Like Dylan, EmmyLou Harris & George Jones? Then, You'll Love SouthSide Johnny & The Poor Fools! This FRI at SOPAC

@ SOPAC Friday 9/27 8pm

For more than 35 years, Southside Johnny Lyon has delivered a soul-searing brand of raucous blues and R&B that's made his Asbury Jukes a seminal force of the music scene.  Over the last year, the affable New Jersey rock icon has set his sights on a long-desired project that will deliver to music fans some of the singer’s most cherished and under-recognized song nuggets; Original gems, as well as what Johnny calls ‘those seldom-played and maybe even forgotten rock ‘covers,’ in an intimate, acoustically-mined live stage throwdown billed as Southside Johnny and The Poor Fools. 

Southside Johnny and The Poor Fools have now released their first highly-anticipated CD, Songs From the Barn, on LeRoy Records. The new disc features six all new original tracks written by Southside Johnny Lyon and longtime collaborator Jeff Kazee, along with their versions of cover songs made popular by Randy Newman, Bob Dylan, Bo Diddley, Lucinda Williams and Alvin "Shine" Robinson.

Songs From the Barn was recorded between December 2011 and December 2012, in between both Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes’ and The Poor Fools’ heavy touring schedules, at Sanctuary Sound II in New Jersey, a former horse barn - hence the title - that was converted into a recording studio by owner and longtime Southside Johnny friend, Jon Bon Jovi.

Backed by Jeff Kazee, Jukes bassist John Conte, Billy Joel guitarist Tommy Byrnes and Asbury Jukes trombonist/multi-instrumentalist Neal “The Dude” Pawley,  The Poor Fools’ project looms as a stripped-down, up-close-and-personal musical joyfest. The band often blends their shows with friends and special guests—Soozie Tyrell (Bruce Springsteen), pictured with the band in above photo, G.E. Smith (Saturday Night Live/Dylan), Andy York (John Mellencamp) and Jay Geils have all recently appeared with the band. 

Johnny is quick to point out the ebullient singer will be sharing frontman duties as well - “getting everyone out of their comfort zone” - rotating singing and instrumentation roles among his fellow Fools and even strapping on a guitar himself in the band for the first time in years.  “I lost the feeling in my fingers many years ago,” he says - “But I promised myself one day I was going to accept the challenge of playing guitar in a live setting and that time is here,” he adds, laughing: “With this great, great group of musicians ready to cover up my mistakes.” 

The notion of putting acoustic musicianship and rare songs on the front-burner - songs that may have never quite fit the Jukes’ repertoire -  is an idea that has gnawed at the singer throughout his career.  Choosing fan-devoted, intimate venues to roll out such a treasure chest is pure, unadulterated Johnny.

For Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes - ‘comfortable’ has never been a word associated with their brand of raucous, roots-tinged rock and bluesy reverie.  The Jukes have more than 30 albums on their resume, thousands of acclaimed live performances across the globe, and a vibrant legacy of classic songs that have become "hits" to their large and famously-dedicated fan base. The Poor Fools now showcase Johnny’s rarefied love for the purity of good songwriting, no matter the origin or provenance. 

“With the Jukes, you’re out there every night leading this great rock n’ roll circus, giving it everything you’ve got, but still…you know there are songs you long to play, songs you always wanted to do, but don’t quite fit in,” says Johnny.  “It might be great covers you always wanted to pull out,  songs buried deep in your sacred bottom drawer, songs you forgot, even, that you’re dying to do up there - in a different format maybe - songs that have been whispering to you over the years to have their ‘day’ on stage.  The Poor Fools is the forum for us to do this kind of material live, and enjoy it with all these wonderful musicians and intimately, with our great audience.”

Pianist and vocalist Jeff Kazee puts it: ‘Johnny is the most musically generous guy in the world.  I believe the thought of having an acoustic-ish working band is something he's had down on his bucket-list through the years.  Southside genuinely likes the way that each of these hand-picked musicians play and sing - and he encourages us to lead each other into uncharted territories, and in front of an audience!'

Johnny also sheds some light about the particular song choices that will be part of his songlist.  “We’ll be doing country songs, or bluegrass stuff, older songs, softer songs maybe - covers from say Dylan or Tom Waits.  Emmylou Harris stuff.  We're always gonna have some Rock and Roll in there. And we’re going to do different versions of Jukes’ material that the fans have never heard - ‘Sirens Of The Night,’ ‘Blue Radio,’ ‘Future In Your Eyes…’  And songs of ours that maybe some people have never heard, ever.  It’s never mattered to me as a music fan if a song is a year-old or recorded fifty years ago.  We may even do some songs from the great American songbook here. Pick your favorites.  Whether it is Wilco or Django Reinhardt - I like it when it is in my purview.”

Music fans across the U.S. can be grateful that Southside Johnny And The Poor Fools are about to be in our purview.  Amen.

Tickets: Contact SOPAC at 973.313.ARTS or visit SOPACnow.org.