Using the power of music to help victims’ families

By vincent todaro
Staff Writer

By vincent todaro
Staff Writer


Jersey Jams Fund co-founder Matt Angus (center) performs recently as part of his band, the Matt Angus Thing, in support of the scholarship fund.Jersey Jams Fund co-founder Matt Angus (center) performs recently as part of his band, the Matt Angus Thing, in support of the scholarship fund.

EAST BRUNSWICK — A charitable group of musicians based in the township is determined to prove that music can be an effective weapon in healing our nation’s wounds.

Jersey Jams, a grassroots organization formed by members of the local music community, is raising money to provide music scholarships to children who lost parents in the Sept. 11 attacks.

"We look at music as a way to fight terrorism," said Robert Makin, who runs the organization out of his home in East Brunswick.

Thus far, Jersey Jams has raised about $20,000 through several months of fund-raising, which was highlighted by a March show at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park. Makin said $14,000 went to the music scholarship fund, while the rest was invested to promote future shows and sell its CD. Funds from the CD sales and shows go into the scholarship fund.

The idea for Jersey Jams dates back to last September and a song that Makin wrote about the attacks called "Never Again." He said he wrote the song after watching President George W. Bush’s Sept. 29 speech about terrorism, and that he also had the Holocaust in mind when he wrote it.

"I’m not a Bush supporter, but I liked the speech," he said. "My initial idea was to put out a CD, sell 500 copies at my temple, and make money for the families in East Brunswick [who lost loved ones Sept. 11]."

Makin soon realized he wasn’t the only one using his music to deal with the tragedy. He learned that a friend had written a couple of songs about Sept. 11, and the idea developed to record the songs and release them.

"Before you knew it, we had a CD," he said.

The recording, which was released at the Stone Pony show, contains 15 songs and is titled Jersey Jams, Jersey Cares: A Charitable Tribute to New Jersey Families of Sept. 11.

It is mainly a rock record, he said, but it includes forays into various subgenres. Among the artists on the CD are North Brunswick resident and former Styx guitarist Glen Burtnik, The Alice Project, John Eddie and the Voodudes. The CD also includes a hip-hop rendition of Rudyard Kipling’s "If."

Makin’s composition, "Never Again," also appears, as do songs from the two other Jersey Jams co-founders, Matt Angus and Seth Alexander.

Makin said it was Angus’ idea to make the compilation CD and create some sort of fund-raising mechanism. Alexander wanted to use the proceeds for music scholarships.

"Those two guys, they’re the engine of it and I’m like the mouth," said Makin, a longtime New Jersey-based music critic.

"We’re the little engine that could," Alexander said. "If we can help one kid to play music who otherwise wouldn’t have, that’s beautiful."

"We feel that music at its deepest roots was created to celebrate life," Angus said. "We believe that the celebration of life will wipe out terrorism more effectively than hate and war."

Makin turned the CD into a family project, getting his 11-year-old son, Matthew, to contribute artwork and even sing. And the recording is catching on somewhat, getting airplay in various states. He said Jersey Jams would like to get a distribution deal to make copies of the CD available in those states.

Aside from sales of the CD, the group has raised money through a number of shows, including the Jersey Jams, Jersey Cares Summer Arts Carnival, which was held at the Stone Pony in July.

Makin said the group has held about 10 shows since March, and the first four alone raised about $5,000.

"There were about six shows where most of the money from ticket sales went into the fund," he said, adding that Comcast also donated $5,000 to the group.

Jersey Jams actually has concerts planned for the next couple of years, he said.

The group has support from about 30 musical acts, he said, and also numerous sponsors. The vast network of support leads Makin to believe Jersey Jams is just beginning to scratch the surface of its fund-raising ability.

"Hopefully, by this time next year, we’ll have raised enough money to help a lot of these families," he said, adding that there are about 650 families in New Jersey who lost a family member Sept. 11.

He said the fund aims to provide musical education for the children who lost a parent in the attacks. The money could be used by children to study as early as preschool or as late as college, and for anything from renting a tuba to studying at college.

"As much as we possibly can, we want the kids who were born after Sept. 11 to look at us and say ‘Wow, look what they did. We want to play music,’ " he said.

Parents who want to apply for one of the scholarships will be able to do so in September, he said. More information can be obtained at the group’s Web site, www.jerseyjams.com.

The United Way will distribute funds raised by Jersey Jams to the families. Jersey Jams will remain a scholarship fund for the children in the hopes that they will pursue the study of music, which scientifically has been proven to increase math skills, SAT scores and college opportunities, according to the organization.

Makin said the Jersey Jams’ effort is made possible by the Bergen County United Way, of which the group is a fiduciary fund.