Live in Asbury Park is a modest aural snapshot of live performances throughout Asbury Park, NJ venues and events over the past few years. Most importantly it showcases the incredible line up I’ve solidified over the past few years which currently features Alan Gowa on lead guitar, Matt Lott on sax, Steven Lusardi on keys, Joe Savio on drums, and Jay Walker on bass.

There are some raw moments here, but hopefully the authenticity and natural presence of the music shines through. Truly nothing tops the sheer joy of playing music with people you really enjoy playing with!

We’re all working class musicians with day jobs and limited time to rehearse, yet I’m continually amazed by and grateful for the magic moments we often share on the stage.

Thank you to all the promoters that have given us gigs over the past few years including Kyle Brendle at the Stone Pony, Kurt Hesse from Jam Fest, Scott Stamper at the Saint, the Seaside Music Festival, the Wave Gathering, Eric and Tiffany Walz (for our one and only wedding gig), and Dave Warren for the classiest gig we’ve ever played - opening up for Jill Sobule at Dave’s incredibly lovely home!

Furthermore, Asbury Park has some of the finest audio engineers around, and we are most grateful for all the guys who man the boards and make stuff sound good. This includes Tom Ruff at Asbury Media, Hinge, Brett, and Billy from the Saint, Jason at Asbury Audio, Elmo at the Stone Pony, and too many others I’ve neglected to mention while writing this.

Foremost, we’d like to thank the folks who come out to support us. There’s so much great original music in Asbury Park on any given night and it is truly a buyer’s market, so its always really nice when a bunch of “old guys” can scrounge up a decent crowd and have another little taste of rock & roll glory. People like Lisa Higley, Moira Horan, Kristen Driscoll, Suzy Graham, Sunny Zebe, and so many others truly keep the scene alive. On a really good night, Josh Matson shows up to paint in empathetic response to what you’re playing live, that’s when you know that the planets truly have truly aligned..

Finally thanks to our families and friends who generously tolerate the sacrifices required for having a relationship with Asbury alley cats who still like to play.

Thanks for listening,

Colie Brice
May 6, 2010

P.S. Here are my track descriptions thus far:

Damage Done – this is a fatalistic tune I wrote last year, it came to me during a residency at the Mattison Art Gallery. Its about when its too late to fix something that’s been broken, when there’s nothing left to say or do, when we can’t bring back yesterday, and when we experience the inability to accept love because we’re stuck in fear and hiding from our true selves.. Flute solo by Joel Monesoon.

Summer Wind – these are breezy changes we like to play from time, particularly when we have a guest who wants to jam. It’s a mid tempo improvisation in Am and usually lends itself to playing nicely with others. Flute solo by Joel Monesoon.

Another Day – yet another painfully maudlin tune by yours truly. Yet when Matt Lott lights it up with that saxophone, all is forgiven. The “kid” of the band can be quite a handful, but Mon Dieu! He sure as hell can play.

Free and Clear – a raucous and spirited rendition of an NABE classic, which most unfortunately, was sadly deflated at the end by a faux Elvis vocal crime by me.

Layman’s Blues

Winter Queen

Against the Grain - nothing quite like singing about the trials and tribulations of the working man when your boss is in the audience!

Jaco's Serenade

Improvisation in E (8/19/08)

Only Love Is Real

Happiness (8/19/08)

Anyway You Want It (rehearsal demo)

Into the Night (rehearsal demo)

Fashion (rehearsal demo)

Surf Report (4/18/10)

Bus Stop Blues

Bad Friday

Breathing Again