Saturday September 21
International recording artist Bernard Allison, based out of Paris, leads a trio of musical acts performing at this year’s Festival in the Borough in Washington with deep ties to the European music scene.
Katie Henry, who has played previously the Festival in the Borough, is back after killing it on her most recent European tour. Since her last appearance in Washington she’s signed on with Ruf Records and her booking agent has been scheduling her for shows and festivals around the U.S. as well as Europe where the Sussex County native is hugely popular. Meanwhile, Hunterdon County-based Craig Sailer recently signed a European recording contract and will be performing with his band, the Craig Sailer Project.
This year’s Festival in the Borough, presented by the Washington Business Improvement District, is scheduled for Sept. 21 (rain or shine). It is the recognized as the largest music and street festival in Northwest New Jersey. The mega-event, free to attend, offers three stages of entertainment and dozens of vendors throughout the downtown. This is the 20th anniversary of the festival, which has featured hundreds of acts since 2004.
Bernard Allison has strong family musical genes that he has drawn from but clearly is his own man on stage and in the recording studio. For Festival in the Borough he’ll be celebrating his newest CD, “Luther’s Blues.”
Indeed, Allison totes the same smokin’ six string shooter that his late father, Luther Allison, assaulted the blues with. He is blessed with his father’s soulful voice, spiritual devotion, and a musical freedom which experiments with the blues. Born in Chicago, in 1965, the youngest of nine children, Bernard was first introduced to the roots of blues and the art of the electric guitar by his father. Like Ken Griffey Jr. hanging out in baseball locker rooms as a youth, Luther’s son was the kid running on-stage throughout the band’s set. Experiences like that profoundly affect one’s aspirations. “That’s when I decided I wanted to be up there like him. I think I was seven,” he said.
“I didn’t start to play ’til I was maybe 10 years of age” Bernard continued. “I picked up the guitar and listened to his records.”
While Luther was away on tour his record collection played a major role in shaping the son’s direction. Bernard listened to his dad’s influences like Magic Sam, Otis Rush, T-Bone Walker, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and B.B. King. He also got into the next generation that followed, people like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter, and Jimi Hendrix.
Bernard made his first appearance on a record at age 13, when he played on a live LP his father recorded. At 18, Bernard joined his father on-stage at the 1983 Chicago Blues Festival. Then, one week after he graduated from high school, Bernard got a call from Koko Taylor asking to be her lead guitar player.
He joined Koko Taylor’s Blues Machine for three years. Eventually Bernard took off on his own and has recorded and toured throughout the world.
Amid all the daily pop culture pressures to be the next American Idol Bernard stays rooted in the blues. “The blues are my roots,” he said. “Regardless of how far outside of the blues I reach for tones, I can’t ever leave the blues. Whenever I play, all those guitar parts are Luther Allison coming through me. My dad was the same way, he wasn’t all blues. He loved Otis Redding or Chuck Berry. I’m just showing where my influences come from, and respecting the people who got me to this point.”
Among the other musical acts on the schedule are Asbury Fever, a Bruce Springsteen tribute band, Zydeco Revelators, Ginger and the Schnapps, JerZgirls, Mr. T Band, and Dizaster Horse. The eclectic Warlock Wondershow will also be entertaining twice during the day with circus style sideshow acts and feats of skill.
The Toga Party Band kicks off the free festival weekend on Friday Sept. 20 with a special performance in Veteran’s Park from 6 to 8 p.m. On Saturday Sept. 21, the action kicks into high gear starting at 11 a.m. (craft/merchandise vendors begin at 10 a.m.) and continuing until 10 p.m. The day also includes free kids activities, solar merry go round, photo booth, a beer garden, food and more!
The Festival in the Borough is a family-friendly event with something for everyone to do throughout the day.
While there is some seating available, the WBID invites attendees to bring lawn chairs, and to enjoy a fun day outdoors with music in the air.
The festival is supported by a host of businesses. They include Hunterdon Healthcare & Mid Jersey Orthopedics, Xfinity, Stuber Insurance Agency, Builders General/Direct Millwork, PNC Bank, Visions Federal Credit Union, Rossi Auto Group, West Washington Family Dentistry, David Santini CPA, Scotty’s Stadium Club, The Meat Shoppe by Arctic Foods, Warren County Dental, Hairmazing, Get A Grip & More, New Jersey American Water, Michael F. Yates & Co., Good Impressions Print Communications, Brogsdale Candles, WRNJ Radio, Washington Car Wash, Explore Warren, Kennedy Event Services, Buddy’s Auto Repair and Swift Print Solutions.. The event is also made possible by funds from the Warren County Cultural and Heritage Division of Land Preservation, a partner of the New Jersey State Council of the Arts. The NJ School of Woodwork and WRNJ Radio are the sponsors of the Friday night Pre-Party.
For the full schedule and details go to https://www.washingtonbid.org/festival-in-the-borough. The Festival in the Borough is also on Facebook.