2025 New Rhythm and Blues Quartet Concert

 

The legendary NRBQ  (New Rhythm and Blues Quartet) will take the stage at The Park Theatre in Jaffrey, New Hampshire, on Sunday, August 17, 2025 at 7:00pm, for a night of genre-defying music and infectious energy. Known for their eclectic blend of rock, pop, jazz, blues, and Tin Pan Alley styles, NRBQ promises an unforgettable performance filled with spontaneity, humor, and musical virtuosity. The event holds special significance as it features Jaffrey’s own Carl Querfurth, a trombonist who has been a key part of the band’s iconic Whole Wheat Horns who will be performing with NRBQ.

 

Formed in 1965 in Shively, Kentucky, by pianist Terry Adams, guitarist Steve Ferguson, and bassist Joey Spampinato, NRBQ—originally the New Rhythm and Blues Quintet—has carved out a unique place in American music history. Over nearly six decades, the band has released 21 studio albums and 11 live albums, showcasing their chameleon-like ability to blend styles while maintaining an unmistakable sound. From their 1969 self-titled debut, which featured covers of both Eddie Cochran and Sun Ra, to their collaboration with rockabilly legend Carl Perkins on Boppin’ the Blues (1970), NRBQ has consistently pushed boundaries. The classic lineup from 1974 to 1994, featuring Adams, Spampinato, guitarist Al Anderson, and drummer Tom Ardolino, is widely regarded as a high point, producing fan favorites like At Yankee Stadium (1978) and Wild Weekend (1989). Today, NRBQ continues to captivate audiences with its current lineup: Adams on keyboards, Scott Ligon on guitar, Casey McDonough on bass, and John Perrin on drums.

 

NRBQ’s live shows are renowned for their unpredictability and joy, often incorporating audience requests via their famous “Magic Box” routine and delivering performances that AllMusic’s Mark Deming calls “a stellar and wildly unpredictable live act.” The band’s influence spans generations, earning praise from icons like Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, and Keith Richards. They’ve shared stages with everyone from R.E.M. to the Sun Ra Arkestra and even served as the unofficial house band for The Simpsons during Seasons 10-12. Their 2020 rarities collection InFrequencies* and 2021 album Dragnet reaffirm their enduring creativity.

 

Carl Querfurth, a Jaffrey resident, adds a hometown connection to this special performance. As a member of the Whole Wheat Horns alongside saxophonist Klem Klimek, Querfurth’s trombone work has been a highlight of NRBQ’s live shows, bringing a ska-inflected, rock-steady groove to tracks like “Howard Johnson Gets His Ho-Jo Workin.” A review from Live Music News & Review raved, “The best tunes… featured the two-man horn section of saxophonist Klem Klimek and trombonist Carl Querfurth… delivering a first-rate solo” that elevates the band’s dynamic sound.

 

The Park Theatre, a state-of-the-art live performance venue in the heart of Jaffrey, is the perfect setting for NRBQ’s virtuoso performance talents. 

 

“NRBQ are that rare group that’s eclectic, stylistically innovative, and creatively ambitious while also sounding thoroughly unpretentious and accessible,” notes a review on The Park Theatre’s website. 

 

Bonnie Raitt, a longtime fan, declared, “I would put them on the level of the Beatles,” while Rolling Stone praised, “If you were to take every NRBQ album ever released and grade it for sheer joy and listenability… the good albums bearing that combo’s name simply never stop.”

 

Tickets for NRBQ’s August 17 performance are $40 and $45 (orchestra) and available online at theparktheatre.org or by calling the box office at (603) 532-8888. Tickets can also be purchased at the box office one hour before the curtain. The theatre’s bar (ID required) will be open along with concessions.