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8TH ANNUAL 4TH STREET ART & MUSIC FESTIVAL

24 Sep 2011, Posted by Sophie Penkrat in News

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2011

THE EIGHTH ANNUAL


4TH STREET ART & MUSIC FESTIVAL


Part of the Jersey City Artists Studio Tour

For more information please see
www.4thStreetArts.org or call (224) 444–9615

Come out for a day of Community, Art & Music. The 4th Street Art & Music Festival will take place for the eighth time on Saturday October 1st.  4th Street Arts – Founded in 2004 continues to grow as an organization as does the festival that started it all.

For this years main event the table is full of tantalizing art projects, sizzling musical performances and awe inspiring artists and their work.  Some of the confirmed projects are ….

SCHOLARSHIP SHOW / PERFORMANCE

The recipients of the 4th Street Arts 2010 Scholarship will share their talents with the festival. Visual Art recipient Wenye Fang, a recent graduate of St Peters Prep, will have his first solo show during the Festival.  Wenyes’ scholarship brought him to Jersey City Art School from March 2011 thru August 2011. Under the guidance of Thomas John Carlson, he explored many fundamental exercises in understanding light and form, in both drawing and painting.  The two courses that Wenye attended brought him from a very basic line drawing all the way to making full color oil paintings of the figure.  This program was designed to give him the foundation to create a full body of work.  Wenyes’ show will be in the 4th Street Studio located at 371 4th Street.

4th Street Arts 2010 Scholarship winner in performance arts, 15 year old Tanisha Boon, will perform her poetry and spoken word on the Village stage at 12:45PM.   Tanishas’ scholarship sent her to Art House for a 6-week intensive workshop,  “Say What”,  where she studied different styles from slam to short form to cutting-edge multimedia. Tanashia is in her junior year in County Prep High School and has been writing for about 3 years. Writing has been an outlet for her to express her emotions and views on social, political and cultural issues. She writes to make a difference in the world and would like to use her gift to change the world and to improve society.

JOE CHURCHIRILLO

For the 2011 studio tour Joe Chirchirillo will be showing a variety of interactive kinetic sculpture which he has created over the past few years. In addition to this he plans to have many new drawings on display. The drawings are about the sculpture, says the artist, they give the viewer some insight into what he was thinking when creating them. There will also be some new cast concrete water pieces in the studio.

FRANC PALAIA

Franc will exhibit a selection of hand colored SX–70 Polaroid photographs that will include images from all parts of Europe and the US focusing on classical architecture, urban scenes as well as contemporary structures.  Palaia approaches photography as a painter, so the viewer will see 3”x3” Polaroids that seem like intimate oil paintings sometimes completely covered with creamy oil crayon. Some of the Polaroids are deconstructed by cutting, tearing and peeling at the surface, the mat, and the developing chemicals. These distressed prints are even more textured and transformed than the hand colored prints.  Palaia received a Polaroid Sponsorship from 1985–87 for his original technique of hand coloring and has several prints in Polaroid’s permanent collection.

NOT YO MAMA’S CRAFT FAIR

Not Yo Mama’s organizes twenty five super-talented, very unique, local artisans. From re-purposed doll parts to eco-friendly & elegant accessories……Come on out to see what this year’s vendors have to offer (and get your Christmas shopping done on time, for once!)

CHILDRENS AREA

As always 4th Street encourages family participation at the festival.  Our childrens area will include festival related art projects as well as face painting by professional makeup artist Heidi Crow for Studio 365.

COMMUNITY COLLAGE with Hudson County Art Supply

All ages, no experience needed – just add fun Hudson County Art Supply will be joining the fun at the Fourth Street Art & Music Festival by creating 4 ft x 8 ft collage boards.  The community is invited to join in and add to the boards ( all ages, no experience needed – just add fun).  A new board will be introduced every hour so there will be room for your art whenever you arrive.  Feel free to bring collage materials if you have something to add, or grab from the pile of artwork available and PASTE!  Glue, paper, markers, paint and SURPRISES will be available.

GUERILLA HAIKU MOVEMENT

A large assortment of folks assemble at a public space (in this case the 4th Street Festival Grounds)  The mass is divided into groups of 5–10 and given a neighborhood map, a scavenger hunt, a bucket of sidewalk chalk and the following three-fold mission:

  1. to cover their assigned neighborhood with as many haiku inspired by that neighborhood as possible 2) to engage as many different people as possible in their endeavor
  2. to document their adventures with digital images that are then uploaded  to the Guerilla Haiku Movement website.  The whole crew convenes after their adventures to share photos, stories and general good cheer.   These events take place on the East and West Coast , including Philly, Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison and Minneapolis.

BANANA BIRD COMEDY CLUB

Two dozen comics will descend on The Fourth Street Art & Music Festival.  They will perform each hour on the hour from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at a dedicated stage created just for the festival. No two shows will be identical, so come for as many as you want.   Joe D’Allegro, the producer of the Shut Up & Laugh comedy show, is putting the event together. He has been running Shut Up & Laugh on the second Tuesday of the month at Lamp Post Bar & Grille in downtown JC since 2010, and recently expanded to include shows at Hell’s Kitchen Lounge in Newark on the third Sunday of the month.

METAL MERMAID PRINTING

Metal Mermaid Press will be showcasing the printing prowess of their 1913 Golding Official Map Press. Stop by to see their artwork, attend a monoprint workshop, get a limited edition 4th Street Festival card printed on site, and make your own print.  Metal Mermaid Press makes you want to touch a piece of paper and not put it down. They carry your message, leaving your fingers tracing letters on cards that serve to bring art into everyday moments of life. They are letterpress printers revitalizing the historic craft of print.  Headquartered in Jersey City in the shadow of the American Type Foundry building, which was at one time the largest producer of metal type in America’s history, Metal Mermaid is keeping traditional printing alive.

JOHN RUDDYS’ JANGANDA SCULPTURE

“JANGADA- An outdoor sculpture installation by John Ruddy. The term ‘Jangada’ refers to the traditional fishing boats of Northeastern Brazil. Simple and effective, these vessels trace their design and name back to Ancient India, through the Swahili Coast and ultimately across to the Americas. ‘Jangada’ is a colorful and playful interpretation of this venerable symbol of nomadic discovery, celebrating our primeval voyager instinct.”

LIVE MURAL “ THE GREAT TURNTABLE ”

Jersey City artist Norman Kirby will be painting 4th Streets newest mural.  It will be just around the bend from his mandala style mural painted a few years back. He is excited to hopefully inject some color into this turntable. Most of his turntables have been just one color in the past.  Norm will create the mural throughout the course of the day, directly behind the “Garden Stage”

CAPUTO SCREEN PRINTING

Live silk screening by Matt Caputo.   For the second year Matt will be doing screens throughout the day.  He will have festival related images as well as original artwork.  Bring your own shirt, hat, scarf, tote-bag, etc …. Matt will print the image of your choice onto it.

THE DRONE DOME

Repeating Patterns Listening Space (Drone Dome) is a interactive sound and light space  within an architectural sculpture constructed on sight at the 4th Street Art & Music Festival. This work was conceived by Gocha Tsinadze and will be realized in collaboration with Zachary Green, Mark Megaro.The Dome is an interactive space which utilizes new technologies to capture  the viewer’s motion and in real time transforms it into light and sound. The  participants movements create an ephemeral audio/visual space. The audio and video are installed in surround to create an immersive environment


MUSIC


Music Lineup

This year’s musical lineup includes the largest number of performers we’ve ever hosted. The organizers have put an emphasis on varying the genres of the involved musicians, the idea being to grow beyond the “Rock and Roll”  roots that it started with.   From Cuban Afrobeat, to hip-hop, to fusion jazz, to folk, to metal, as well as good old rock and roll… this year’s lineup promises to have something for everyone. After last years success, the festival will be once again be featuring two stages, ‘the Garden’ and ‘the Village’ stage. This setup allows for a non-stop stream of music from 12:30pm until closing. Prepare your ears for something new, fresh, and original. This year’s lineup will be mind-expanding.

The Village Stage

  • 11:45 am – Sophia Sager
  • 12:00 pm  – Katja Larssen
  • 12:20 pm – Silver Plane Crucifix
  • 12:45 pm – Tanashia Boon Spoken Word
  • 1pm –  Kiwi
  • 2pm –  No Pasaran
  • 3pm –  The Better Letters
  • 4pm  – Plastiq Passion
  • 5pm –  Edward Gorch
  • 6pm –  Thomas Francis Takes His Chances
  • 7pm –  Jody Porter
  • 8pm –  Beninghove’s Hangmen
  • 9pm – Chico Mann

The Garden Stage

  • 12:30pm – Cicada Radio
  • 1:30pm – Those Mockinbirds
  • 2:30pm – Jigglers
  • 3:30pm – Animal Crackas
  • 4:30pm – Tempest Jam All-Stars
  • 5:30pm – Olde Ghost
  • 6:30pm – Wyldlife
  • 7:30pm – In Musth

BAND BIOS


ANIMAL CRACKAS

The Animal Crackas are a hip hop band from Jersey City NJ who consist of two brothers Robin Hood Robbin Rich and Sour Dzo on the vocals, and then Spider on the drums.

BENINGHOVE’S HANGMEN

The brainchild of saxophonist Bryan Beninghove, the Hangmen assembles some of NYCʼs most unique dynamic talents. The band features Rick Parker on trombone (Ambient Assault), Eyal Maoz (Edom – Tzadik Records) and Dane Johnson (Prelapse) on guitars, Kellen Harrison on bass, and Shawn Baltazor (Supernatural Percussion) on drums.

the BETTER LETTERS

The Better Letters are a five-piece underground pop band from Brooklyn, NY. The band references funk, soul, garage, punk, disco, rockabilly, and R&B influences in songs are about doing things and getting places. The Better Letters released an LP entitled Mixed Feelings (2011) after first releaseing a 7″ (2010) through 4:3 records, both of which are available at www.thebetterletters.com and www.4–3records.com.

CHICO MANN

Chico Mann has created a musical time machine that simultaneously fuses the sounds of 1970s Afrobeat, 1980s Freestyle and Afro Cuban in a hybrid beast of culture and tone. Its the big ‘what if’ Freestyle, Afrobeat & Afro Cuban converged and hit the mainstream for an army of Chicos to pick up where Stevie B, TKA, George Lamond, Sa-Fire, Information Society, Noel, and Cult Jam, and Exposé left off. Chico’s choruses of multi-layered vocals with funky guitar lines helps to cool off the heat created between the bass and rhythm… creating a unique conversation of color and value that pays homage to the past but raises the bar for the future.

CICADA RADIO

They hail from Jersey City and our home-base of Kearny, NJ, bringing a taste of late ’90s/early ‘aughts’ indie to the mix. Citing influences such as At The Drive-In, Desaparecidos, and The Police, Cicada Radio seem to pick up right where these groups left off – perfectly evident on their debut EP, “Imposter”.

EDWARD GORCH

Edward Gorch is a Brooklyn born and Catskill Mountain raised writer and vocalist who offers literate songs that move along like a perfectly slow Sunday morning. Gorch is a former member of the Hudson Valley stoner rock band Reservoir Square and the regressive country acts,  Knotworking and Born at Sea. Gorch’s ability to deliver songs with thoughtful lyrics and pleasing melodies has earned him comparisons to artists such as Nick Drake, Will Oldham and Jay Farrar.

IN MUSTH

In Musth are three NJ natives playing the most creative and challenging music they can think of, tastefully honoring a love of classic metal, prog and grunge. Deep grooves join complex, aggressive riffing with seamless psychedelic sweeps. The songs are deep, the sound is big.

JIGGLERS

NYC/BK based The Jigglers members include Pierce – Guitar/Vocals, Stan – Saxophone/Vocals, Lee Lee – Drums, and Sunset – Bass/Conversation

JODY PORTER

Jody Porter, known for his impressive guitar work with grammy nominated Fountains of Wayne, has been playing shows around the North East for the last year in support of his first solo release, Close to the Sun. He and his band, The Black Swans, will be performing songs from this record as well as a handful of new songs that are in the process of being recorded in and around Jersey City.

KATJA LARSSEN

Katja Larssen has been singing at local Jersey City events for the past year. She studies voice and guitar at Metropolis Music on Newark Avenue with Alex Brumel (of Alex & Janel). She recently sang at the summer series ‘Groove on Grove’ and ‘Ladies That Rock.’ Katja also just finished recording back up vocals for a Children’s Christmas album due out this holiday season. She turned 10 on June 7th and attends 5th grade at LCCS.

KIWI

Kiwi is the ongoing musical endeavor of Vera Sousa and Alex Tea, conceived in 1998 when Vera and Alex met in high school. Grounded in roots rhythm, Kiwi invokes a variety of influences including the classics of Jamaican reggae, American folk, soul and R&B, Brazilian traditional music, jazz, and classical music. These inspirations are reflected in the rhythms, melodies, and instrumentation’s used in Kiwi’s recordings and performances.

! NO PASARAN !

Known for their intensely bombastic live shows abiding by a stringent policy of “less tawk, more rawk,” !NO PASARAN! have been busy perfecting their own brand of politically-charged, angular noise-punk since late 2004. This year’s release of the “Porter In the Making” EP on the Killing Horse Records imprint is face-melting proof that they have no plans of going away anytime soon.

OLDE GHOST

This NY/NJ-based powerhouse’s sound lies somewhere between Black Flag and Hot Snakes, with a touch of DC influence. A heavy riff-storm of guitars mixed with pulsating bass lines, thunderous drumming, and burly vocals. Members have done time in a slew of bands, including Books Lie, Off Minor, Saetia, Yum Yum Tree, Guilt Trip, and Excitebike.

PLASTIQ PASSION

Take everything you think you know about girl bands and throw it out the window because Plastiq Passion rocks out like no other. Their energetic and passionate live show continues to create quite a buzz amongst concert goers in New York City as well as nation-wide, ever since their 2008 cross-country tour.

SILVER PLANE CRUCIFIX

Silver Plane Crucifix was born of long, hot neighborhood summers and a passion for music fostered by the diverse sounds of the New York City metro area. The Indie Rock trio has soaked up music spanning decades and genres, from classics such as Bob Dylan, Howlin’ Wolf and The Clash, to contemporary artists like Neutral Milk Hotel and Animal Collective. Tim Erbach plays shimmering reverb-laden guitar and Johnny Bauers, who lives two doors down, plays a deep, booming bass while brother Rory Bauers drums everything from tradition grooves to tribal tom beat.The Bauers brothers are students at McNair academy and will be performing shortly after they both take their SATs!

SOPHIA SAGER

Ten year old Sophia Sager has studied classical music and violin since the age of four. Jersey City’s dynamic music culture has allowed Sophia unlimited opportunity to explore her musical interests. She is excited to share her latest violin piece, Martini Gavotte at the 4th Street Art and Music Festival.

TANASHIA BOON
(See scholarship show above)

TEMPEST JAM ALL-STARS
The Tempest All-Stars grew as a musical byproduct of The Tempest Open Mic; a musical staple for musicians in the Jersey City area. Tempest has become a fixture in the local musical community resulting in a host of new musical projects and endeavors. It is free and takes place at the Lamp Post Bar & Grille every Wednesday night.

THOMAS FRANCIS TAKES HIS CHANCES

Famous for crushing the corner and pretty darn good at making glorious infinite sound.  Ride their cloud for the hour and go home vibrating.  bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz pop !  THTHC takes the stage for the third consecutive year at the festival.

THOSE MOCKINGBIRDS

A New Jersey  rock band consisting of all kinds of sounds like drums, guitars, more guitars, keyboards and violin. At times dirty and heavy, or ambient and unresolved, it’s music that is appropriate to work up a sweat to in a dirty basement. It strives to portray raw emotion, both musically and lyrically, relying only on their musical instincts. Some may even say that these four guys and one girl are quite hedonistic, because they are all about doing what feels good. It feels good to be bad, but, you know, the good version of bad.

WYLDLIFE

Wyldlife are a 70s styled punk rock band forming out of Jersey City and Purchase College. Hot off the heels of their brand new debut album, they aim to take over the J.C. rock and roll scene, one stomping leather boot at a time


MURALS


BRUNSWICK STREET

Artist Keith VanPelt has been working on his “Village” mural located at 122 Brunswick Street btwn 2nd & 3rd.  This mural is the result of 4th Street Arts winning the Pro Arts – Art Eat Up.  The images that the mural is based on came from old photos of Brunswick Street store fronts circa 1950.  The idea being to show some of the majesty that once graced this part of Jersey City and to participate in the resurgence of the area.

JERSEY CITY ART SCHOOL

The backdrop for the stage at the festival this year was designed and executed by Thomas John Carlson in 2009.  ” I wanted to stick to a very basic concept, so I decided to go with a sun and landscape.  The lines bouncing off the clouds are meant to depict a characteristic of light.  It becomes an abstracted understanding of how light functions. “  At the 2010 Festival, The Jersey City Art School initiated a project where the school opened its doors, for people from the community to come by and work on a collaborative mural.  The project ended up involving over 50 artists, lasted 8 weeks and produced two murals, one that was 4ft by 48ft and another that was 4ft by 60ft.  The smaller of the two was a collaboration between 4 artists, Thomas John Carlson, Michael Meadors, Gail-Marie Boykewich and Josh Bryant.

WHO WILL SAVE BEAUTY ?

The first of “the Agitators Collective” murals on 4th Street – the red & white Unicorn has been looking down fourth street since 2006.

BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET

Paint on roll down security gate, 8 x 15 ft, 2007. 4th Street Arts invited Agitators Collective to design a mural. We painted an astronaut. Location: 383 4th Street, Jersey City, NJ.

THE LUCK WILL RUN OUT

Paint on roll down security gate, 8 x 12 ft, 2009. 4th Street Arts invited Agitators Collective to paint two murals on the riot gates of a gas station. The gas station is located in a neighborhood in Jersey City affectionately known by the locals as The Horseshoe. Location: 383 4th Street, Jersey City, NJ.

MANDALA IN COLOR / 4TH STREET GARDEN

This mandala style mural was created by artist Norm Kirby.  It was completed with the help of Art Students from the #5 school across the street.  Part of the 4th Street Garden project.  An area plagued by illegal dumping of garbage,  4th street crew cleaned it out and made it beautiful.  Two trees planted in 2010 survived the brutal winter and are flourishing today.

DELICIOUS EATS

As always local culinary treats and delicious brews will be available.  Lucindas Crepes, The Krave Truck, Home on the Range, and we’re pleased to welcome our friends from Lucky Sevens serving up their new Bar-B-Q Menu.  We will also have some delicious sweet snacks from  Made With Love,   and With Love from the Cupboard who will be doing a series of mini demonstrations to teach simple, edible decorating techniques with rolled fondant, gum paste, marzipan, buttercream and royal icing.    Featured demonstrations include – How to make, sculpt and color basic sugar flowers using gum paste, rolled fondant and marzipa and How to cover and decorate a fondant cake with stencils, sponge colors and basketweave.  Instructional handouts and recipes will be distributed during the sessions,  followed by general baking Q&A and giveaways


SUPPORTED CHARITIES


HISTORIC JERSEY CITY & HARIMUS CEMETERY

Learn about their volunteer initiative in saving and preserving 350 years of Jersey City history & nature!
The historic cemetery, located in historic downtown Jersey City, is operated entirely by volunteers who are transforming the site into a memorial park, a 6 acre green open space that hosts historic walking tours, educational programs, military tributes for the veterans, & cultural art & music events for the community.  With no current funding by the city or state, the volunteers have managed to keep the memorial park open 7 days a week, and maintain the grounds & graves of Jersey City’s founders, leaders, & earliest residents, plus the resting place for thousands of soldiers dating back to Revolutionary era & Civil Wars onward.

COMPANION ANIMAL TRUST

Companion Animal Trust is a local non profit animal rescue group that fosters and finds homes for homeless cats.  It also runs the Neighborhood Feral Cat Initiative program that provides feral cat Trap Neuter Return training and low cost feral cat spay neuter.

AVON WALK FOR BREAST CANCER

“Help us in ‘Saving Second Base’ by visiting the Pop-a-Balloon fundraising table! Test your skills, Win some prizes, and Save Some Boobs! All proceeds benefit the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer foundation.”


SPONSORSHIPS


4th Street Arts and the festival could not exist without the generosity of our sponsors. These include:

Lucky 7’s, the Saffron Condominiums, Another Mans Treasure, Metropolis Music, Fields Development, Observer Property Management, Capital One, Jersey City Tattoo Company, Madame Claude Wine, Madame Claude Cafe, Alan Cancro, Brightside Tavern, Porto Lounge, Grove Street Bikes, Z Zounds, Brennans Florist, the Jersey City Independent, New Magazine, Rock-It Docket, Jersey City Art School, Art House Productions, Parlay Studios, Falesto, Wrench Brothers, Delta Gas, Cement & Demolition Local 325, Brinley Gold Rum, & Magic Cleaning Service