#thebongos

New Jersey pop-rock legends The Bongos are set to play the sixth O+ Festival 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 at BSP in Kingston, N.Y. All-access wristbands via donation here: http://bit.ly/OFest2015Tickets

By Paul Austin

“Getting a pair of Bongos (sorry I couldn't resist) in one place at the same time these days is probably not going to be feasible.” wrote Rob Norris - bassist for the Hoboken, NJ band The Bongos – in reply to my e-mail request to interview the band. “In any and all cases case, we are very much looking forward to our appearance at O+ next month—thanks!” So, what does it take for the band to come together to perform, much less for an interview?

The Bongos were primarily active during the 1980s, when they toured extensively across the U.S. and U.K. and released five albums, starting with a self-titled debut in 1980, and singles like “In the Congo”, “Bulrushes”, “Mambo Sun” and “Zebra Club”. “Numbers With Wings” came from an album of the same name and the video for that was nominated for Best Direction at the very first MTV Music Video Awards. In 1987, after relentlessly touring and cultivating a dedicated following, the members went their own ways in the midst of recording an album, "Phantom Train", recently released on JEM Records.

But Richard Barone, lead singer and guitarist for the band, took care to explain that this is a very rare reunion for the spontaneous, jazz-inflected, power-pop band. “The Bongos never actually broke up...The Bongos just had to go their own ways because after seven years of solid touring we all had our own music that we wanted to develop. When we are able to come together it’s a really great experience for us. But nowadays it's tricky scheduling for all of us. We all have different things that we do, and in different states.”

Barone is a prime example. He has been busy as a producer since “before, during, and after The Bongos,” often teaches at NYU's Clive Davis Institute of the Tisch School of Arts in Manhattan, has recorded solo albums, produced songs and videos with the late Pete Seeger, and is currently writing another book. Just recently Barone was musical director at the WFUV production “Fare Thee Well, Vin Scelsa,” a musical celebration of the retirement of the legendary DJ. The Bongos played as the house band with diverse musical guests such as David Johansen, Marshall Crenshaw, David Bromberg, Southside Johnny, Dar Williams and others.

If the O+ Festival is special enough an event for a reunion of the band, has it generated any buzz among their fans? “I do see a lot of cool chatter on Facebook and Twitter,” said Barone, adding, “We really want people to know about the O+ Festival and that's one of the reasons why we're excited about The Bongos playing there. It's bringing focus to a great idea and, besides that, I happen to love that region of New York state.”

This is not Barone's first brush with O+. “I performed [as a solo artist] in 2013. Earlier that year was the first time I had actually heard of it. I was offered to perform at it and Rob [Norris] joined me on bass. It was so much fun. We both had a blast and of course, I told him, “let's do this again some time!”

Regarding the central tenet behind the Festival - exchanging the art of medicine for the medicine of art - Barone states, “I love it because it's always been hanging over our heads as musicians that many of us don't have health care. I feel that this festival for one thing brings attention to that in relation to musicians in a very positive way … in a very O Positive way! So often we hear of musicians who require help and funds to take care of their health because they don't have insurance. That's been a serious problem in the music industry. So the idea of that is very appealing to us. It makes a public statement, connecting health care with music.”

It's not the case that musicians and bands never get health care. They do, but they often get it for short periods of time. Some might get it for the short time they have a Broadway gig, for example, but not after. “It's scary,” says Barone. “When on tour, even as a solo artist, we would often form a group plan and we had health care for the entire group - my band and crew. But then when the tour's over, that's it; it's done.” If the spotty coverage wasn't enough of a headache, the sheer work required to get and maintain insurance for these times was nightmare enough in addition to trying to do their day jobs. “It's complicated and really archaic. To even consider health care issues - it's time consuming and not always possible to do” because musicians don't have their own HR or benefits office taking care of that for them. “Musicians have a very unique situation in that regard and this festival brings focus to that and takes care of people. What better thing can a music-related event do than take care of its own?”

During the 2013 Festival, Barone got some dental work done. He says that this year, despite being covered “through Obamacare … I still I am very in favor of promoting what the O+ Festival does and how they help musicians. And I see musicians asking about health care and receiving it... I love to look at the O+ Web site and read about that.”