PAUL JOST QUARTET TO PLAY CCA BENEFIT

Center for Community Arts announces that the Paul Jost Quartet will entertain the crowd at its Red Shoe Gala on Friday, March 11 from 7:30 – 11:00 p.m.

The band will provide a combination of good, fun, and sophisticated swing, ballads, pop and r&b music for people to both dance to, and be entertained by, in the Ballroom at Congress Hall.

The “red shoes optional” gala is a 10th Anniversary party for CCA, which creates art and humanities programs for Cape May’s residents and visitors and is transforming the Franklin Street School into a community cultural center. Tickets are $35 in advance by calling 884-7525 or at the door.

Paul Jost (vocal and harmonica), Bob Shomo (drums), Andy Lalasis (bass) and Dave Posmontier (piano) comprise the band.

In addition to great music, the Red Shoe Gala will include a buffet supper and dessert bar, raffles, a 50/50 and a cash bar. Cape May Stage’s Joe Panullo judge the Red Shoe Contest, awarding a $100 gift certificate donated by Casale’s Shoe Store to the winner.

Paul Jost is an eclectic artist known equally for his abilities as vocalist, drummer and composer. A four category Billboard Song Contest Winner, his songs, (including the highly acclaimed, "Book Faded Brown” ), have been recorded by The Band, Carl Perkins and Rick Danko. He has composed for Canon Pictures, ("Last Rites"), and NBC's Emmy Winning Series, "Special Treat". Paul has performed with Billy Eckstine, Mark Murphy, Ann Hampton Calloway, Frank D'Rone, George Mesterhazy, Sylvia Simms, Ron Thomas; served as musical director for Morgana King, and recorded with a variety of artists including Bobby Scott, Sivuca, Dr. John, Bucky Pizzarelli, Teo Macero. Paul's vocals, drumming and harmonica can be heard on many major national jingles.

Bob Shomo began his musical career in Atlantic City, working with pianist George Mesterhazy, saxophonist Michael Pedicin Jr., and The Club Harlem House Band, (directed by Johnny Lynch). Bob can be heard on recordings with Michael Pedicin Jr., Mick Rossi, Mesterhazy, the Tim Lekan Trio, Steve Giordano and Barbara Montgomery. Recent club and concert appearances include performances with the Ron Kerber Quintet, Bucky Pizzarelli and Rebecca Paris among others.

Andy Lalasis has been a fixture on the music scene for the past twenty or so years. He has held top positions as staff musician for Steve Wynn’s Golden Nuggett, Bally’s Grand, and Merv Griffin’s Resorts Hotel/Casinos as well as having backed-up every major act to have passed thru Atlantic City. Playing Acoustic and Electric basses, Andy has made quite a reputation for himself as a musical chameleon - able to blend into any given situation with ease.

Dave Posmontier has played professionally for the past 30 years. Recently, as part of the Tony Williams Jazz Festival, Dave performed with noted saxophonists David “Fathead” Newman and Grover Washington, Jr. in 1999 and again with Newman and the legendary James Moody in 2000. Dave has also been playing traditional and innovative klezmer music with a band called, “Klingon Klezmer.”