"Blues Nite: It's all About the Music and Bringin' it Home"
   by Courtney Johnston & Len Norvilla

Lenny Norvilla, resident of Paulsboro, NJ and founder of Blues Nite, has always loved music. His most important goal? Bringing music to the people in his hometown and surrounding areas and most importantly, keeping it "all about the music."

"The reason I got into blues is because I wasn't able to play my bass fast, so I started listening to slower songs I could catch onto," says Norvilla. Some of his earlier influences were Mississippi Fred McDowell, Muddy Waters, Freddie King, and Sonny Terry & Brownie Mcgee. He was there the first time Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, and ZZ Top played in Philly, stuffing a cigar box full of tickets with each passing show. By 1976 he could no longer close the lid to the box, it was simply overflowing with tickets.

In 1990, he and his wife Annie went to see Chris Cain, a then growing blues artist and after the show, Norvilla and Cain stayed in contact over the years.

In 1998 they hosted their first show on their own at the now defunct Garden House in Paulsboro featuring Chris Cain. They called the event "Blues Nite". Former blues writer Vic Brody was also at this event and told Norvilla that he heard "good things" and that he could tell this event was truly "about the music", and that they had to keep this going. Vic's words inspired Norvilla to continue on and are now half of the Blues Nite moniker "It's all about the music" with Annie adding "and bringin' it home!"

The Norvilla's continued to throw blues shows, building lists of contacts from artists to fans to venue owners along the way. Norvilla liked pairing national names with regional names in order to promote these local artists. In fact when bands came from out of town to play at some of the Blues Nite events, to cut costs the Norvilla's welcomed them into their own home. Two of Chuck Berry's bass players, one of Rod Stewart's bass players, and Mark Sallings who played harmonica for Willie Nelson at Farm Aid are just a few of the musicians who have crashed at the Norvilla house. "It was a place for them to rest, go fishing, fix equipment, and just relax," says Norvilla.

"What causes me the most stress is not filling rooms and overfilling rooms," says Norvilla. "I want everyone to be comfortable. We want people there who want to be there."

When Chris Cain called Norvilla a few months ago and asked him to find a venue for him to play at, Norvilla met up with Steve Grenados, who is studio manager at the Hill Studio in Paulsboro. After getting permission from mayor John Burzicelli, Steve and Norvilla and the Blues Nite team decided to use the Hill Studio as the venue. The event took place on May 10th also marking Blues Nite's 10 year anniversary, marking a very special performance for the Norvillas, and the people who have supported Blues Nite loyally over the years. "We are very thankful to all who attended," says Norvilla. "It truly was a special night."

But, Norvilla also hopes to expose those unfamiliar with blues music to this interesting genre. "What we want is people who may be unfamiliar with blues to realize that blues isn't a set song. It doesn't mean 'sad'. Blues is a feeling, like a note between a note." And that mantra is what Lenny Norvilla hopes to bring to the people in this area. Almost everyone who attends leaves saying, "I just saw somebody I haven't seen in years!" This statement makes the Norvillas smile. "It is a constant pleasure to hear and see people rekindling old relationships and forming new ones. New faces smiling, enjoying music, and having a good time...what more could you ask for? It's the perfect break from the obligations that tax us all week long."

So if you are looking for something to do on the weekend or just curious about trying something new, you might want to check out Blues Nite. The events are not often widely publicized, but you can log on to the official website (http://www.bluesnite.net) for show and contact information. "We always welcome new people," Norvilla says. "That's part of what Blues Nite is all about. So come out and help us preserve the music that is ours!"

Joining BluesNite!

BluesNite is run by our leader Lenny Norvilla and his wife Annie. The BluesNite team includes Lenny's family, friends and talented musicians from the tri-state (NJ, PA, DE) area and nationwide.If you would like to be part of the BluesNite Street Team, please email Lenny at lenny@bluesnite.net.