Basic Black’s Sam Gentile, North River Blues Festival/Marshfield Fair
Sam Gentile is a fortunate man. Not only did he recently receive a new, donated kidney, he belongs to a community of musicians who will unite at C Note in Hull, Massachusetts on September 23 to help him pay down his medical expenses. Organized by C Note manager Barbara Rhind and south shore music promoter John Hall, the benefit comes from the heart.
“I’ve known him for years,” Rhind said. “I book a lot of the blues shows at the C Note. Every year I see him at the Marshfied Fair. I’ve followed him around.” Rhind, in fact, has always had a polite rapport with hugs and kisses. Rhind has been working very hard, behind the scenes, with John Hall to organize this benefit.
“John Hall approached me for this one,” she said. “He was looking for a venue and I said absolutely we would do it. Sam is part of the blues family. Anything that we can do to help out like that and certainly I can do, I’m definitely going to do it.”
Gentile, Rhind mentioned, is popular for reason beyond his talents as a guitarist and singer. “I think for sure his humbleness,” Rhind said. “I think he’s a fantastic musician. There’s a lot of great musicians out there. But, there’s something very humbling about Sam.”
Rhind couldn’t book Gentile for several months due to Gentile’s medical condition. She had been trying to get a few dates for him but couldn’t. So, this benefit will also mark a special appearance by the musician.
“I think Sam is a carpenter on the side,” she said. “He does that. I’m sure he hasn’t been working or playing as often as he like. I can vouch for that because I couldn’t get a date for him.” When asked what the benefit funds would address, Rhind responded: “I would say for his medical expenses, living expenses, whatever he needs it for. To me, it’s not really important. The whole thing is all about Sam.”
Benefit flier
The other musicians slated to play this benefit were selected because of their connection to Gentile. Rhind and Hall found them by picking musicians who have played him the guitarist in the past. Toni Lynn Washington, who is scheduled to sing at the benefit, has guest sang with Gentile many times over. “Ed Scheer, Ricky “King” Russell, these are all people who have played with him, like Diane Blue, Anthony Geraci, they all know each other,” Rhind said.
Although it’s usually difficult to find drummers and bass players for long events, bassist Andy Berkstrom is donating a drum kit for the benefit. That will cut down the need for numerous set changes. “I asked Andy if he would play at it,” Rhind said. I didn’t even know that Andy knew Sam as well as he did. But, Andy has a party coming up that Sam is playing out. All the blues musicians know Sam.”
Unusual lineups will be the order of the day at this Sunday‘s Gentile benefit, which is what Rhind feels will make it a special event.
“I’ve got three of the guys from Fat City, but they’re all playing with different bands,” Rhind explained.. “Joe Nicarelli, who used to be in Fat City, has played with Sam for numerous years at the Marshfield Fair on the side stage. He’s playing keyboards on the first set. Then, I’ve got John Litwin doing drums he’s the drummer from Fat City.
“I’ve got Joe Baglione to fill in on bass on another set. This way, we can kind of feature everybody. We kind of filter them all in because only a couple of them are actual bands. The rest are musicians we put together. Like the first set, it’s Ricky ‘King’ Russell, Ed Scheer, Mario Perrett, Andy Bergsten, Joe Nicarelli. Those don’t play in a band together. They’re all musicians from other ones. We put them all together so we have a singer, a sax, a drummer, guitar, vocal, piano. We tried to create it that way.”
There will be a suggested donation of $20, which is what Rhind usually asks for at benefits held at the C Note. She said people who do not plan to stay will pay the suggested donation because it’s the cause that matters. “If somebody wants to give me more, that’s even better,” Rhind said. “If somebody can only afford ten dollars, come on in. Every bit counts.”
Based on previous C Note benefits and Gentile’s popularity, Rhind expects the venue to be packed. “Sam has a lot of friends,” she said. “All of the musicians who are donating their time for this, I’m sure, are going to have friends who are going to jump in too. I think there’s going to be a lot of musicians there, which I think is going to make it real cool. I think it’s going to be hard to get into the room.”
Due to a Hull, Massachusetts blue law, the music cannot start until 2:00 p.m. on a Sunday. The doors, though, will open at 1:00 pm. “That’s what our license is,” Rhind said. “We said 2:00 to 8:00. That is how we have everything scheduled, but if it runs over, I don’t have an issue with that.”
Rhind has been working on this benefit in a pressure cooker. She lost her mother two and a half weeks ago while working on this event as well as booking bands on top of a full time job. “It’s been kind of crazy on my end,” she said. “Everything has been coming up quickly.”
Rhind said that south shore blues promoter John Hall has spearheaded this benefit. Mr. Hall chimed in with a few observations of his own in a separate interview. He’s known Sam Gentile for 22 years. Gentile’s band Basic Black has been Hall’s selected side stage band for the North River Blues Festival at Marshfield Fair in Marshfield, Massachusetts. “This summer will be 23. He missed the very first year and has been with me ever since,” Hall said. “We have created a unique partnership.”
Hall has always been inspired to help out others in his music community. It’s just something that he does. Hall put down a deposit for another benefit in November while this article was being put together. “It’s just part of giving back,” Hall said. “I do a lot of profit shows. I like to do some nonprofit to give back. I enjoy putting shows on, and if I can help someone, it’s a win-win there.”
Hall said he likes to have at least two months preparation time. “It’s great having Barbara because she knows.” the promoter said. “It’s tough sometime working with a venue that doesn’t know. But, Barbara knows everything. Working with her is a delight.”
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