The Billy Walton Band celebrates the release of its new album, “Wish for What You Want,” at The Saint in Asbury Park on Sunday.
Sometimes you can learn all you really need to know about a band from the credits. Look at the liner notes of the new Wish for What You Want by the Billy Walton Band, for instance, and you’ll find out that Southside Johnny guests on one song, former Asbury Juke Joey Stann plays on another, and covers of songs by The Rascals (“Come On Up”) and Mink DeVille (“Just to Walk That Little Girl Home”) are included along with 10 originals.
You won’t find this in the liner notes, but singer-songwriter-guitarist Walton used to be a Juke himself, as well.
As you might guess from this information, Walton’s band is not interested in inventing the wheel, but plays the kind of sturdy fusion of rock, blues and soul that never goes out of fashion, especially on the Jersey shore (and in Europe, too, where the band has toured 13 times since 2007).
The Billy Walton Band — which also includes bassist-vocalist William Paris, drummer John D’Angelo, trombonist Ian Gray and saxophone player Sean Marks — will celebrate the album’s release (on the VizzTone label) Sunday at 2 p.m. at The Saint in Asbury Park, with Stolen Rhodes opening. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door, and a copy of the CD will be included free. For information, visit TheSaintNJ.com.
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