & Blues as it is to play the roots of jazz or of folk. I’m not a jazz singer, but if I was I would love to hand down the roots of jazz. But these songs are important too; as important as Gershwin or Ellington, I think. It’s a great American art form, and even though it’s not played on the radio anymore, except on the “collector” shows, new generations should hear it, and not just as museum pieces but as an art form that’s alive and accessible. Hey, Rhythm & Blues had a baby and they called it Rock & Roll, ya know?

RVO: Is that what you grew up with? R&B?

Phil: I first heard Rhythm & Blues from my older brothers. The first two songs I was ever attracted to were: SHAKE A HAND by Faye Adams in the early 50’s, and MY DEAR, MY DARLING by The Counts. My ears perked up, that’s all I know – and they still do! At 58 years old, my ears still perk up when I hear these songs.

RVO: Do you think that you’ll record those songs someday?

Phil: Maybe, maybe, they’re songs that I love.

RVO: Tell us about Seth Glassman, who I see here produced the record.

Phil: Seth and I get on beautifully, in and out of the studio. This is a guy with an encyclopedic knowledge of music – groups no one’s ever heard of – which I remember from the Fillmore East in the 60’s; people like Sopwith Camel, or Baby Huey & the Babysitters, and he’s like, “oh yeah I remember them,” and then goes on to reference his favorite tracks and session players. So having that shared vocabulary and appreciation, it was a very natural process getting to the sound we wanted on this record. And when we were done we were both able to say, “we’ve got somethin’ here that sounds fresh, and yet very old at the same time.” Perfect.

RVO: Where does the name, The Sons of Saint Rocco, come from?

Phil: Saint Rocco’s was the Catholic School I attended in Newark as a kid. The very first musical training I had was in the choir there, taught by the nuns. I remember singing OH HOLY NIGHT, and when we all got to that part of the song where we sang “fall on your knees, oh hear the angels’ voices…,” hearing that harmony, even as a little child, it sounded so beautiful to me that my heart skipped a beat! So in a way, I’m paying homage to that musical instruction that I received from the nuns, letting them know that I appreciate what they did for my education.

RVO: So what all happened between the choir and the making of this record? How did you get here? Can you talk to us about that?

Phil: Sure. Back in the mid 60s, about 1965, there was an acappella vocal group explosion in the northeast, from Boston all the way down to Philly. A few friends and I – we were only 13 or 14 – got caught up in the excitement, and after going to shows at the Fox Theater in Hackensack, decided to start our own group. We called ourselves The 4 Winds. We’d sing at school dances, and we came in 2nd in a sort of “Battle of the Bands.” We’d hang out and sing with other groups – some friends from Jersey City had a group called Joann and the Heartaches, who ended up recording for Catamount. Well, one of those friends from The Heartaches was Joe Calamito. So, fast forward, to ten years later when I see him performing at a show being sponsored by UGHA* – this is the late 70’s – and Joe asks me if I’d like to start another vocal group with him, just for fun. We round up Tommy D’Alesandro, who sang with The Heartaches in the 60’s, and our friend, Raul Vicente, who was singing with this group called Image. We decided to keep the name The Heartaches. We were only together a couple months before Ronnie Italiano asked us to sing at a UGHA show, which got a wonderful response. So Ronnie, who was a great friend to us, tells us Richard Nader (the concert promoter) called, asking him to send one group to represent UGHA in an acappella contest he was hosting at Madison Square Garden, and he’d like to send us. To say the least, we were honored. We competed against 25 groups from all over the east coast, including some “ringers” from a Broadway show called A SOLDIER’S STORY, but we brought it home for UGHA and won 1st prize! From there we went on to sing in some TV spots and to perform with The Righteous Brothers, who offered to take us on the road with them. They said they missed our style of singing in California, and that it was refreshing to them. So that was the start. From there I went on to tour the U.S. and Canada for two years with Frankie Lymon’s Teenagers, who had always been musical heroes of mine. That brought the opportunity to sing with The Bon Aires, and then, of course, I’ve been singing with The Duprees for the past 23 years, which continues to be a great blessing and joy in my life. And of course, I have to mention The Cliftonaires, a group that Ronnie put together, not only for the love of music, but for love of friendship.

* UGHA (United in Group Harmony Association: an organization started in 1976 by Ronnie Italiano for the preservation of vocal group singing)

RVO: Wow! That’s a journey and a half.

Phil: Right? And all along that road I was delving into the history, living in record shops, and discovering songs that I knew I’d love to sing someday; songs that didn’t, for one reason or another, fit what I was doing at the time. So The Sons of Saint Rocco is THAT collection, or the first part of it, anyway. It just couldn’t live in my imagination any longer; it was time to make it a record.

RVO: Would you call this record a Rhythm & Blues record? Or soul? Or Rock ‘n Roll? Or what?

Phil: As terms that people can key into, sure, there’s a little bit of everything in this collection, but nowadays I find labels like that to be misused, which is why I hesitate to use them myself. Though at the time that “R&B” was coined, it was very useful and extremely welcomed. Jerry Wexler had been a writer at Billboard (before he went with Atlantic Records), and he grew increasingly offended, watching the charts list this music every week as “Race Music,” which even in 1948 seemed antiquated. So he came up with Rhythm & Blues, which is why it’s forever attached to black music. But nowadays kids use ‘Rhythm & Blues†and ‘Soul†to describe any number of things, so how do you talk to them, ya know?
 But whatever you want to call it, I just wanted to have some fun in the studio with some friends.

RVO: Talk to us about your choice of tracks, a little bit. How did you choose?

Phil: Well, I tend to approach music as much as a collector as I do a singer. Also, I hang with a crowd of die-hard aficionados and liner-note junkies. I wanted the album to appeal to them as well – to be new for them in some sense. Some of them, hopefully, will be hearing a couple of these tunes for the first time.

RVO: Which, if any, of these songs would you say is the best well-known?

Phil: Well known? Oh, I dunno, JUMP CHILDREN, maybe. I always loved that song and hoped someone would make a good cover of it someday.

RVO: I love that one too. A great way to finish the album, I thought.

Phil: Thanks. Yeah, I might have been channeling Cab Calloway that day, he’s the one who made “jump music” something you could jitterbug to.

RVO: Can you jitterbug to JUMP CHILDREN?

Phil: Absolutely, that’s a full-on jitterbug record! I hope the swing community latches onto that song. DO YOU WANNA ROCK, is another one for the jitterbuggers.

RVO: I know it makes me want to dance. Phil, thanks so much for talking with us today. Much continued success with The Sons of Saint Rocco.

Phil: It’s been my pleasure. Thank you.

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