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Jesse Chong @ The Hampton Block Party // 8.8.15

Article by: Glenn Woodell
Photos by: Wendy Podmenik Darugar & Glenn Woodell

 

Before Jesse Chong took the stage at the Hampton Block Party, the earlier rains had driven off much of the usual crowd that is usually gathered well before the show. But by the time he and his crew made their way toward the stage, the crowd was already getting pretty thick. I managed to make my way over to him and make my presence known as a sign of support and to wish him a good show, something I often do both as a music photographer and as a fellow musician.

A lively crowd gathered in front of the stage with people of all ages. Several local musicians, off for the night, were also spotted in the crowd.

Jesse is no newcomer to the area stages. He’s been a staple of the Hampton Roads scene, both as a solo and supporting artist, and also as an opener for a variety of larger acts such as Maroon 5, Derek Trucks, and Willie Nelson.

Jesse solo with Will carrying the bottom end in the background.

On this afternoon, he shared the stage with the Chong Band which on this occasion included Woody Wooderson on the sticks, Will Highton on the thick strings, Jeremy Mangrum on trumpet, Alex Winfield on the sax, and Bernie Lee on the keys. His smooth reggae appealed to everyone as evidenced by people of all ages up on their feet and moving to the music. Any hint of bad weather was long gone and replaced by the upbeat sounds of Jesse and his band.

 

Wendy Podmenik Woodell: Since entering the world of photography in 2013, WENDY PODMENIK has focused her interest on live music. Her ultimate goal is to successfully present the live music genre as an art form which preserves the expression, emotion, and energy of specific moments in time. ////// GLENN WOODELL spends his musical time working both on and around the stage. He's spent decades behind the lens as a visual artist, and for his career, studied human vision as a scientific researcher. His time on the stage these days is either spent holding on to a bass guitar or a camera.