In the swing of it Rock-N-Jock’s good deeds; Clones of Sam; and more BY BOB GULLA

Is it true rockers are frustrated athletes and athletes are frustrated musicians? Some say so. But for Mike Gilbert, chairman and CEO of Rock-N-Jock Charities, it’s possible to be both, kind of. Gilbert, who started the organization with John Cafferty and Steve Smith, two other musical athletes, makes it a point to raise money for various charities and they have a ton of fun doing it.

"To date we’ve donated over $70,000 to Make-a-Wish Foundation and other local charities," says Gilbert, who is stoked about this weekend’s fundraiser for MAWFRI. "I think by the end of this event, that figure might make it to $100,000, and we’ve only been operating a few years."

This year’s event includes a show on Sunday (the 14th) at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick and a golf outing on Monday, which is already sold out. The Grand Ballroom will host the likes of Mike Reno from Loverboy, Cafferty’s Beaver Brown Band, Steve Smith and the Nakeds, and other musical surprises. "To go to a private club, you’d have to spend a lot more than $20 to get this kind of entertainment," says Gilbert. "It’s a great night of music and lots of fun for everyone for a terrific cause."

This August marks the fifth anniversary of Rock-N-Jock Charities. In 2003, they put on a benefit concert broadcast live on Cox3 that raised more than $17,000 for the Station Fire victims and their families. They’ve assembled a great group of people and a fiercely dedicated organization. "We started for the purpose of having an annual event [golf tournament] and donating money to the Make-A-Wish RI Foundation," says Gilbert. "We’ve now grown to an event that brings in golfers and music fans from nine states and sells out each year."

On Sunday the music starts at 7 pm and it’s 21-plus. Tickets are limited but will be available at the door.

NEWPORT IMPRESSIONS

The mighty winds of change were blowing under the Newport Bridge, across Newport Harbor and through the Newport Folk Festival this past weekend, and if that sounds like a pathetic cliché, well, it pretty much is. Still, there’s a modicum of truth in every trite expression, which is why they’re clichés to begin with.

So for a festival that has played it rather safe the last few years, save for a Wilco headlining appearance last summer, festival producers threw caution to that same wind by booking a couple of uncharacteristically edgy acts. On Saturday it was the Pixies’ unplugged debut, which sent waves of the inveterates grumbling to the turnstiles for an early exit. So much for making news at Newport. For what it’s worth, the Pixies weren’t bad acoustic. You can catch it on CD and DVD soon, if the marketing plan holds true. On Sunday, the producers took another deep breath and held it by bringing in the Bright Eyes experience, with Connor Oberst, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, and M. Ward. The booking was inspired and it attracted an element to Fort Adams that is unaccustomed to seeing much sunlight: indie rockers. Before the set, hordes of anxious ashen post-teens surged to the front, only to be told by red-faced security folks they had to disburse. In fact, the security at Newport is excessive; hell, it’s a folk festival after all. What’s the worst that could happen? Think someone might toss a Dunkin’ Donuts mini-sample latte at Del McCoury?

Elvis Costello modeled a suit and tie and coursed through a set of classics (are they classics yet?), damning Folk’s acoustic traditions with an excess of high-decibel voltage. Was there folk music in Newport this year? Some. How lucky were we to see Richard Thompson (one of the world’s great guitarists) and Bela Fleck (one of the world’s great banjo players) in the same afternoon? The Foghorn String Band tore up the Harbor Stage, and Jane Siberry made us cry at the Borders stage. The Holmes Brothers hallelujahed their way through a set of electric gospel rock, and on Friday night at the Newport Casino at the Tennis Hall of Fame, Nanci Griffith snored while Arlo Guthrie soared. Man, that guy sure can entertain, including all 25 minutes of "Alice’s Restaurant" to boot.

SOUNDS OF SAM

It hasn’t taken long — two years, actually — for Clones of Sam to get their act together. Their seriously melodic alt-rock, built around the voice and songs of frontman Rick Belluso, is surprisingly cohesive for a band this age. Their songs, the first five of which debut on You’re Still Here, brim with ideas and passion, style and substance. The Clones stake out rock turf akin to neo-grungers such as Collective Soul and late-period Pumpkins. But they also demonstrate that they can ratchet up the intensity a bit, as on the last 50 seconds or so of "How," which shows real songwriting presence and live potential. Guitarist Ron Belluso is an innovative lead player with plenty of good ideas, especially on the opening "Saltwater Kiss," on the descending arpeggios on "Pretty Town," and on the acoustic outro title cut which leaves a pleasant taste. Clones of Sam touch on a multitude of ideas—so many that it’s impossible for all of them to click into place. But many do just that and when they do, they come at you at a moment’s notice — a chord or a change seizes you with its beauty and cleverness. So in the end, it’s all truly good, and the band, as it narrows its focus, will come up with even more promising material.

The Clones of Sam record release party is on Saturday (the 13th) at the Living Room with Neutral Nation, Benny Sizzler, and Dopey Lopes. Call 401.521.5200.

WANDERING EYE

The Songwriters In the Round series comes ’round again this Sunday (the 14th) at AS220. Hosted by Ryan Fitzsimmons, the lineup also features Kate Klim, Mark Cutler, and Jacqueline Bartlett. The totally acoustic songwriting showcase revolves around a theme each month, and the theme this time is "The Girl In the Second Row," which seems right up Cutler’s alley. The show starts at 7 pm and admission is $5.

As Big World looks ahead to an appearance on the Warped Tour, they’re bringing Volcom band ASG to Area Venue in Newport for a show on Tuesday (the 16th). On Monday (the 15th), Kip and Lucky 57 will get lucky indeed, opening for Chuck Prophet at Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, Massachusetts. The show starts at 8 pm.

The Bohemian Quartet will perform every Wednesday evening at a fine new Exeter restaurant called Caspita. Bill Andrews, formerly of Leon’s on Broadway, is doing a great job providing good grub in a cool atmosphere.

E-mail me with your music news at big.daddy1@cox.net.