{"id":15749,"date":"2018-06-21T13:57:36","date_gmt":"2018-06-21T17:57:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=15749"},"modified":"2018-06-21T13:57:46","modified_gmt":"2018-06-21T17:57:46","slug":"on-stage-uptown-celebrates-the-roots-of-doo-wop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=15749","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Uptown celebrates the roots of Doo-Wop"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Soul Harmony<\/p><\/div>\n

Today\u2019s world of music has an amazing number of genres and sub-genres.\u00a0 Some of the oldest are blues, country and western, rock and rhythm and blues.<\/p>\n

The first three are easy for casual music fans to figure out. The fourth is more obscure.<\/p>\n

Rhythm and blues, commonly abbreviated as\u00a0R&B, is a\u00a0genre<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0popular music<\/a>\u00a0that originated in\u00a0African-American<\/a>\u00a0communities in the 1940s.\u00a0The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban\u00a0African-Americans<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In the commercial rhythm and blues music typical of the 1950s through the 1970s, the bands usually consisted of piano, one or two guitars, bass, drums, one or more saxophones, and sometimes background vocalists. R&B lyrical themes often dealt with the African-American experience of pain and the quest for freedom and joy<\/p>\n

\u201cRhythm and blues\u201d replaced the term \u201crace music<\/a>,\u201d which originally came from within the black community but was deemed offensive in the postwar world.\u00a0The term \u201crhythm and blues\u201d was used by\u00a0Billboard\u00a0in\u00a0its chart listings<\/a>\u00a0from June 1949 until August 1969, when its \u201cHot Rhythm & Blues Singles\u201d chart was renamed as \u201cBest Selling Soul Singles.\u201d<\/p>\n

The roots of R&B can be traced to the doo-wop music of the 1940s.<\/p>\n

Doo-wop\u00a0is a genre of\u00a0rhythm and blues<\/a>\u00a0music that was developed in\u00a0African-American<\/a>\u00a0communities in the\u00a0East Coast of the United States<\/a>\u00a0in the 1940s, achieving mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. Built upon\u00a0vocal harmony<\/a>, doo-wop was one of the most mainstream, pop-oriented styles of the time.<\/p>\n

The late 1940s and early 1950s brought the so-called \u201cbird groups\u201d of doo-wop — The Swallows, The Ravens,\u00a0The Orioles,\u00a0The Penguins,\u00a0The Crows,\u00a0The Flamingos,\u00a0The Blue Jays,\u00a0The Cardinals, and\u00a0The Larks.<\/p>\n

The earliest and most popular of these were two groups from Baltimore \u2013 the Ravens and the Orioles.<\/p>\n

Now through June 30, the Uptown Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, http:\/\/uptownwestchester.org<\/a>) is presenting the world premiere of a great new musical called \u201cSoul Harmony: The Story of Deborah Chessler, Sonny Til and The Orioles\u201d \u2013 a show focusing on doo-wop pioneers Sonny Til and the Orioles along with their partner\/agent\/songwriter Deborah Chessler.<\/p>\n

The show was written by Michael Allen Harrison and Alan Berg. It features the direction and choreography of Terrence Kelley along with music by Harrison and Berg.<\/p>\n

\u201cMichael wrote the music and I wrote the lyrics for the original, award-winning score,\u201d said Berg, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon. \u201cTogether, we wrote the award-winning script.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe song \u2018It\u2019s Too Soon to Know\u2019 by Sonny Til & The Orioles is credited as being the first rhythm and blues song. And, it broke the race barrier on AM radio. The show is set in the time period from 1948-1953. The catalyst for the show was learning the story itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

When a young Jewish singer\/songwriter, Deborah Chessler, partnered with a dynamic black vocal group, The Orioles, they made history.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Too Soon to Know\u201d was a Number One hit. More chart-topping songs — \u201cCrying in The Chapel\u201d, \u201cTell Me So\u201d, and \u201cHold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me\u201d — became part of an unforgettable story.<\/p>\n

It is a musical story that is set in the social context of the times — that of rigid segregation in an industry that often failed to take women seriously or treat black performers equally.<\/p>\n

\u201cI presented the story when I was teaching in western Massachusetts at Williams College,\u201d said Berg. \u201cI used it to give a positive example of a past time period when people of different backgrounds changed society through music.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreil Marcus from Rolling Stone magazine wrote an essay \u2013 \u2018The Deborah Chessler Story.\u2019 It told the story that had been forgotten. Around 2011, I called Greil and asked \u2013 is this woman still alive.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreil called her and asked if she wanted to talk with me. After that, she and I spoke for an hour each week for about two years. I have 100 pages of direct interview with her.\u201d<\/p>\n

The result was the birth of this show.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the first real production of the show,\u201d said Berg, \u201cThe first show was a workshop in Portland, Oregon. Even though it was only a workshop, it won a lot of awards.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 2015 debut of \u201cSoul Harmony\u201d in Portland, Oregon won four Portland Area Musical Theater Awards (PAMTA) for Outstanding Original Musical, Outstanding Original Score, Outstanding New Song for \u201cThe Music Inside\u201d, and Best Orchestration.\u201d \u201cSoul Harmony: The Story of Deborah Chessler, Sonny Til and The Orioles\u201d was newly created for introduction to a broader audience<\/p>\n

The show now is being introduced in West Chester \u2013 with a direct link to the original artists<\/p>\n

\u201cDe\u2019Sean Dooley, who is Sonny Til\u2019s grandson, found us through Facebook,\u201d said Berg. \u201cWe talked. Now, De\u2019Sean is playing the role of his grandfather in this production.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dooley won a PAMTA Award for Outstanding Debut in the 2015 debut of \u201cSoul Harmony.\u201d The role of Deborah Chessler is played by Monica Rodrigues, a gifted new musical theater talent from New York. Her previous roles include Lulu in \u201cCabaret,\u201d Maria Elena in \u201cBuddy – The Buddy Holly Story\u201d and Deborah Chessler in the 2015 debut of \u201cSoul Harmony,\u201d for which she was nominated for Best Actress\/Featured Performer.<\/p>\n

Other cast members include \u201cKing of Oldies\u201d, Philly DJ Ali Hackett; Music historian and Classic Urban Harmony owner, Charlie Horner; and Joel Katz, whose \u201cClassic Doo Wop\u201d show sold out at Uptown! last fall.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>As an added attraction, instead of a performance on the evening of June 23, there will be a special show \u2013 \u201cExtreme Doo Wop means Acappella Concert.\u201d<\/p>\n

The concert will feature Quiet Storm, De\u2019Sean Dooley backed by Quiet Storm, Deborah Charleston backed by Quiet Storm, JT Morgan, Reunion, A Perfect Blend, and The Copians. The concert will start at 7 p.m. with tickets priced at $40 and 455.<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cSoul Harmony: The Story of Deborah Chessler, Sonny Til and The Orioles\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/zhBg4SeDWAY<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show will run now through June 30 at the Uptown Knauer Performing Arts Center. Standard reserved seating is $40 and $55.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Red Wanting Blue<\/p><\/div>\n

When you\u2019re a band that has been around for 22 years, it can be difficult to find new experiences.<\/p>\n

Such has not been the case for Red Wanting Blue.<\/p>\n

The Ohio-based band just released its 11th album and used an entirely different approach in the making of the LP.<\/p>\n

Red Wanting Blue is also playing for the first time ever at the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/a>). The band \u2013 Scott Terry – vocals, tenor guitar, ukulele; Mark McCullough – bass, chapman stick, vocals; Greg Rahm – guitar, keyboards, vocals; Eric Hall – guitar, lap steel, vocals; Dean Anshutz – drums & percussion — will headline a show at the venue on June 21.<\/p>\n

\u201cSurprisingly, we\u2019ve never played Sellersville before,\u201d said Terry, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon as the band loaded in for a show at Daryl\u2019s House in Pawlings, New York. \u201cWe\u2019re really looking forward to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Red wanting Blue, or RWB as it is known to its fans, is touring in support of its new album \u201cThe Wanting,\u201d which was recorded in Nashville with Will Hoge as the producer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all went to college at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio and formed the band there. When we first started, we were a four-piece. We put out two albums when we were in college.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, it was a matter of figuring out how to get out. Moving to Columbus was the next step. We moved there in 2000 and we\u2019re still there. \u2018Model Citizen\u2019 in 2000 was the first real record made in a studio. From 2008-2014, we made three albums on Fanatic Records with producer Jamie Candiloro. For long time, we were mostly a touring band. We were on the road all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

After a while, the need for a change rose to the surface.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter those albums with Fanatic, we decided we weren\u2019t going to be a slave to the road,\u201d said Terry, who spent his teen years in nearby Moorestown, New Jersey (and even had his first job at the Moorestown Mall).<\/p>\n

\u201cWe took control of our own destiny. After 20 years and 10 records, we said \u2013 what are we going to do different?<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember Emerson Hart from Tonic, Will and I talking. Emerson said — give it time\u2026you have to let a song sit\u2026then you can look at it differently. So, we stopped being a slave to time. \u2018The Wanting\u2019 represents that from the band \u2013 writing, working, doing demos \u2013 working with each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor at least a week every month, we were in our studio in Columbus. Previous RWB recording work has been reflecting touring non-stop. \u2018The Waiting\u2019 is the culmination of years of people jumping on the moving train.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past, some members weren\u2019t involved in the songwriting. For this record, we all knew each other and what we could do. It was a band effort. Everybody is a writer on the record.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another big factor in the new album is the addition of Hoge as the producer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill has been a big fixture in our lives for the last decade,\u201d said Terry. \u201cWe\u2019ve toured together and we\u2019re great friends. On a day off during the band\u2019s sixth annual trip aboard the Rock Boat cruise, Will\u2019s wife and our wives said that they thought it would be great if we worked together. It was a good idea.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill has seen us play a lot. He said \u2013 I know you guys. I\u2019ve watched the way you perform for your fans and the way they resonate. There\u2019s a magnetism there that hasn\u2019t been reproduced on your albums. I feel like if you give me the darts, I might not hit the bullseye, but I\u2019ll get closer to the bullseye than any other producer you\u2019ll meet.\u201d
\nHoge and the boys from Ohio found a way to recreate that magnetism in the studio and the result is a sparkling new album called \u201cThe Wanting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn our live set now, we\u2019re playing nine of the 11 songs from the album,\u201d said Terry. \u201cWe\u2019re also playing a lot of the songs we\u2019re known for over the last 20 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Red Wanting Blue \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/GL5N-vNZUes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Sellersville Theater, which has Liz Brasher ss the opening act, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $19.50 and $29.50.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at the venue are Southern Culture on the Skids on June 22, The Dustbowl Revival on June 23, \u201cTribute To Dave Brubeck & More\u201d performed by The Eric Mintel Quartet on June 24 (1:30 p.m.), Marc Cohn on June 24, Junior Brown on June 25 and Bobby Messano & Broken Toys<\/a> on June 27.<\/p>\n

On June 22, there will be two interesting acts \u2013 very different acts, one very new and one very old — performing a few blocks away from each other in downtown Philadelphia. The earlier show will feature NUEX at Kung Fu Necktie. Later in the evening, The English Beat will headline a show at Underground Arts.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

NUEX<\/p><\/div>\n

The concert at Kung Fu Necktie (1248 North Front Street, Philadelphia, 215-291-4919, kungfunecktie.com<\/a>) will feature DC-based electronic-pop duo NUEX.<\/p>\n

NUEX that just released its debut EP \u201cAffectus\u201d on May 25. Showcasing the duo\u2019s dark, experimental sound, the EP is a five-track collection that fuses haunting synths with kick-clap, hip hop-influenced rhythms.<\/p>\n

Featuring singer-songwriter Camille Michelle Gray and drummer-producer Teddy Aitkins, NUEX has a brief history that dates back to 2014.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe met four years ago when Teddy posted an ad on Craigslist that said \u2013 Do you sing? Call me,\u201d said Gray, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon from her home in the D.C. area. I\u2019m not sure what motivated me to call him \u2013 but I\u2019m glad I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aitkins said, \u201cI was looking for someone like Camille. It was cool. You could list tags and there was a bunch of bands that we were both into. We both liked bands like M83, Coldplay and Empire of the Sun \u2013 people that make big music.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver time, when I realized she likes As Tall As Lions — that was huge. Then, we started making music together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gray said, \u201cTed had other people working with him and I got roped in. Eventually, we realized we worked best as a duo \u2013 more simplicity.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two began recording demos in the basement of Gray\u2019s house just days after meeting and quickly developed a chemistry that would eventually define their sound and lead to the release of their debut singles \u201cLights Off<\/a>\u201d and \u201cI Make Bones<\/a>\u201d in 2016.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first thing we did as an established duo was the single \u2018Lights Off,\u2019 which was our debut single two years ago,\u201d said Gray. \u201cThere were never any restrictions.\u201d<\/p>\n

NUEX first brought its sound to Liv Nightclub in 2014 in D.C., in what would become their first of dozen shows along the eastern seaboard. NUEX have since built a regional fan base from performing in Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York City, and D.C.<\/p>\n

The duo has performed at the Smithsonian Institute and the Natural Portrait Gallery. They recently won the chance to perform and represent Washington D.C. in Austin, Texas at SXSW out of an applicant pool of thousands.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot only do we like the same music, we also have very diverse tastes in music \u2013 jazz, pop, hip hop, rock,\u201d said Aitkins.<\/p>\n

Even though NUEX has a relatively small discography, it has the ability to fill a set with original tunes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve released five songs \u2013 two singles and a five-song EP \u2013 but we have a lot more,\u201d said Aitkins. \u201cCamille made a spread sheet of all our songs \u2013 about 50 songs. And, we have at least a dozen more.\u201d<\/p>\n

The name NUEX is derived from the contextual French word\u00a0\u201cnue,\u201d meaning\u00a0\u201cof the heavens, sky, clouds.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted our name to be representative of the big music we make,\u201d said Gray. \u201cWe added the \u2018X\u2019 to make it different. But, when you pronounce our name, the \u2018X\u2019 is silent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Nuex \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/XyYbC_ej2k0<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Kung Fu Necktie (1248 North Front Street, Philadelphia, 215-291-4919, kungfunecktie.com<\/a>), which also features Yeek, Marco McKinnis and Gianni Lee, will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at Kung Fu Necktie are Of Feather and Bone on June 21, Disc on June 22, Little Vicious on June 23, Jesse Marchant on June 24, Goat Wizard on June 25, ASG on June 26 and Proper Dark in June 27.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Dave Wakeling is a native of England who has lived in America for the last quarter-century but still stays deeply in touch with his British roots — especially the Two Tone music scene and English football (the Premiership football, which is England\u2019s top soccer league, and currently the World Cup).<\/p>\n

Two Tone music arose in England in the late 1970s and featured a blend of music styles including reggae, New Wave, ska, pop, rocksteady and punk rock. Wakeling was the singer\/songwriter of two of the most popular Two Tone bands of the 1980s and 1990s — The English Beat and General Public.<\/p>\n

Wakeling may be a full-fledged Californian now but he never formally put either of his bands to bed \u2013 especially The English Beat.<\/p>\n

Wakeling and the current edition of The English Beat are now touring North America in support of the band\u2019s new album \u201cHere We Go Love.\u201d The tour brings The English Beat to the area on June 22 for a show at Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill Street, Philadelphia, http:\/\/undergroundarts.org<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cHere We Go Love, which is the band\u2019s first studio album since 1982, was just released on\u00a0June 15.<\/p>\n

As engaged and switched-on as ever, Wakeling\u2019s lyrics draw from observing life — and the tumultuous events of recent months.\u00a0 His thoughts on what holds us together, but also the impermanence that underscores the human condition, have never been more relevant.\u00a0\u201cHere We Go Love\u201d\u00a0has been crafted over the last two years in between breaks from touring.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat seems to be happening with the reviews is that the song \u2018Never Die\u2019 is getting great reviews,\u201d said Wakeling, during a trans-Atlantic phone interview from London Tuesday afternoon. \u201cThey\u2019re saying that it\u2019s not only a great \u2018The Beat\u2019 song but a great song in general.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Beat has been a party band. We never really sang about death. Now, we sing songs about our parents dying. We seem to have hit the nail on the head with this song.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re just now approaching our 40th<\/sup> anniversary and that\u2019s very exciting. What\u2019s the fuss about a 40th<\/sup> anniversary. Well, most bands won\u2019t be there for their 50th<\/sup>anniversaries.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wakeling will always throw a few cover songs into his live set whenever he\u2019s playing. Maybe, he should include the old Sonny and Cher hit \u201cThe Beat Goes On.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wakeling was the singer\/songwriter of two of the most popular bands of the 1980s and 1990s \u2013 The Beat (known in America more as The English Beat) and General Public. Originally known as The Beat in its home country back in the 1970s, the band changed its name to The English Beat because there was another band in America at the same time that was using the name.<\/p>\n

The Birmingham (England) native moved to California more than 30 years ago but never signed off on the death certificate for the English Beat.<\/p>\n

The Beat was formed in Birmingham, England, in\u00a01978, during a period\u00a0of high\u00a0unemployment\u00a0and social upheaval in the\u00a0United Kingdom. Notable singles from the first album included \u201cCan\u2019t Get Used to Losing You,\u201d \u201cMirror In the Bathroom,\u201d \u201cHands Off She\u2019s Mine\u201d and \u201cBest Friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

The second album by The Beat —\u00a0\u201cWha\u2019ppen?\u201d — yielded more U.K. hits, with \u201cAll Out to Get You,\u201d \u201cDrowning\u201d and \u201cDoors of Your Heart\u201d — all of which broke into the\u00a0Top 40\u00a0of the\u00a0U.K. Singles Chart.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ska\/punk scene in Birmingham developed because of the industrialization \u2013 the car track \u2013 same as Detroit. People from different races worked together. After a while, they realized they had more in common with each other than they originally thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were a lot of mixed crowds in the pubs in Birmingham. People were pushed together, and they learned how to get along. We didn\u2019t realize how much of a Birmingham thing it was until we first went to London to play shows. People there were surprised at black people and white people playing music together.\u201d<\/p>\n

The English Beat\u2019s present lineup features King Schascha (toasting), Minh Quan (keyboards, vocals), Deborah Troiano\u00a0(background vocals), Mark Spiller (drums, vocals), Mark London Sims (bass, vocals), Matt Morrish (saxophone\/vocals), Kevin Lum (keyboards, vocals), Hidden Kulcha (guitar) and Wakeling (lead vocals, guitar).<\/p>\n

\u201cWe spent most of the last three years making the album,\u201d said Wakeling. \u201cWe recorded it at NRG Recording Studio in North Hollywood. We got to use vintage gear from the 1960s \u2013 great analog equipment and beautiful microphones.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe couldn\u2019t be more thrilled with the results. We captured that original The Beat sound. The hardest thing was not repeating the things that didn\u2019t work in the past and focusing on looking for new things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wakeling was also thrilled with England\u2019s exciting win over Tunisia with a last-minute goal securing a 2-1 opening game victory at the World Cup in Russia. He\u2019s hoping the excitement continues on Sunday when England plays Panama in Nizhny Novgorod.<\/p>\n

Video link for the English Beat \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/dPBZ5UaQHLc<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Underground Arts, which has Ghost Town Steppas as the opening act, will start at 9 p.m. Tickets are $25.<\/p>\n

Another show this weekend at Underground Arts will be \u201cRemember Jones: Back to Back to Black — An Amy Winehouse Tribute.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The Candlelight Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0302- 475-2313,\u00a0www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>) is always a great place to enjoy an evening of top-flight musical theater entertainment along with a tasty buffet dinner.<\/p>\n

Now through June 24, the Candlelight is presenting a very funny farce titled \u201cBoeing Boeing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBoeing Boeing\u201d is set in Paris, France \u2013- set in an era when Paris was the \u201cCity of Love,\u201d flight attendants were called stewardesses, and the \u201cSwinging 60s\u201d was all about fun-loving good times. A rip-roaring bedroom farce written by Marc Camoletti,\u00a0\u201cBoeing Boeing\u201d\u00a0debuted on Broadway in 1965. The 2008 revival garnered several Tony Award nominations.<\/p>\n

Performances are Friday and Saturday evening (doors 6 p.m.\/show, 8 p.m.) and Sunday afternoon (doors, 1 p.m.\/show, 3 p.m.). Tickets, which include dinner and show, are $63 for adults and $33 for children (ages 4-12).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Joseph Anthony<\/p><\/div>\n

On one thursday night each month, the Candlelight Theater becomes the Candlelight Comedy Club.<\/p>\n

This month\u2019s comedy night is set for June 21 with comedian Joseph Anthony as the headliner. He is a Brooklyn native and son of an Italian immigrant father.<\/p>\n

The opening act is LaTice, an African-American comedian, was born and raised in the white suburbs of South Jersey\u00a0\u2013 a life experience that has provided her with a lot of material.<\/p>\n

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 and include a light fare buffet. Cash bar is available.<\/p>\n

The 200 block of South Broad Street in Philadelphia will be a hot spot for live theatrical entertainment through the weekend.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Disney\u2019s\u00a0Aladdin<\/p><\/div>\n

Disney Theatrical Productions in conjunction with the Kimmel Center\u2019s Broadway Philadelphia is presenting the Philadelphia premiere of\u00a0\u201cDisney\u2019s\u00a0Aladdin\u201d\u00a0now through July 1 at the Academy of Music (Broad and Locust streets, Philadelphia, 215-731-3333,\u00a0www.kimmelcenter.org<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The all-ages favorite, which offers adventure, comedy, and romance, features all of the cherished songs from the famous Academy Award-winning animated Disney film and the popular musical soundtrack.<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cDisney\u2019s Aladdin\u201d \u2014\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/2K-9vrwilEQ<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cDisney\u2019s Aladdin\u201d will run June13-July 1 at the Academy of Music. Tickets start at $20.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Champions of Magic<\/p><\/div>\n

From June 20-24, the Kimmel Center is presenting Champions of Magic at the Merriam Theater (250 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, 215-893-1999,\u00a0kimmelcenter.org<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The five world-class illusionists in this theatrical production first found fame in London\u2019s West End. The show features illusionists Young & Strange, acclaimed\u00a0mind reader\u00a0Alex McAleer, escapologist Fernando Velasco and close-up magician Kayla Drescher.<\/p>\n

The production features mostly original magic that was created or devised by the performers and production designers. The show is known for its production including a large lighting rig and pyrotechnic effects.<\/p>\n

Video link for Champions of Magic \u2014\u00a0https:\/\/vimeo.com\/215531871<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Merriam is running now through June 24. Ticket prices range from $25-$125.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Countdown to Ecstasy<\/p><\/div>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) will have Countdown to Ecstasy on June 22, The Ian Fidance Stand Up Comedy Show<\/a> with Claire Parker, Rachel Fogletto, Michael Brooks, and Alyssa Truszkowski<\/a> on June 23, and \u201cChasing Trane – Films & Words at The Flash\u201d on June 24.<\/p>\n

On June 27, The Kennett Flash & Anson B. Nixon Park will team up to present \u201cEdgardo Cintron & The Inca Band — A Tribute to Santana\u201d at Anson B. Nixon Park. The show, which is free and open to the public, will start at 7 p.m.<\/p>\n

The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) \u00a0will have Broken Arrow (Neil Young Tribute)<\/a> and The Newspaper Taxis (Beatles Tribute)<\/a> on June 22, Trevor Hall on June 23, and Conan O\u2019Brien bandleader Jimmy Vivino <\/a>featuring Steve Guyger and Greg Sover along with special guest David Bromberg on June 24.<\/p>\n

The Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/a>) will host \u201cThe Monkees present: The Mike & Micky Show with Mike Nesmith and Micky Dolenz on June 21, and \u201cCesar Millan Live!\u201d <\/a>on June 24.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Today\u2019s world of music has an amazing number of genres and sub-genres.\u00a0 Some of the oldest are blues, country and western, rock and rhythm and blues. The first three are easy for casual music fans to figure out. The fourth is more obscure. Rhythm and blues, commonly abbreviated […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15751,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4357],"tags":[7128,7122,3162,7127,7125,7124,7123,7126,4063],"class_list":["post-15749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-countdown-to-ecstasy","tag-doo-wop","tag-featured","tag-joseph-anthony","tag-nuex","tag-red-wanting-blue","tag-soul-harmony","tag-the-english-beat","tag-uptown"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15749"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15749\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15750,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15749\/revisions\/15750"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15751"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}