DON VENTRIGLIA

Keyboards, Vocals and FX


  
  Don is a Jersey boy and has been singing since third grade, however It was after he sang back stage for the star in a Junior High Schools production of "Bye Bye Birdie" that got him started. The person that was supposed to sing came down with a bad cold, could act, but singing was out of the question. 
His music teacher set him up with a mic back stage, forward into the time machine and here we are. At the age of 14 Don's parents purchased a double
tiered console organ and he began taking lessons.
 
Don established Blue North in 2010, although they have experienced some transitions through the years they are stronger than ever, embarking on a
new path and new direction working closely with one another. Don wanted
Blue North to be a band where when a good musician joins, they would feel welcome, comfortable and not afraid to speak up on musical choices and preferences.
 
Don:       
"Lets face it, we've all been the new boy on the block at one time or another"
"Its not easy sometimes with sky high ego"s, personal agendas, etc"
 
 
Don says music is the universal language, with that in mind, he feels that BN's interpretation of the songs they do allows the freedom to relate that right back to the listener in real time. He also believes that musical 
intuitiveness and improvisation are a vital entity when playing in live venues.
 
 Being 5 different musicians with different musical tastes and influences, 
makes the band very unique as well as versatile. They continually challenge
themselves from a musical stand point which makes for a very tasty selection of songs.
 
 Don's first love is classical music Mozart, Bach, Beethoven to mention a few. His musical influences include Trower, Yes, Genesis, Rush, Crimson, Floyd, ELP, Journey and the list goes on.
 
Don also composes original music and the band infiltrates originals into their cover song list so their audience can get a glimpse of another side of them, a very creative side. Don believes what drives this band is spirituality 
dedication, the love of music, mutual respect for one another as musicians, friendship and thrill of performing and sharing it with others. For without
GOD none of this would be possible!

 

KIM MJ BARRON

Vocals

RICK MORAND
Percussion

Rick a West Orange native began taking drum lessons as early as 4th grade and made all-city by 6th.  He began studying under Newark jazz great Bob DeSalvo where he honed his rudimentary skills into placing 7th in junior high all-state competition.  

After moving to North Carolina in high school, Rick eventually joined the professional band Armageddon (Featuring Beach Music Legend Dink Perry); and opened for acts like The Classics IV, and The Embers.

Family responsibilities and a career in TV took Rick away from drumming until 10 years ago when he moved back to New Jersey and joined both the Glen Rock Pops Orchestra as a percussionist, and Blue North where he continues his love for classic rock.              

                                                                                                                                            

LOU CUOCO

Bass Guitar

The newest member of Blue North, Lou joined the band in May 2019. Like many of his contemporaries, his interest in music began February 9, 1964, when the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. Lou received his first guitar for Christmas that year, and before long he was forming garage bands with friends in his neighborhood. Through his teens and twenties, he played with numerous bands throughout North Jersey and the Hudson valley.

After a long break from music to focus on career and family, Lou recently rejoined the music scene, participatiung in jams and open mics near his home in Orange County, NY.

Some of Lou's favorite bass players are Paul McCartney, James Jamerson (Motown), Carl Radle (Eric Clapton, Derek and the Dominoes),and Garry Tallent (Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band).