The Soul Jam brings the party to Beacon
One couple boogied in front of an $80,000 painting. Young people sang along to old songs. And last month, after bandleader Jake Vogel shouted, "This is not standing-room-only, this is dancing-room-only!" just before The Soul Jam's final song, 50 people began the Electric Slide inside the art gallery at Savage Wonder in Beacon.
These folks know how to party — the tune lasted for 10 minutes. Along with the band, about 80 people ranging from teens to seniors showed up on a rainy, blustery Thursday evening.
"All of the musicians and many of our followers are Jehovah's Witnesses," says Vogel, maestro and guitarist. "We're allowed to drink in moderation, dance and have fun, but we're discouraged from dating outside the faith."
Based in Newburgh, The Soul Jam plays hits from yesteryear, along with some Vogel originals. He also leads the group Awkward Silence, which will play at Savage Wonder later this month.

The latter iteration of musicians leans into original compositions and a wider array of cover material, from jazz to punk rock, he says. Members and instrumentation are subject to change. Lots of musicians rotate in and out, but the constants are Vogel and Rodney Williams on trumpet.
At one point during The Soul Jam show, as Vogel kneeled, Williams and sax player Edwich Pierrelouis pummeled his head with sound. For the duration of the busy bass line in Stevie Wonder's "I Wish," Lovaughn Bryant watched his left hand closely while cycling through the fun, funky part.
Keyboard player Raj Lachtman's vamps beefed up the tone and Don Placentia's drums accentuated the Latin feel of "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" by adding more syncopation and slurping his hi-hat cymbals with gusto.
The group that evening included two vocalists, and when they launched into "Chain of Fools," Jenae Petty owned the tune. When he's not singing, Anthony Lombard served as the hype man, shaking a percussive egg.
At one point, as the horns soloed off each other, Vogel leaned against a pillar and smiled like a baseball manager enjoying a 1-2-3 inning.
When he exhorted the crowd and launched into the final song of the night, "Get Up Off of That Thing," by James Brown, people let the rhythm hit 'em.
As Vogel knelt to play his guitar, which he had placed flat on the floor, he appeared to be praying. It evoked the moment at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival when Jimi Hendrix leaned over, drenched a six-string with lighter fluid and played with matches.
Onstage, Vogel's style is frenetic. One solo screamed like heavy metal, and for 90 minutes, he jumped around a warm room wearing a suit and scarf.
"I've always been energetic playing music," he says. "One of my favorite bands is the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and they really bring it live. I tried holding back a little, but I play so much better when I let it loose."
Savage Wonder is located at 141 Main St. in Beacon. Soul Jam will perform at 8:30 p.m. on April 10 and Awkward Silence at 9 p.m. on April 18. Tickets are free at dub.sh/savage-wonder.

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