If the Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel had a love child that Bob Dylan adopted, its name would be MICHAEL DANTE SUMMONTE.

This young singer/songwriter from Little Silver, NJ seems to have taken a piece from all three of these artists and turned it into a sound that's all his own.

Combining Beatle-esque rhythms with Simon & Garfunkel and Dylan vocal stylings, SUMMONTE keeps you wondering as to who his next song is influenced by. A talented "aggressive" player, SUMMONTE attacks his six string where needed and caresses it gently in others. However, it's his lyrics and vocals that I feel set this artist apart.

The odd thing is that when I first listened to SUMMONTE, I got the impression that he could possibly be classified as a "dark" songwriter. I made this determination after hearing his song "Hey Pretty Girl" which shows his Beatle influences. Now, I know that no one has ever considered the Beatles a "dark" band, but there was just something about the sound on this track that led me to believe so. Later on in the program when he played songs such as "Digging A Hole" and "Rats," the late '60s Dylan sound came to the forefront. The funny thing about SUMMONTE's music is that it keeps you wondering what's next? Will it be a light upbeat tune, or a more tension-filled ballad? Either way, he does not disappoint!

In studio, SUMMONTE brought along NICK KIEFER, who is better known as "The Boy" from ANJELIA & THE BOY. KIEFER, a guitarist by trade, also plays percussion, which he did very well live on the air. KIEFER and SUMMONTE's paths have only recently crossed. It seems that they met at a very popular open mic in Rumson, NJ at Val's Tavern. They quickly struck up a friendship that has led to them becoming band mates. SUMMONTE occasionally plays bass guitar for ANJELIA & THE BOY and KIEFER plays guitar and/or percussion for him.

SUMMONTE is in the planning stages for the recording of his debut CD. Armed with a wealth of material, but unsure of exactly which is CD worthy, he is gathering opinions, musicians, and possible financing for the project. However, he does have his music available for download via Facebook or on Myspace (www.myspace.com/michaeldantesummonte). It's on these sites where one can also find out upcoming gigs and all facts about MICHAEL DANTE SUMMONTE.

I wish to thank SUMMONTE and KIEFER for coming on the program. They did so on very short notice due to the cancellation of my scheduled guest. They helped me out of a potential jam, and it was greatly appreciated.

This Sunday, Sept. 19, at 10pm EST, my scheduled guest, direct from Baltimore, MD, is JASON AGER. This blues rocker with hip-hop overtones always comes to play.

Turn on... Tune in... and... ROCK ON!