Karen Ponzio Photos
Willie Moore and Patrick Williams.
Thursday was a near-perfect spring day, the first Thursday in a month that was not cold or rainy or both — blessing those eager to attend Harvest Wine Bar’s Jazz Thursday on its patio.
The restaurant has revived the weekly series, presented in conjunction with Blue Plate Radio Entertainment, that was so popular this past fall.
Both the similarities and differences to last fall were apparent. For starters, Willie Moore and Patrick Williams returned on this night, but this time they were set up in the corner of the patio instead of on the stairs leading down to the restaurant.
When this reporter arrived at 6:30 p.m., nearly all the safely distanced tables on the patio were filled with patrons dining, while the two musicians were still setting up for their 7 to 9:30 p.m. show. I procured a small table for myself. A few minutes later I was unexpectedly joined by Bradley Jacobs, friend and dedicated local music fan, who had also happened to join me in a similar way during my last visit to Harvest back in October to see these very same musicians.
Jacobs and I laughed at the coincidence and traded stories about the live shows popping up around the area. He had just come from Best Video, in fact, where he had caught part of one of their deck shows with David Sasso and Katie Murray — the first time he had been there this year. He had been frequenting Cafe Nine shows, only staying for a short time so another could have his seat and enjoy some time there. He had also recently attended the Westville Music Bowl for one of the Gov’t Mule shows this past weekend. It all began to feel familiar, as if it were never gone at all — even as it was all being done differently due to Covid-19 guidelines.
Moore and Williams also melded the familiar and the new. “What a beautiful day,” said Moore, and Williams answered with a few bars of Mr. Rogers’s “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”
“We’re going to play as much as we can,” Moore said.
The two then went into their first set of music, including covers of “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers, George Benson’s “Breezin’,” and “Get Down on It” by Kool and the Gang, “for our mid ‘80s/‘90s gang,” said Williams. They made each song their own, with Moore’s delicious bass licks and Williams’ sweet and spicy guitar. Each took turns on vocals.
A feast for the eyes as well as the stomach
Speaking of delicious, on this trip I decided to try a couple of new-to-me dishes. I started with the crispy artichokes, which arrived resting upon a lemon aioli, studded with chunks of ricotta salata, and generously covered in jalapeños, red onions and cilantro. Next were pilsner steamed mussels, swimming in a bowl of broth that included tomatoes, pancetta, garlic, scallions and parmesan cheese. The large chunk of toasted bread that came with it was a welcome addition to the proceedings.
Always order the mussels. Always.
As the sky settled into darkness Moore and Williams returned for their second set, the patio still bustling with diners. They mentioned their joy at returning to Harvest for this series after being rained out for their first scheduled show a month ago, and said they would be back every first Thursday for the rest of the spring and summer. Their second set brought more soulful classics, including “What You Won’t Do For Love” by Bobby Caldwell, “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now” by McFadden and Whitehead, and The Temptations’ “Just My Imagination,” which showcased the duo’s harmonies, warming up the now slightly chilly night as brightly as the fiery patio warmers that studded the outdoor dining area.
Time is a social construct.
A movie played on the brick wall over the patio as day became night. Once again it was Back to the Future, and once again the choice seemed appropriate: There is no way we can forget the past or forego the future, but we can live in and appreciate the now.
“We lost a lot of people this past year,” said Moore. “We have to continue to be safe and responsible. We are our brothers’ keeper.”
Jazz Thursdays continues weekly at Harvest Wine Bar, 1104 Chapel St., from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Please see the Blue Plate Radio Entertainment Facebook page for the full schedule of performers. Moore and Williams will be back every first Thursday.