By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Start Making Sense
On its corporate website, School of Rock offers this invitation – “Enroll your child at School of Rock and watch them become a musician. Our patented School of Rock Method™ has taught hundreds of thousands of students around the world to play music. “Our Method builds musical proficiency by integrating thrilling stage performance, song-based learning, proprietary Method Books, Method Engine, and a revolutionary Method App.”
There are 10 School of Rock locations in Pennsylvania, and they have done a good job of providing foundations for young musicians to build a solid music base.
One of the School of Rocks in Pennsylvania is the Downingtown School of Rock.
One of the Downingtown School of Rock’s products has gone on to establish herself as a major player in one of the country’s most highly acclaimed tribute acts.
Jenny Founds, who a former Downingtown West High student, is the bass player and a background vocalist in Start Making Sense, which is headlining a show on August 22 at the 2026 Concerts Under the Stars series at the Upper Merion Township Building Park (175 West Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, www.concertsunderthestarskop.com)
Start Making Sense, which is a Talking Heads tribute band, features Jesse Braun (drums), Jon Braun (lead singer, guitar), Kate Desisto (vocals), Alex Ayala (keyboards, vocals), Brian Davis (guitar, vocals) Colin Miller (percussion, vocals) and Founds.
“I was born in Philadelphia and my family moved to Downingtown when I was five,” said Founds, during as phone interview Wednesday afternoon.
“I went to Downingtown West for ninth and 10th grades. I spent the next two years studying at the Center for Performing and Fine Arts in West Chester.
“Then, I got my degree in musical theater at Marymount College in New York. I joined Start Making Sense halfway through college.”
Founds’ time at Downingtown School of Rock set the stage for her involvement with Start Making Sense.
“I was studying at Downingtown School of Rock when I was in middle school and high school,” said Founds.
“Jon Braun was one of the show directors at Downingtown School of Rock. He originally asked me to be a backup singer for Start Making Sense in 2014.
“I play guitar, piano, bass guitar and I sing. I took up bass seriously when they asked me to play bass and do backup vocals. In 2021 during COVID, the original bassist quit and I was the replacement.
“The Talking Heads’ original bassist was a female musician – Tina Weymouth – so it made sense for me to play bass.”
Playing electric bass did not have high place in Founds’ musical CV.
“At first, bass was a little difficult for me – but I was comfortable with the songs,” said Founds.
“I dance when I sing and it was different to dance while dealing with the weight of the bass guitar.
“Now, I’ve gained the strength to hold the bass, dance and sing at the same time.”
When Start Making Sense is performing on stage Kate Desisto and Founds meld their voices well to provide a strong and melodic backup for Jon Braun.
Founds and drummer Jesse Braun hook up to give the band a solid rhythm team.
Founds and Braun are also a team in real life.
“After college, I was living in New York and then New Jersey,” said Founds. “Then, I moved to Bethlehem because that’s where Start Making Sense is based.
“I fell in love with the drummer. When I joined the band, Jon didn’t tell me that he had a really cute brother who was 10 years younger and played drums in the band. Jesse and I have been a couple since 2015.”
Jesse Braun grew up in Phillipsburg and eventually migrated to Bethlehem.
“The band started back in 2009,” said Braun, during a phone interview from his home in Bethlehem.
“The Fun House is this great dive bar in Bethlehem. My brother and I were in a band and most of the guys did a show of music from Led Zeppelin and the Who’s ‘Quadrophenia’ album.
“The bar’s owner Tina Kowlaski suggested a Talking Heads tribute, so we thought we’d do a couple nights. We played the Fun House and a few other gigs.
“It just kind of grew from there. It just built real organically. Jon and I are the only two original members and Jenny joined in 2014.”
In addition to Bethlehem, Start Making Sense, which took its name from the Talking Heads’ movie “Stop Making Sense,” has its roots at the Downingtown School of Rock.
Davis, who lives in Conshohocken, has been a teacher at the Downingtown School of Rock for 25 years and still is on the staff. Jon Braun was also a teacher at the school.
Founds, who was initially involved with the Downingtown School of Rock is now a teacher at the Easton School of Rock.
“Jenny was a student of Jon’s at the Downingtown School of Rock,” said Braun. “She started performing with our band as a vocalist 10 years ago.
“Then, our previous bass player left the band because he got a job at Martin Guitar. At that point, Jenny took over as our bass player. She’s great. She’s a multi-instrumentalist.”
Start Making Sense has continued to delve into the world of the Talking Heads.
Talking Heads formed in New York City in 1975 with lead vocalist and guitarist David Byrne, drummer Chris Frantz, bassist Tina Weymouth, and guitarist and keyboardist Jerry Harrison.
Described as one of the most acclaimed groups of the 1980s, Talking Heads helped to pioneer “New Wave” music by combining elements of punk, funk, art rock and world music.
“
We all were casual Talking Heads fans,” said Braun. “Once we started Start Making Sense, we dug into the music.
“Everybody was already pretty well-versed in Talking Heads music. Digging into it just increased our appreciation.”
The band accurately recreates the music of Talking Heads and Jon Braun’s live performances even incorporate some of David Byrne’s stage presence, outfits and eccentricities.
Bernie Worrell, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member and keyboardist for Talking Heads and Parliament/Funkadelic, said this about Start Making Sense, “To all you listeners…
This is an appropriate title — Start Making Sense. This band makes plenty of sense to me and is a great representation of Talking Heads’ music. So, listen up and go check them out!”
Over the years, Start Making Sense has developed a strong fanbase in the Lehigh Valley and Philly area. It is a fanbase that is expanding nationally – and internationally.
“Later this year, we’ re returning to Australia for a third time,” said Founds. “We’re playing six cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
“We also have shows coming up in Colorado, Detroit and Chicago. We play 65-70 shows a year.”
At one point, the band was playing more than 100 shows a year.
“We usually go out for three or four days at a time,” said Braun. “We’re ‘Weekend Warriors.’ We play pretty consistently throughout the year – from March through December.
“All of us are full-time musicians or teachers on the side but everybody is pretty committed to this band.
“We’ve had a rotating cast over the years, but this line-up has stayed the same since 2019 – except for Kate who joined in 2021 right before COVID.”
There are also side projects.
“Jenny, Jon and I have an indie band called Ruby Dear,” said Braun. “We play a lot around the Lehigh Valley.”
Ruby Dear has released two albums – “Ruby Dear” (which was mastered by Brian Davis) in 2018 and “This Will” in 2021.
“With Start Making Sense shows, we play songs from all eight Talking Heads albums and, when we have the horns, we mix solo David Byrne songs,” said Braun.
“Now, we’re doing the song ‘What Is The Reason For This’ from his most recent album.”
Some of the Talking Heads’ classics featuring in the Start Making Sense set list are “Psycho Killer,” “Take Me to the River,” “Once in a Lifetime,” “Burning Down the House” and “Wild Wild Life.”
Video link for Start Making Sense – https://youtu.be/OaKIVNlVRmk?si=pEU1El1G3-4R6dbg.
The show in King of Prussia on August 22 will start at 7 p.m. and feature two sets by Start Making Sense.
Tickets are $25.
Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http://www.kennettflash.org) is hosting “WINSLOW: An Evening of the Eagles!” on August 22.Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org) is presenting “Tell Me Lies — The Fleetwood Mac Experience” on August 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m. each night.
Jamey’s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985, www.jameyshouseofmusic.com) is presenting Just Guitars Live featuring Eliza Rush on August 21, Brad Vickers and His Vestapolitans and The Mikey Junior Band on August 21, Dustin Arbuckle and the Damnations on August 22 and Jamey’s Blues Union ON August 23.
Elkton Music Hall (107 North Street, Elkton, Maryland, www.elktonmusichall.com) presents “Eyes of the Nile: Ultimate Tribute to Iron Maiden” on August 21, “Arena Flashback: 1976 – 1983 Arena Rock Experience” on August 22 and Seven Year Witch, Crown of Smoke and What Are The Odds on August 26.
The Candlelight Theater (2208 Millers Road, Wilmington, Delaware, www.candlelighttheatredelware.com) is presenting one of the all-time favorite family musicals – “Annie.”
The show remains one of the biggest Broadway musical hits ever. It has been performed in 28 languages and has been running somewhere around the world for 45 years.
The beloved score for “Annie” includes “Maybe,” “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile,” “Easy Street,” “I Don’t Need Anything But You,” and the eternal anthem of optimism, “Tomorrow.”
The Candlelight’s production of “Annie” is running until August 30.
Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, www.ardmoremusic.com) will host “Classic Albums Live! ft. Rolling Stones, Black Crowes, & Aerosmith Tributes” on August 21.
The American Music Theatre (2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, www.AMTshows.com) will present Blue Öyster Cult on August 21, “Top of the World – A Carpenters Tribute” on August 22.
