You can listen to Jack Brag and other New Jersey artists on EXIT 135, every Sunday from 7 to 9 p.m. on All Over The Place Internet Radio.
Please check out the Spotify playlist featuring the music of Jack Brag and some of Tony Donato’s favorite songs!
For five years, the band Jack Brag has been carving out a unique niche in the New Jersey music scene by adding musically theatrical elements to the standard rock band lineup.
According to bass player and main songwriter Tony Donato, it gives the music an orchestral sheen.
Music lovers can find out for themselves as the band plays a gig at Buddies Tavern in Sayreville this Saturday night. The show is being sponsored by local Internet radio station BlowUpRadio.com.
“I was always a fan of pop and rock music but I started meeting some interesting people like Jay (cellist Jay Varga from Jersey City) and Jim (pianist and vocalist Jim Robertazzi of Clifton) who has a background in musical theater. Let’s take the guitar-bass-drums format and augment it with these orchestral, Vaudeville-type touches,” said Donato, who resides in Harrison.
The other member of the band is drummer Bill Quinn of Belleville. Guitarist Rich Ferriera recently left the band.
The origins of the band's name contain a nod to history that dovetails nicely with the band’s musical goals. “I was always fascinated by late 19th century culture. ‘Jack Brag’ is an old English expression to refer to someone as a pretender who fakes his way into the company of those above his station. I thought it had a little swagger to it,” said Donato.
The band was relatively easy to bring together. Donato recruited Robertazzi early on. “Jim was the one that I knew the longest. I was in a previous band and I sought him out as a singer, but he didn’t care for what I was working on. As soon as I started this new concept, I thought of Jim immediately,” said Donato.
Jack Brag has released two albums so far, their self-titled debut from 2008 and Unbroken White, which was released a year ago on the Main Man label.
Currently, the band is playing one or two shows every month and is in the process of recruiting a new guitarist. “Up to now the band has been very cello- and piano-centric. We’re looking for someone who can expand the scope of the guitar in the band,” noted Donato.
Donato has written a number of demos for the next album, so we can look forward to a new Jack Brag album soon.
Jack Brag will be appearing at Buddies Tavern with Zigman Bird and Christian Beach. The show is being sponsored by BlowUpRadio.com. Buddies Tavern is located at 277 Johnsons Lane in Sayreville. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. Music begins at 9 p.m. Jack Brag goes on at 10 p.m. Admission is free.
