Friday, July 20, 2012

The Persuasions & Shakes





                                                                             Then


Now 

Nightbeat – 7 –20-26

Friday – July 20                 

The Persuasions plus The Shakes: Legendary Doo Wop Vocal Stars PLUS Motown Party Dance Songs in a free concert at the Somers Point Beach. Because it is a double-header, this show starts early.

News Bulletin Alert from Concert Central! -


Tonights Somers Point Beach Concert will be held at the Elks Lodge, 1815 Somers Point Mays Landing Road, EHT. Hot dogs, hamburgers & clams will be available. There is a bar available, please, no coolers. Limited chairs, consider bringing your own chair. Start time is 6:45 with the Persuasions followed by The Shakes. Hope to see you there! 



The Persuasions have long been the acknowledged “Kings of A Cappella,” which means they sing without the musical accompanyment of a band. With a pronounced emphasis on harmony and style, the group first came together in the early 1960s singing on the streetcorners of Brooklyn, but all hail from different parts of the country.

Frank Zappa was responsible for The Pers” first serious LP recording, Acappella. He heard The Persuasions singing over the phone from a New Jersey record shop known as Stan's Square Records. The store's owner, Stan Krause, was the group's manager at the time. Zappa had an appreciation for soul and street corner style singing, and after hearing the group, flew them to Los Angeles to record their first album. Thirty years later, Zappa fan Rip Rense supervised and encouraged the group in the creation of a Persuasions tribute CD to Zappa, Frankly A Cappella on Earthbeat Records.

All the original Persuasions came from a strong history and deep background in church-based music. Their singing, style and musical inventory has always included the heavy influence of gospel, a major measure soul, and a dose of pop. Their legendarily eclectic repertoire has drawn from everything from Sam Cooke to The Temptations to Kurt Weill to Zappa; from country to blues to gospel to rock to jazz.

The Persuasions later recorded tribute albums consisting of material by Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead (Might as Well), the Beatles (The Persuasions sing the Beatles) and Zappa.

Since those long ago days of 1962, The Persuasions have gone on to sing in concert halls and nightclubs the world over. They have released 26 albums, and opened for artists including: Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, Ray Charles, Bill Cosby, and Richard Pryor. Amazingly enough, Roseanne Barr and Bruce Springsteen once opened for The Persuasions.

With a career spanning half a century and showing no signs of retiring any time soon, the Persuasions continue to take on new and exciting musical projects. Over the summer of '09, it was the music of J.J. Cale, featuring the powerhouse baritone/tenor of "Sweet" Joe Russell on "I'll Make Love To You," and basso profundo, Jimmy Hayes on "Travelin' Light." Continuing the tradition of in-house self-arranging and producing, the group is now joined by Dave Revels, former member of the Drifters and long time Persuasions friend (who sang with them on their Beatles tribute CD and later arranged and produced their U2 tribute CD) as producer/arranger of the group's recording projects, along with Jimmy Hayes. Since the departure of lead singer Jerry Lawson, the "Pers" have regrouped and continue to perform nationwide to rave reviews.

The group's first ever recording specifically for children, "On The Good Ship Lollipop," was released in 1999, and won a bushel of awards from parents' organizations. In March, 2000, The Persuasions released an album in tribute to their old friend, Zappa, "Frankly A Cappella: The Persuasions Sing Zappa." At the time, Jerry Lawson of The Persuasions said, "Frank gave us our start, and this is our way of saying 'thanks'". The album was critically acclaimed in publications including People Magazine.

The Grateful Dead were next, when The Persuasions recorded a tribute album and released it in October 2000. The recording, "Might As Well: The Persuasions Sing Grateful Dead" celebrated the songs of Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia. Both the Zappa and Grateful Dead albums were the brainchild of co-producer and longtime Persuasions friend, music journalist Rip Rense, who had also secured the deal and acted as project coordinator/annotator for "On The Good Ship Lollipop." In 2002, The Persuasions moved on to Chesky Records, where they recorded the "The Persuasions Sing The Beatles."

This will be followed, on the same night, by a dance party concert featuring a set of pop favorites and Motown classics that same evening by The Shakes. Originally a rock and roll band out of Asbury Park, founded by the original E-Street drummer Vinny, the Shakes also once included local guitarist and singer Bob Campanell, but they have since reached out to other styles and now have a strong soul and funk sound that’s fun to dance to.

Bring your beach chairs and family and be ready to rock and swing as the very best entertainers are presented free, Friday nights in July, at the Somers Point Beach Concerts.
For more information go to www.SomersPointBeachConcerts.com or call 609-653-6069 or 609-457-1316.


 Other Friday Shows

        Mighty Parrot Band, Tuckahoe Inn, Back Bay Café, Beesleys Point 7-11
        Budesa Brothers – Biai deck, Bay Ave., 7pm
        Jack & Yvonne Duet in the Sandi Point Lounge.


• Seal, Macy Gray, Revel
• Kenny Loggins, Borgata
July 20-21
• Santana, Borgata 

Saturday - July 21

- Lew London & Bob Mower – Guitar Duo extraonaire – peform at Sandi Point.

- Ben Singleton and the People’s Choice Tuckahoe Inn, Back Bay Café, Rt. 9 Beesleys Point, 6-10.
- Dave Gustafson, Biai deck, Bay Ave. 7pm 

- Rick DeKarski on piano in the historic Tap Room at Atlantic City Country Club. Where Chef Ed Dagger’s reputation is renown.

• Howie Mandel, Borgata
• Boston, Trump Taj Mahal
• Air Supply, Resorts
• Matisyahu, House of Blues
• Chelsea Lately comics Heather McDonald, James Davis, Brad Wollack, Morgan Murphy, Golden Nugget
• Robin Thicke, Harrah's Resort

Sunday – July 22                   

- Bob Campanell at the Tuckahoe Inn.

Monday – July 23

-  Joe Breidenstine Quartet & Friends at Sandi Point
-          
Tuesday – July 24

Wednesday – July 25

- The Bob Campanell Band [bobcampanell.com ]with Danny Eyer [eyermusic.com


Thursday - July 26

- Tim Keka Jazz Jam, w/ Tom Angello on drums and special guests at Sandi Point

- Mike Lunemann –  Every Thursday (6pm) on the patio at Atlantic City Country Club
• The Offspring, American Fangs, House of Blues



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