Charlie’s musical journey started in sixth grade in North Bergen, NJ,  where he picked up a school issued Eb clarinet, the glamor instrument of any concert band, and started to learn to read and play music.  He moved on to tenor saxophone and then baritone saxophone in high school, where he eventually became an alternate All-state baritone sax player for concert band, the drum major of the marching band and baritone sax player in the high school jazz band.

Charlie would have loved to have continued his music career after high school, but then “life” happened, and he ended up taking a 25 year hiatus from music to pursue a career in accounting and to start a family with his beautiful wife, Michelle.  Then the “origin story” —

Origin Story —

Sometime around 2005 and 2006, Alex Stecyna (original keyboardist) and Rennie Pincus (original rhythm guitar and vocalist) formed the precursor to Mary’s Basement, which was glibly called Shuart Lane Jam – formed with a bunch of guys from their neighbor hood, to play the Shuart Lane block party, where Alex then invited me to join to play, forcing me out of my 25 year hiatus.

Shortly thereafter, Alex invited John Curran (lead Vocals and Rhythm guitar) after a conversation with John’s wife at a little league game.  Alex then found our original drummer, Tommy Irwin, with whom he played in a town softball league.  Then, while Alex and I were travelling back from the city to Ramsey on a NJ Transit train, we were talking about the band, and a guy sitting behind us said “I play bass and I’m from Ramsey” – that’s how Jimmy Donegan (Bass Guitar)  became a founding member.

We rehearsed in Rennie’s garage on Sunday nights, but after being shut down by the Ramsey police at curfew, we had to find a new place to rehearse.  John’s mother-in-law, Mary Gleason, offered us her air-conditioned and carpeted basement for rehearsal.  Once we honed our original sound and were offered some paying gigs, we had to come up a name for the band.  We all agreed that we needed to pay homage to our benefactor Mary – and Mary’s Basement was born.