In Hoboken, on the 4^th floor of the Neumann building on Observer Highway, Aart Markenstein tunes some of the most beautiful and unique pianos ever made. During his career as a professional piano tuner, Markenstein has kept the pianos of some of the worldâ€s greatest music legends in tune. Taught by a master tuner – like Luke Skywalker learning from Yoda how to become a Jedi – Markensteinâ€s tunings have been considered “perfection” by music professionals.

Markenstein has worked with music legends including Beyonce, U2, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Tony Bennett, Cher, The Eagles, K.D. Lang, Cyndi Lauper, the Black Crowes, Aerosmith, James Taylor, Ringo Starr, Chuck Berry – and so many more. He tuned the keyboards for Aretha Franklinâ€s performance at the 53^rd Inaugural Ball and when Bob Dylan played in Hoboken last year, Markenstein tuned his piano, too.

Markenstein owns his own business Aart in America Piano Company in Hoboken and his office is a large space filled with an array of pianos from a Steinway Grand to a small upright brought to Markenstein for repairs by a member of John Mellencampâ€s band. Aart in America is a full-service piano company where Markenstein repairs and rents out pianos and if youâ€re a lucky visitor, he might even play a tune because not only is Markenstein an accomplished tuner, heâ€s a stellar musician.

Helping Markenstein with Aart in America Piano Company is his wife of 32 years, Eileen, who were childhood sweethearts growing up in the Marion section of Jersey City (right behind Journal Square).

“Aart and my brother were best friends when we were kids,” Eileen says. “I would come home from school and Aart would be in my living room playing my piano. It was his passion.”

Eileen came from a musical family and Aart, the oldest of six, always wanted a piano and take piano lessons, but his parents told him he needed to save up the money on his own. He landed a part-time job, saved up $500 and bought his piano.

“He didnâ€t even tell his parents,” Eileen says.

Aart studied with Sal Lombardi, an organist at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel church and when Eileen attended Jersey City State College, Aart sat in on her music classes.

“I never stopped playing,” Aart says. “Eileenâ€s father got me a job driving a truck and I played in bands at night. I wanted to work in the music business any way I could. I saw an ad in the Village Voice for a driver/technician for Complete Music Service in 1991. I started to tune electric pianos, teaching myself. I learned how to set up gear and drum kits and the next thing I knew I was at Quad recording studios and Eric Clapton is in the recording studio. Every day it was another treat. David Bowie was a client, Lou Reed, I was in his house and he had racks of amps that had to be wired.”

In the 1990s, Aart and Eileen had a band ‘World Without Endâ€. They played clubs like CBGBs, and put out a 16-song CD called CITY OF DEAD which got radio airplay here in the states and in Germany and led to a tour of Europe and the U.S.

In 1994, Aart went to work for S.I.R. Entertainment in New York City which rented instruments for national acts coming to town to play venues like Madison Square Garden and Giants Stadium (renamed MetLife stadium).

“They would come to one of S.I.R.s soundstages to rehearse,” Aart says. “Everybody was there, The Who, (Rolling) Stones, Cyndi Lauper. I would deliver gear to SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. I knew about the gear and didnâ€t crash the truck so I got promoted until I was just dealing with keyboards. I also did backline – set up all the instruments according to the stage plot.”

In 2003 he had an opportunity to study intensive piano technology with Kalman Dietrich, the founder of the Museum of the American Piano in New York City.

“There were six students in the class and one guy asked ‘where are the textbooksâ€,” Aart says. “Kalman said, ‘there are no textbooks. This is an ancient technology and you have to listen and pay attention.†We started disassembling a Steinway antique piano to its core and learning to repair each piece in the piano.”

A year later Aart started his own business.

“Every piano is more than just a musical instrument, it becomes part of the family and memories are made from it,” Aart says. “Itâ€s meant to last 75-100 years and has the memories from families playing and singing around the piano. The keys underneath the plastic are made of sugar pine, so grandmaâ€s DNA is on that piano left from the oils of her fingers. The person is still with that piano because their DNA is on it.”

And throughout the years heâ€s had some great experiences, but probably the one that stands out the most is the time he worked on John Lennonâ€s piano.

“It was a 1901 Steinway Model “B” and when he recorded DOUBLE FANTASY, he used that piano,” Aart says.

Although heâ€s not planning to retire any time soon, Aart says he will likely ask one of his younger relatives if they would be interesting in becoming his apprentice and learning the trade. But that seems like a long time from now. In the meantime, he and Eileen are quite content running the business and still get a little starstruck when Aart is asked to tune a piano for a superstar.

And his favorite piano? The Yamaha Conservatory Grand. He says: “The longer the strings, the better the sound. I love every piano in the shop in the same way. Every piano has its own personality, like people.”

Aart in America Piano Company

300 Observer Highway (Neumann Building

Hoboken

(201) 406-2594

www.aartinamericapiano.com

email: aartinamerica@optonline.net

The post PIANOMAN- Master Piano Tuner Aart Markenstein Keeps Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett and other Music Legends On Key first appeared on River View Observer.

Clarence Clemons of the E Street Band Draws Large Crowd at “Right to Rock” Fundraising Event at B.B. King Blues Club New York

Pictured with Clarence  Clemons is Jersey City student, Jade Adams of P.S. 29, recently performed with legendary E Street Band member Clarence Clemons at a fundraiser held by Little Kids Rock on Oct. 22 at B.B King Blues Club in New York City. The “Right to Rock” benefit raised over $160,000 to restore and revitalize music education in public schools nationwide.  
Adams, 12, performed Jailhouse Rock with Clarence Clemons and a student band from the Bronx. She also performed her original song, Change, with the student band, whom she met that evening. Adams’ song was selected as a grand prize winner in the 2009 Little Kids Rock songwriting contest.
Little Kids Rock currently reaches nearly 2500 underserved students in Jersey City and Newark, and over 42,000 nationwide. Here is a high-reolution photograph of Jade and Clarence at the event:

MONTCLAIR, N.J., Nov. 1, 2009 – Little Kids Rock, a national nonprofit music organization that provides free instruments and instruction to underfunded public schools, today announced the results of its “Right to Rock” fundraiser, held on Oct. 22 at B.B King Blues Club in New York City. The legendary Clarence Clemons found time between touring with Bruce
Springsteen and promoting his new book to help Little Kids Rock raise over $160,000 to restore and revitalize music education in public schools nationwide. Since its inception in 2002, the organization has grown to reach over 1,100 schools in 21 different cities as of the beginning of the 2009 school year.

“The great turnout at the Right to Rock event sent a message that was heard loud and clear: our kids matter, music matters and we are a growing community of friends and family who are stepping up to fulfill this generation’s obligation to the next generation,” said Dave Wish, executive director of Little Kids Rock. “Seeing a musician as iconic as Clarence Clemens share the stage with our students is something that I’ll never forget, and I am incredibly grateful for his support and the support of all of the guests that were honored last week.”
Little Kids Rock presented Clemons with the inaugural “Big Man of the Year Award” for his philanthropic efforts. Clemons performed an unrehearsed rendition of Jailhouse Rock with inner-city public school students from the New York City metro area, as well as Garden of Little Kids Rock Raises over $160,000 to Put Music Education Back in Public Schools 2 of 3
Memories with famed producer, John Colby. Additional guests honored at the event include Bill Mendello, CEO of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, Betsy McLaughlin, CEO of Hot Topic, and Mary Luehrsen, Executive Director of NAMM, for their continued support of music
education.
“More than 50 percent of kids who play an instrument go on to college, yet music education programs at the inner city public schools who need them most continue to be hit hard with budget cuts,” said Clarence Clemons. “Little Kids Rock has responded to this problem in a really big way and made a positive impact on the lives of literally thousands of low-income
students who wouldn’t have otherwise had the opportunity. I strongly encourage those who are in a position to do so to support their cause and spread the word about this inspirational program.”
The event featured music performed by NYC HitSquad, a group whose members have played with Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes and the Saturday Night Live Band. 12-year old Jade Adams of P.S. 29 in Jersey City
performed her original song, “Change,” with a student band from P.S. 83 in the Bronx, whom she met that evening. Guitars signed by Eric Clapton, Slash, Bon Jovi and Paul Simon were also auctioned to benefit the program.
High-resolution photographs are available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/36973804@N06/sets/72157622717341470/
About Little Kids Rock Little Kids Rock is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that transforms children’s lives by restoring and revitalizing music education in underfunded public schools. Little Kids Rock was
founded in San Francisco in 2002 by David Wish, an elementary school teacher who had grown frustrated with the lack of music education funding at his school. Today, Little Kids Rock is one of the leading nonprofit providers of free lessons and instruments to low-income children in US public schools, and has served more than 85,000 students at over 1,100 schools in 20 cities nationwide. Little Kids Rock Honorary Board Members include Bonnie Raitt, Slash, Paul Simon, B.B. King, Ziggy Marley, and other famous friends in the music industry. More information can be found at: www.littlekidsrock.org and www.littlekidsrock.tv.

About Clarence Clemons Clarence Clemons, affectionately known worldwide as The Big Man, has captivated audiences for over forty years with his distinguished ability for making his saxophone speak a universal
Little Kids Rock Raises over $160,000 to Put Music Education Back in Public Schools 3 of 3 language. For more than three decades Mr. Clemons has lofted Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band to become, as some have deemed it, the greatest rock and roll band in the world. In addition to an ever-lengthening roster of live concert performances and recording projects, his credits include a growing portfolio of dramatic and comedic appearances, for both film and television.
On October 21, Mr. Clemons releases his book, co-authored by his friend, Don Reo, Big Man: Real Life and Tall Tales. This is the first book written by a member of the E Street Band, telling true, unknown stories about the band as well as capturing Mr. Clemons’ larger-thanlife storyteller persona in a series of hybrid fact-and-fiction stories called “Legends.”

The post Little Kids Rock Raises over $160,000 to Put Music Education Back in first appeared on River View Observer.