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CD/DVD Release Party Kicks Off 2005 World Tour Piermont, N.Y. – January 28, 2005 A SoundPress.net Feature Article by Rich and Laura Lynch Joe D'Urso and his rock quartet, Stone Caravan, have been embodying the spirit of rock and roll for more than a decade-and-half now. This Caravan has rocked and rolled on shores near and far and together they have built a loyal following through hard work and relentless touring – especially on the European continent – where rock starved fans eat up the American style fare of rock and roll that JD&SC have been crafting and serving up since the early 1990's.
 Stone Caravan – Joe D'Urso, Sam LaMonica, Greg Lykins, & Lou DeMartino – keep rolling on! These shows at The Turning Point in Piermont served a dual purpose – acting as a launching pad for Stone Caravan's 2005 World Tour and functioning as a release party for Joe's new "Best 1991-2003" CD and "3 Days in Italy" Live DVD which clearly captures on video the dramatic impact this 4-piece from Rockland County has on their European fans. The "Best 1991-2003" CD is a 19-track collection featuring songs from JD&SC's vast catalogue that were voted on by Joe's fans via the Internet as well as 3 previously unreleased songs. The "3 Days in Italy" DVD – which is Volume 3 of the Bootleg Series – was shot in Rimini, Italy. The DVD was directed, produced and edited by Flavio Brizzi and his Open All Night Production company. The DVD includes 2 discs – one featuring JD&SC on stage in a theater in Rimini and the other showcases the band performing in a smaller, intimate acoustic venue. Both capture the band at their energetic best. Joe, Greg, Sam and Lou were clad in mostly black as they took the stage and managed to blow a fuse during the first song. D'Urso joked that "they are too powerful." The technical problem was quickly resolved and they re-started an animated version of 'Welcome Home' from the top. 'So Tired' was song number two and early on it was clear that D'Urso was in particularly good voice and rhythm and that the band was fine-tuned and ready to take on the world. We have had the pleasure of seeing Joe D'Urso and Stone Caravan live on a number of occasions and they continue to evolve as a group. JD&SC persist in bringing new energy and subtle changes to familiar favorites. At this gig both Greg and Lou were contributing harmonizing vocals adding texture to Joe's deep, expressive singing. D'Urso and Stone Caravan are all proficient players and they always appear to be having fun on stage. Joe – and Lou – had a good rapport with the crowd which contributed to the overall positive vibe of the Turning Point show. Joe mentioned that the temperature in Piermont was 8 degrees outside before playing the third song of the evening – 'Rock in the Sun'. D'Urso also announced that they would be heading to the UK and Ireland in February and said that they would be 'Numb' when they returned. Greg Lykins' guitar work was fantastic on this song utilizing a treble technique and then a slide effect. Joe took a moment to thank the evening's opening act, Jennifer Glass and James Mastro, and asked the audience to give them another hand. D'Urso is great about promoting other musicians. 'When the Night Comes' gave Sam LaMonica an opportunity to shine. He is a powerful drummer yet he can play soft and controlled as a slower song requires. LaMonica is the mighty, multi-geared engine of Stone Caravan. Sam drives the beat but knows just when to lay low and let Joe's story-telling step forward. D'Urso often gives an introduction to his music, he started both 'Tell Me Why' and 'Let It Go' with a short rap. 'Let It Go' expanded into a sing-along with Lou enthusiastically chanting along with the chorus. During 'Minute to Midnight' there was a stellar guitar exchange before Joe talked about the band getting stood up by their dates. Suddenly, when just before midnight the band thinks they have spotted the objects of their affection, Joe sings – "here she comes", but in a case of mistaken identity, "there she goes" – as the song kicks back into high gear with dramatic pauses and soaring guitars and rhythms. Stone Caravan left the stage to allow for a solo moment with Joe and his black acoustic. Joe performed three slower-paced songs including 'As the Rain Falls in Dublin' – an image-filled song about Ireland sung in a rich, expressive tone. The band retuned for 'Bye Johnny Bye' with Greg's fingers flying over the fret with subtle hints of a Hendrix song. It turned into an extended jam and flowed into two other up-tempo rockers – 'Deep End' and 'The Other Side of Midnight.' Lou on his Rickenbacker bass always keeps the beat pulsing and progressing. DeMartino has an animated stage presence and Laura just loves watching him play his low slung instrument. "This next seven minute song got the most votes from the Internet community," said Joe as they started 'Rock and Roll Call'. Improvisations were added to this classic along with a nod to more current bands such as the Wallflowers and a short segue into 'Louie Louie'. They closed the set with a high octane version of 'Noisy Guitars' which was another big crowd pleaser. The encore was an opportunity for the band to perform covers that they have not yet played out. The songs sounded well rehearsed and clean and included Ringo Starr's 'Photograph', CCR's 'Have You Ever Seen The Rain', The Band's 'I Shall Be Released' and Tom Petty's 'Running Down a Dream'. These great interpretations served to end the night on a high note. Following The Turning Point shows JD&SC were scheduled to kick-off their World Tour in February with 2 weeks of shows in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales – including a headlining gig at the Hard Rock Cafe in Manchester, England on February, 12. Following a few local performances in the New York region the band will continue their world tour with the next leg of their European foray in April with dates in Italy, Switzerland and The Netherlands. The evening's opening act was Jennifer Glass, who along with instrumentalist James Mastro, took the stage around nine. Glass played an acoustic with a capo and James accompanied her on electric mandolin for the first of five songs. Jen's good looks are only surpassed by her vocals that are crisp and clean. She sings well in both the high and low ranges. Jen opened her set with the new and beautiful 'Ann Maria'. For 'Thousand Miles of Grey', another new co-wrtten track (Glass/Tolhurst), Mastro (who owns the Guitar Bar in Hoboken, New Jersey) switched to a vintage electric 6-string bass guitar and utilized an array of effects to craft funky sounds and chords which complimented Jennifer's compelling vocals. Jennifer, who was wearing a form fitting "Guitar Bar" T-shirt, joked that this was part of the deal she had with the masterful Mastro in order to get him to accompany her onstage. Mastro has been a member of several well-respected bands and has accompanied The Jayhawks on several occasions. James switched to another guitar to play slide and used more effects for the third song, 'Saddleclub Road', a sweet tune about slow dancing and love. Jennifer played harmonica for the brief intro before returning to the capoed acoustic. In a recent radio interview with Kweevak.com's Rockin' Rich Lynch and Joe D'Urso for Hungerthon 2004, Jen Glass reported how she had recently "discovered" The Beatles. She displayed her new found familiarity with the fab four by performing a beautiful and stirring rendition of 'Across The Universe.' As an introduction she explained that the next song is not a jingle, as "I am sure this crowd already knows." James Mastro enhanced the cover with long, spacey guitar chords. She closed the set with a brand new song, 'Holding On To You', with the compelling hook "moments of dying ... show me your wings and I'll tell you the truth". Jen and James were well received by the audience at the intimate Turning Point.
 New York City's Jennifer Glass opened the show with her own special brand of country rock. Related Links: For more information on JD&SC and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -- Joe D'Urso Official Site | Jennifer Glass Online | The Turning Point Cafe | Guitar Bar in Hoboken
(Originally Published on January 29, 2005) |
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