FIRST FRIDAY @ GALERIA WEST with JOE TAINO & FRIENDS in Concert

WALK-UP TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR STARTING AT 6:30PM.                                  SHOWTIME: 7:00pm to 8:30pm

Thousands of area music lovers have enjoyed the popular FIRST FRIDAY @ GALERIA WEST Music Series concerts, presented by TEATRO Si at the intimate Galeria West Art & Music Gallery, located at 111 Quimby Street in downtown Westfield, NJ. This once a month live concert event continues to bring to you a unique opportunity to enjoy a diversity of music genres as performed by a select series of international artists. The popular monthly concert event continues on Friday, December 7, 2012 at 7:00pm with an evening of Latin jazz, Blues and more with acclaimed guitarist Joe Taino & Friends in concert.
Joe Taino has been recording and performing since 1972. He has shared the stage with a host of notable artists, including Peter Frampton, Judas Priest, Rick Derringer, Cindy Lauper, Gregg Allman, Carlos Santana, Jaco Pastorious, Johnny Winter, Robin Trower, Pat Travers, King Crimson, and many more. He is one of the hottest and most respected guitarists in the Tri-State area and still performs every week. His newest release Incognito is a mix of all of his influences, tinged with a distinctly Latin jazz flavor.
Joe Taino is a veteran guitarist and has been doing what he does for a long time. Joe says that he became interested in music after watching the Beatles' movie A Hard Day's Night, when he was nine years old and growing up in Puerto Rico. He got his first guitar when he was eleven and says that he started learning "everything he could get his hands on." His early influences were the Beatles, Elvis, The Monkeys, Cream, Jimi Hendrix and Santana, to name a few. In 1978 Joe joined Marion Hite, a Kentucky native, playing country and western music. Joe also played Top 40 gigs at the hotels in the famous resort area of Condado, and put together what became the hottest rock band of all time in Puerto Rico, "Pelican in Flight"
By the early 1980s Joe was doing well enough to open shows for artists like; The Allman Brothers, Johnny Winter, John Myall, Robin Trower, Koko Tailor, Ruth Brown and Jaco Pastorius.
In New York City he formed his own band and changed his group's stage name from "Taino" to "Joe Taino and the Blue Flames", in honor of his idol Jimi Hendrix (Jimmy James and the Blue Flames).
Success was inevitable. The band released CDs in the USA under their own label, and in Europe under Provogue Records.
Joe has frequently toured Europe, Japan, Brazil and the Caribbean, and can be seen at the best Blues Clubs as well as the major Blues Festivals. He has also recorded for many commercials including Dial Soap, 7-UP and Schafer Beer. Joe now plays continuously in the tri-state area and is currently promoting his new CD, "Incognito", which he has recently released.
We invite you to join us often during the year to celebrate the arts in a unique setting. We recommend that you consider enjoying a fine meal before or after the concert at one of the fine eateries in quaint downtown Westfield and the surrounding area. Most are located within a short walk from the gallery. Event proceeds benefit theatrical programming efforts at TEATRO Si, a 501(c) 3 New Jersey not for profit corporation