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Arts & Entertainment

Jessica Brophy - Contagious Enthusiasm

Lead singer for Azure Moon plays tonight, Feb. 11, at The Station.

 The lead singer for Azure Moon wants everything to click tonight (Feb. 11) when the second incarnation of the band makes its first appearance in Martinez. When everything clicks, Jessica Brophy says, when all the band members are on the same note, the synergy extends beyond the stage. The crowd feels it.

Brophy hopes the audience will be entertained and moved. “Even if all they are moved to do is get up and shake it,” she says. “I want them to have a good time.”

The cover band performs familiar R&B, classic rock and vintage blues. “Our set list is pretty eclectic. We choose songs that have a certain groove.” Crowd-pleasers include Chain of Fools, Piece of My Heart by Janis Joplin and their rendition of Gladys Knight’s version of Heard It Through the Grapevine. “If we can find something with a funky bass line, that’s cool, ’cause our bass player can slap it.”

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The bass player is Ed Platt. He was the first to join Brophy when she formed a new Azure Moon. Platt brought along drummer Ed “Maui” Jamieson. He was also the connection for keyboardist Bill Jenkins; they played together in progressive rock band Enchant. Then they needed a guitar player. They went looking for “someone young and up-and-coming, and we lucked into Morgan Day.” Day, part of the DVC music program, is talented, Brophy said, and fits right in with the more experienced musicians.

Actually, Jamieson is the odd man out; he’s the only member who isn’t a Martinez resident. “We’ve given him a pass, but we make him come to Martinez to rehearse!”

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 In all seriousness, Brophy says: “The cool thing about Azure Moon is we really like each other a lot. We get along and enjoy hanging out with each other.”

Brophy really appreciates hanging out with like-minded people who get her love for music. As the mother of nine, six at home (she’s kept her figure through fostering and adopting), Brophy says finding time and much-needed creative and social outlets can be tricky. Other things might fit the bill, but singing, she says, is in her blood. “Music is part of who I am.”

She loves sharing that part of herself. Her energy bounces off the stage. And when the audience enjoys it, she’s even more energized. When you’re getting all that positive feedback from your audience, Brophy said, being in the band “feels like more than a hobby.”

She’s looking forward to Feb. 11 at The Station. “It’s good to see familiar faces, and we have the coolest fans,” she says. “The DVC music students who come out to support Morgan are so much fun. They always bring enthusiasm.” It’s a contagious enthusiasm that she wants everyone to catch.  

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