Page 77 - Westchester Magazine - January 2011

interested in a little folk with your fettuccine? Some melodies with your Merlot? Pairing meals and music is a common theme in Westchester, where you can find everything from Cuban jazz to classic rock at venues ranging from honky-tonk pubs to sophisticated wine bars. Many of the restaurateurs themselves are amateur musicians or music aficionados who wanted to bring a slice of the Manhattan music scene—and the good food that goes with it—to the county, but understood the need to get home at a decent hour to pay the babysitter. The result: a host of local eateries that offer harmonious entertainment in a variety of flavors.
Of course, it helps that so much musical talent resides in this area, everyone from Grammy-award-winning gui- tarist Gil Parris to Rob Thomas (and his backup singer, Marc Von Em) to Dennis Collins, who’s performed and recorded with such renowned artists as Sting, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, and Sheryl Crow. Philip Maniatty, co-owner of Pound Ridge-based North Star Restaurant, likes to joke that Sting couldn’t afford the band Dennis brought in once—friends of his that just happened to be free (who also happen to be some of the best musicians around)—Will Lee (bass player for David Letterman’s Late Show), Leon Pendarvis (Saturday Night Live’s musical director), and Ralph MacDonald
(who’s played with James Taylor
and Jimmy Buffett, among oth-
ers). His Northern Westchester
hangout is just one of many
where, luckily, providing enter-
tainment doesn’t mean glossing
over the finer points of a dining
establishment. (Maniatty's chef,
incidentally, is Franz Fruhmann,
who was head chef at Raoul’s
Le Bistro de Soho in New York
City.) Here, some area favorites
who hit the high notes with per-
fect harmony.
There’s always something
going on at 12 Grapes,
which, in its almost
three years in business, has
become the new go-to spot
for top-notch performers in-
cluding Mark Rivera, Billy
Joel’s sax player since 1982
(he is also musical director for
Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band);
Grammy winner and drum-
mer Yonrico Scott of The Derek Trucks Band; five-time Grammy nominee, producer, and keyboard player Jon Cobert; and world-class guitarist Gil Parris. Other per- formers include Bruce Katz (Gregg Allman’s current keyboard player), Marc Von Em (Rob Thomas’s current back-up singer), and Mike Bram (Jason Mraz’s drum- mer). Owner Rich Credidio, a 30-year sales veteran in information technology, who occasionally jams with his bands (he says he’s okay on the drums), admits owning a musical venue with good wine and food was always a dream of his. “This is my reinvention stage,” he says of
his new career and the eatery he hopes people will think of as a perpetual house party.
The atmosphere is calming and jazzy: exposed brick on two sides, walls that alternate in color from magenta to sage green, purple tablecloths over white, and a size- able stage which commonly holds a six- to 10-piece band. Tables are not on top of the music but close enough to see the musician’s expressions. For those who want a more intimate view, there are comfortable leather sofas up front.
Credidio admits he likes to mix it up with his book- ings and doesn’t want to be labeled as only hosting one
PHOTO BY JEANNIE CREDIDIO
specific style of music—which is why checking the web- site is the best way to find out what’s happening. Fridays and Saturdays tend to be when the larger (often six to 12 pieces)—and louder—bands play, and range from rock and blues to soul and R&B. Sundays are mellower with singer-songwriters, bluegrass with banjos and fiddles, or even gospel.
Credidio doesn’t want to be pigeonholed with the menu, either. “If something’s not working, we take it off and try something else,” he says. His chef, Pasquale Sarwar, was once a personal chef to Leona Helmsley. The
Mark Rivera of Billy Joel's band joins Jon Cobert & the Guise at 12 Grapes.
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