First, my apologies for no posts for this summer. I’d like to say that I’ve been busy surfing and shutting down all connections to tedium on my path to enlightenment—but not that glorious. Second, The Amazing Incredibles will be back in Hoboken for the Hoboken Arts and Music Festival on Sunday, September 25 at 2:30 p.m. on the Observer Highway Stage at Washington Street. We’ll be opening for the great Spyro Gyra band who will be headlining in place of the recuperating Leon Russell. (More on that in a bit.) This is now a family affair! Spyro Gyra guitarist Julio Fernandez is a local hero born in Cuba, raised in Hoboken and a great friend to The Amazing Incredibles and other musical luminaries throughout Hoboken and the New York metropolitan area.
Before The Amazing Incredibles hit the stage our on bassist Dave Post will bring his ‘real job’ to the stage presenting his big band Swingadelic back at the Hoboken Arts and Musical Festival where they’ve been knocking them dead for years! If you are in the neighborhood be sure to get to the Observer Highway Stage by 1:15 p.m. to hear Dave, and other local musical luminaries: John Bauers, Paul Pizzuti, Boo Reiners and the rest of the big band as they bring their tightly crafted arrangements of jazz and swing standards to the stage.
And finally…from everyone in Hoboken…from all the musicians who will be on stage on September 25 and especially The Amazing Incredibles we wish the great Leon Russell peace, healing and only our most positive thoughts for his speedy recovery. Even though there is great joy in being on stage with our good friend Julio Fernandez and Spyro Gyra we will truly miss the presence and musical mastery of Leon Russell.
We were so excited in May of this year to be slated to share the stage with Leon in Hoboken only to be outdone that day by Mother Nature’s need to provide necessary rain to our local environment. Both Leon’s band and The Amazing Incredibles could not perform on the June 12 rain date clearing the stage for our good friends “Skanatra” as they said hello to their Hoboken musical friends and neighbors with a history of performing for more than twenty years.
In July when Leon suffered a heart attack, we all took a collective deep breath hoping for the best. We were elated to hear out that not only would he would heal but he would be back in Hoboken for September’s Hoboken Arts and Music Festival. So much joy condensed into a few glorious communications. We recently found out that Leon needs a bit more time to heal…and we will give it to him. As long as he needs! We want Leon Russell, his band, his crew and his fans to know that everyone in Hoboken, on the stage and in the streets, will be thinking of Leon Russell on September 25 and hoping and waiting for the day he comes to see us in the Mile Square city. We love you Leon! Get well soon!