Lodi band lends vintage sound to Asparagus Festival
If Ralph Cesena Jr. follows in his grandfather’s footsteps, he still could be playing music in 47 years.
“My grandpa’s music always was about sharing it with the people,” Cesena said. “I’m not the greatest. I’m an average musician. But putting together a band and going out and seeing how happy it makes people is definitely worth doing.”
Cesena, 54, has done that for most of his life, emulating his maternal grandfather Thomas J. Castles, who, before he passed in 2010, led Dixieland and traditional jazz bands in San Joaquin County for most of his 102 years.
The tradition continues with AGENT, an ‘80s-focused rock band that started in 1978 in Lodi, Morada and Stockton, reunited in 2014, and makes its first appearance at the San Joaquin (formerly Stockton) Asparagus Festival on Sunday at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds.
Cesena, the lead singer and co-founder who plays keyboards, and AGENT are among 11 bands performing on the festival’s main stage during the festival.
He’s joined by co-founder Johnny Feikert (guitar), drummer Chris Comacho and bassist Michael Gonzalez. They all sing and harmonize.
“We’re very vocally rich,” said Cesena, whose group performs rock songs popularized in the 1980s. “With four strong vocalists, we can do things that bands bigger than us can’t. We’re unique in that regard.”
On the community stage, 46 local acts perform. As usual, there’s Asparagus Alley — the deep-fried variety still dominates — Kids Zone, farm animals, a carnival, crafts and health-and-wellness fairs, and the all-new Asparagus Plaza.
Cesena, a St. Mary’s High School and San Joaquin Delta College graduate, has been doing playing since eighth grade.
“Every Sunday, I’d go to the Castles’ house,” Cesena said. “I would go back into my grandfather’s studio and play the piano. Apparently, he would listen. He told my mom I should get some lessons: ‘He needs to read (music). He has an ear.’”
Cesena was 9 when he began learning from Don Dollarhide, who played with the Stockton Symphony and taught piano for 55 years.
During one visit to his grandparents’ home, Cesena “noticed a Radio Shack copy of a Beatles’ bass. So, I started teaching myself bass.” He played in St. Mary’s jazz band as a senior.
In 1978, he wrote down a phone number from the bulletin board at Bill’s Music in Lodi. Jeff Turner wanted to start a band. So did Cesena and Dave Lagorio, a Morada neighbor and St. Mary’s classmate. Feikert filled out the lineup and AGENT (originally Tempest) debuted during lunch at Tokay High School.
Influenced by Australia’s AC/DC, they intensified their reputation at Linden’s Red Barn. With Journey, Loverboy, Foreigner, Night Ranger and the Cars as models, they gained visibility. After winning a San Joaquin County Fair battle of the bands in 1983, AGENT played the final show when The Brickworks, a Stockton live-music haven, closed.
They added Lodi bassist John Miller, with Cesena helping express the “keyboard rock” of that era. “Tonight,” a single, was played on local radio.
By 2000, after Cesena took a five-year break to help “raise my children,” the band stopped playing. AGENT reconnected when Feikert and Cesena did. They returned Sept. 13, 2014, at the Lodi Grape Festival.
Following grandpa’s example, Cesena — manager of applications development at Pacific Coast Producers — also plays in Vine Dawgz and the Rag Tag All-Stars. He shares his avocation with 13 other musicians.
Cesena, a Woodbridge resident, met his wife Christine at Pacific Coast Producers. His two sons (Alex, 23, and Xavier, 21) help him coordinate an annual Amateur Athletic Union basketball tournament in Lodi. Daughter Allegra, 23, writes music, plays guitar and sings.
“You know, when my grandfather performed with the Dawgz, it was fun to watch people react,” Cesena said. “He’s 102 and we’re playing old standards like ‘Bill Bailey (Won’t You Please Come Home)’ and ‘Sitting on Top of the World.’ People really enjoyed it.”
Cesena doesn’t plan to give up the family tradition any time soon.
“Music always will be part of my life,” he said. “You don’t get into music to make money. You’re probably losing money, but at the end of the day, it’s all about bringing joy to people.”