Our goal is to improve lives through music making. When I reflect on this goal, I sometimes wonder if an hour of smiling, singing and dancing is “enough”. I keep coming back to the conviction that it is – and, also, that it isn’t. The research scientist in me wants to make sure that the … Read more

When I was young, my daddy wasn’t there, so Mommy had to bump me up and down the stairs, so Moved to Elizabeth after Brick City New ‘hood but still in the nitty gritty Had a stutter and my tongue got tied Kids teased and I just couldn’t hide Feelin’ sorry for myself, Mama cut … Read more

Once, when the Italian actress Anna Magnani was having her portrait taken she told the photographer, “Please don’t retouch my wrinkles. It took me so long to earn them.” I used to be the kind of person who was so struck by the visual beauty of a Fender Stratocaster guitar that when I finally owned … Read more

I want you to try something right now. Put on a pair of headphones if you’ve got them nearby.  Click here to play “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes on YouTube. Bring up the volume. Listen for 30 seconds, then pause the video. I’ll wait …. Now here’s a question for you: by the … Read more

I was recently talking with Ryan, a college student who, as a middle schooler was one of the charter members of The Coffeehouse Project, back when it was an after school program. We were discussing the annual end of the school year rock concerts we staged and how I would be particularly hyped up and … Read more

What happens when you take “titanic” Belfast accents, add a little Houston heat, sprinkle in some Port of Spain calypso beat and top it off with Wilkes Barre plain talkin’? You Feel Good of course! For several months we’ve been trading ideas and tunes with our community music partners at the Moon Base Project in … Read more

The Coffeehouse Project, with the sponsorship of the  Manville Recreation Department, is running a nine-week after school music program for the students of the Alexander Batcho Intermediate School. The program is free to the students, will be held on alternating Friday afternoons from 3:30-4:30pm. We had a meet and greet on 1/18 which had 19 … Read more

On a rainy day in late October, The Coffeehouse Project’s Promise Band (minus Dave who was unable to join us that day) had the privilege of going out with members of Stanley Congregational Church and the Chatham High School Key Club on a food run organized by Bridges Outreach of Summit. The Promise Band made … Read more