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Photos and Story by Chris Spiewak
Many readers will recognize the name Big Joe Henry as the weekend DJ who entertains millions of Garden State residents on one of New Jersey’s highest-rated radio stations, Trenton-based WKXW (101.5).
Shore resident Henry has been a staple there since 1997, known for delivering quick-witted barbs and playing music from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. But there is more to this talented man, one who keeps very busy long after his “day job” at the radio station is over.
Big Joe’s production company, appropriately named Really Big Shows, is the vehicle with which this clever entertainer brings “The Big Joe Henry Variety Show” to the people. The show is similar to the old “Ed Sullivan Show” (for those of you who are old enough to remember), or perhaps “The Tonight Show” (for you younger folks), but on a smaller, more intimate level, where even the audience is invited to be part of the fun, during the crowd favorite “Stump the Band” segment.
Henry has teamed up with Jersey Shore musician and restaurateur Tim McLoone to present his show at McLoone’s Supper Club on the boardwalk in Asbury Park. Unlike the annual summer talent show hosted by Big Joe in Point Pleasant, where artists compete for prizes, the variety show showcases established comedic and musical talent. In this intimate venue, some pretty big names have ventured onto the stage to perform, and then sit down with Big Joe for a brief but candid interview.
Although the show, available on MeTV, is only currently available to some 5 million households in the Philadelphia/South Jersey area, plans are in the works to broadcast the show on the new channel 3 in the New York/New Jersey metro area, bringing another 10 million homes into the mix, beginning in September.
Big Joe and his team, which include announcer “Cousin” Chip Meahan and band leader Pat Guadagno, are quite professional and efficient. It is very cool for the average person to witness the taping of a TV show, all while enjoying dinner and drinks from the very professional staff at McLoone’s, as I did this on Wednesday night, May 28.
The show featured regular participant Ken Salaz, a fantastic magician, who solicited members of the audience to assist him with his amazing sleight-of-hand performance. Comedian and TV personality Don Jamieson, host of VH1’s longest-running original program, “That Metal Show,” kept the audience highly entertained with his excellent stand-up material.
A longtime proponent of Jersey music, Big Joe routinely brings in supremely talented artists in to perform. This night was no different. Who has recorded drum tracks on more than 3,000 albums, you may ask? Well, there he was, in the flesh….Mr. Bernard Purdie, drummer to the stars. Purdie has performed with everyone from Aretha Franklin to James Brown to Steely Dan to Duke Ellington and Miles Davis to the late Michael Jackson.
Purdie’s first performance Wednesday night featured Guadagno singing “The Thrill is Gone,” and his second number featured the beautiful vocals of local artist Layonne Holmes (a member of Tim McLoone and the Shirleys), singing the classic Aretha Franklin hit “Rock Steady.”
One of 15 children, Purdie began his career banging on his mother’s pots at the age of 6, and experienced a minor setback at the age of 8.
“My mother bought a new set of pots, but told me not to bang on those, and that I had to use the old ones!” Purdie revealed.
He received his first real drum kit at the age of 14, he said, and the rest is history. Purdie’s story will be in print very soon. A book – some 15 years in the making – will be published, entitled “Let the Drums Speak.” It will available late summer or early fall.
Purdie is quite soft-spoken in person. He does indeed let the drums “do the talking.”
The second artist to perform on this night was Don Roeser, more commonly known as Buck Dharma, lead guitarist and founding member of legendary rock band Blue Oyster Cult. As a member of the group Soft White Underbelly (the predecessor to BOC) in the ‘60s, he was given the stage name by manager Sandy Pearlman – and it just stuck.
Extraordinarily gifted, both as guitarist as well as songwriter, Dharma took the stage and immediately broke into the opening riff of the 1981 Blue Oyster Cult hit single “Burning For You,” and the capacity crowd of 200 went crazy. At this point, I absolutely must mention the band members for the Big Joe show, for, if one was to close their eyes, it might be hard to believe that this was a house band, and not actually BOC onstage.
Longtime Jersey Shore standout Guadagno orchestrates an amazing ensemble, featuring the fantastic Jim Celestino on guitar, rock-steady Phil Rizzo on bass, the incredible Arne Wendt on keyboards, the one and only Tommy LaBella on sax and groove regulator extraordinaire Joe Bellia behind the kit.
Perhaps the highlight of the night was Dharma with Guadagno on acoustic guitar beginning the classic rock anthem BOC’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper” with the band triumphantly roaring in soon thereafter, rocking McLoone’s like no one has before. This was a classic rock fan’s dream come true and a performance that no one in attendance will soon forget.
The next variety show will tape on June 18, followed by a summer hiatus, with taping resuming on Sept. 17.
At $10 per ticket, this must surely be the best bargain on the Jersey Shore this year; for details on upcoming shows, visit www.bigjoehenry.com.
Special thanks to the staff at McLoone’s for their hard work, and very special thanks to the Really Big Shows crew, especially production assistant Alyx Meahan, for her help in accommodating the visiting guests and performers. The shows are presented on Wednesday nights, and I would highly recommend a visit; they wrap at about 10:30 p.m., and Big Joe and the band make time afterward to meet and greet fans in the bar area. The stories at the bar are worth the price of admission alone! I can’t wait for the next show; hope to see you there in June …
Chris Spiewak is currently the bassist for Rock/Blues cover band VyntEdge.
