THE KOOTZ / TORNE VALLEY VINEYARDS / Outside on the Patio / Hillburn, NY

NEW JERSEY'S ULTIMATE SINGLE'S MEET-UP GROUP, WHERE THE FUN NEVER STOPS!

Join us for an afternoon outside on the patio of the scenic and majestic TORNE VALLEY VINEYARDS as we watch, listen, dance and sing to one of MINGLE AROUND SINGLES member's long-time favorite bands, THE KOOTZ.

This rustic Victorian getaway, hidden in the historic Hudson Valley, offers something truly unique. Founded in 2009, TORNE VALLEY VINEYARDS has the proud distinction of being the first fully functioning winery in Rockland County New York.

Built in 1875 by industrialist Charles Pierson, TORNE BROOK ESTATE seemed destined to distinguish itself right from the very beginning. Pierson, who had helped to put a fledgling Rockland County on the map with the success of two foundries along the Ramapo River, was in a position to choose one of the choicest parcels of land available, when it came time to build his homestead. The location was to be a fifteen-acre swath of land in the shadow of the Hudson Valley's majestic TORNE MOUNTAIN and bordered on either side by the TORNE BROOK and RAMAPO RIVER. The estate ultimately consisted of a mansion, built in the Victorian Gothic style, and several out-buildings, including a barn, ice and carriage house.

The new century brought many changes to TORNE BROOK. Charles and his wife had passed on, leaving the estate in the hands of their niece Julia and her husband Herbert Mapes. A servants' cottage was added, as well as a horse track, tennis court, spectator pavilion, orchard and formal garden. Nearly a dozen workers lived on the property during this, it's golden era and upon it's completion, the estate was the largest and most opulent of its kind in the Town of Ramapo.

The property was ultimately sold by the Mapes family around 1918 and has been reinvented many times in the intervening years. A large wing and music room were added in the early 20s, by then owner, and Steam ship magnate Alfred Clegg. However, Glegg would be the last to use the expansive property and buildings as a singLe family homestead. Since his tenure, TORNE BROOK FARM (as it had come to be known) would chart a diverse and often uncertain course, being briefly used as a Girl Scout Camp, then a religious retreat; and ultimately having its interiors divided into apartment rental units in the mid 1950s.

Despite being listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, TORNE BROOK FARM had, for many years, been slowly falling into a state is disrepair. By the turn of 21st century, Rockland County's once grand embodiment of the industrial revolution, no longer befitted its proud pedigree.

In 2000, brothers Jon and Stephen France saw potential in the ailing gem and purchased the estate. They began a slow and painstaking restoration of the mansion and out-buildings as well as re-imagined the landscape of the surrounding fifteen acres. Once the property had regained its footing, they turned their attention to the next chapter of TORNE BROOK'S. Inspired by the fertile grounds and a life-long passion for fine wine, the brothers set out to launch the first vineyard ever established in Rockland County. In 2011, the gates of the estate were opened to the public for the first time and TORNE VALLEY VINEYARD, like Charles Pierson nearly a century and a half before, aspired to take its place as a symbol of elegance and industry in the region.

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THE KOOTZ - Rock 'n Roll with Fiber - is a group of Jersey-guys and their 'musical friends', who just can't seem to 'retire their guitars'.... and likely never will!

The collective passion for classic rock, pop, soul and blues... and just plain old "making great music" has been a driving force..... even a 'mantra' in assembling THE KOOTZ BAND.

THE KOOTZ hail from Essex, Bergen, Morris, Union, Passaic, Sussex, Monmouth and Ocean Counties ... and have been around for over 20-years! That's a pretty long-run for any band!

Starting out in the late 90's, it all began as a nucleus of 5 or 6 musicians who informally jammed at various member's basements and even played an occasional gig or two. Back in the day, the band was called 'OMJ' (short for 'Old Man Jam'). By 2001, it was unanimously decided by co-founders Chris Bolger and Glenn Taylor with the full-commitment of the other charter-members, Ben Asher, Tony Dente and (the late) Dr. David Frisch... that this fledgling-outfit would try and make a go of it, seeking more exposure and acceptance... as well as gigs!

They continued to hone their repertoire of (mostly) covers of classic rock, pop and blues-tunes from the late 1950's through the 70's... staying true to why they originally started playing together in the first place! It was the collective and genuine love of this genre of rock 'n roll.
OMJ became "THE KOOTZ in 2002. The renaming was sort of a self-chuckle... or poke at themselves, based on the fact that most of the members were already over 50 years old; Hence, the KOOTZ-Credo, "Rock 'n Roll With Fiber" is quite-visible on the band's banner, which is 'hung in plain-sight' whenever they perform-live!

The hard work and intensity with-which band leader 'Glenny-T' publicized the group and began to bear fruit by 2004. He was able to book the band more and more frequently... and the word began to get-around about these 'old-guys' who could really rock! Besides the pubs and clubs, there were private corporate events and municipal concert opportunities that began to appear on the KOOTZ plate! These Northern NJ guys also started crossing the Driscoll Bridge (or NJ Mason-Dixon Line) a LOT more frequently and began performing at many of the shore-area's hottest venues between Point Pleasant and Long Beach Island. Before-long they were performing over 250 shows-a-year, all-around the tri-state area, as well-as taking to the road for shows in such exotic, far-away destinations as Cape Cod, Cooperstown and Philadelphia!

A debut CD entitled 'Tales From The Endless Bus Tour of New Jersey' followed in 2005, with guest appearances from Tommy James (as-in Shondells) and Smithereens-drummer Dennis Diken. Produced by Glenny-T at his own production-studio, 'Taylor-Made Productions' (www.taylormadeprod.com), this debut-album, a combination of KOOTZ-penned originals and a few classic-covers has achieved over 30,000+ downloads on i-Tunes, as well as over 10,000 units of the hard-CD sold at last-count!

All the while, the band was metamorphosizing, adding additional members. With so-many shows being-booked, THE KOOTZ began to rotate from their pool, as well as import some occasional guest performers. This stable of KOOTZ has grown over the years to currently include 15+ core-members in-all, as-well-as 7-to-10 guest-artists, enabling the band to play as many as 280 shows annually, sometimes with 2 on the same night, simultaneously! This has yielded several different and exciting KOOT-combinations, while maintaining that same pursuit of the classic 60's thru 90's musical genre! It is in this way that THE KOOTZ are a truly unique rock 'n roll band. It's kind of like a small rock 'n roll corporation comprised of these diverse and talented musician-friends!

A second 'totally-live"-CD, entitled "KOOTLEG" was released at the start of Summer-'09 sporting the entire cast of the band performing 21-rockin'-classics. It, too, has been flying off the shelves at every KOOTZ show and from the band's on-line store, which can be found at their website, www.thekootz.com. The live-disc embodies many diverse-combinations of KOOTZ personnel, as well as the material that they play.

Ironically, there had never been a moment when all KOOTZ band members stood under one roof at one time. That changed on October 1st, 2009 when "KOOTLEG, The Concert" became reality! On that evening, the entire "Kast-of-KOOTZ" core and guest-members, took the stage together for possibly the only time ever! The event took place at The Prime Time Dinner Theater in Sayreville, New Jersey and played to over 350 enthusiastic KOOTZ fans!

In January of 2010, THE KOOTZ were hosted for 2 separate TV-shows on Spotlight-NJ, a News-12 NJ program that reaches all of the Northeast-United States. Performing as a semi-acoustic quintet, in a two personnel-configurations, the appearances included six-original KOOTZ songs, as well as two interview-segments with show-host, Della Crews. You can see the shows by clicking HERE!

Rock Clubs, to resorts and private parties.... Biker bars to bistros and coffee houses; THE KOOTZ are always serving up a wide-array of the music that's part of our very core. It's the music that always makes you FEEL GOOD!!!

Come on out to enjoy a light lunch, great company, great music and a beautiful afternoon outside on the patio of this special hidden gem.

Arrive at 12pm to find parking and seating, and to mingle with MINGLE AROUND SINGLE'S MEET-UP Members before the 1pm performance.
* Reservations are not taken. Seating is limited and available on a first come, first served basis.

To watch & listen to video of the band, click here:
THE KOOTZ - VIDEO

To check out the menu, click here:
TORNE VALLEY VINEYARD - MENU

Come on out for good music, good friends and good fun!

DON'T BE SINGLE...COME OUT AND MINGLE!

EVERYONE IS WELCOME!