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An Evening with Vocal Group Legends
Centerton
Country Club,
Pittsgrove, New Jersey
June 18, 2011
Poster Autographed to us by Eddie Rich & Bobby Thomas
(Thanks Tom Hight for the poster)
Blues & Rhythm Productions LLC's “Night
Train” Jim Bakay produced and MC'd for the amazing concert of vocal group
legends. The talent at this show was incredible; Quiet Storm, The Vic Donna
Group, Bobby Thomas & The Vibranaires doing a tribute to the Orioles and
Eddie Rich & The Swallows! The show was held in the Centerton Country
Club in Pittsgrove, NJ.
Before the show we all enjoyed a
delicious buffet dinner. We saw many friends in the audience.
Bobby Thomas, Pam Horner,
Marian & Frank Cicerale
Bobby Thomas, Pma &
Charlie Horner, Marian Cicerale
Bobby Thomas of the
Vibranaires
Pam, Vic Donna and
Charlie
(Photo Courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Tom Rowell, Vic Donna,
Pam & Charlie
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Vic Donna & Val Shively
Vic Donna, Pam, Val &
Patty Shively, Holly Heinz
George Marchese (Vic
Donna Group) & Frank Cicerale (Re-MemberThen)
Swallows' Eddie Rich &
Pam Horner
Swallows' Eddie Rich &
Charlie Horner
Jim Bakay
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
The show opened up with the nattily
dressed Quiet Storm in black Tuxes. They sang an original song “Have A Happy
Birthday”. They performed quite a few acappella songs, “Don’t Leave Me
Baby” and Ronnie Milsap’s “Lost in the 50’s Tonight”. The killer song was
the Drifters “Your Promise to be Mine”. We also loved Darrall Campbell’s
lead on the Manhattans “Can I”. They sang the second part of their set
with backing by The Four Star Band doing songs by the Vibrations, Dells and
Moonglows. They closed with The Dreamlovers “If I Should Lose You. This
was another great appearance by Quiet Storm.
Quiet Storm
Quiet Storm
Quiet Storm
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Quiet Storm
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Quiet Storm's Darrall
Campbell
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Just when we thought that the Vic Donna
Group couldn’t get any better, turned in another stellar
performance. The superbly talented Vic Donna sang all the leads. The group
opened with Vic’s 1957 hit “Teenage Rose” Their next song, Vic’s second
record “Love Was A Stranger To Me” was written by Lloyd Davis of the Fi-Tones.
The Vic Donna Group continued with songs from Vic’s music career, including
acappella versions of The Sharps’ “We Three” and The Compliments’ “The Time
of Her Life”. New to the group’s repertoire was The Five Keys’ “Just For A
Thrill”. They closed with a very powerful version of “Hurt”. We first heard
the group sing this at our Fifth anniversary.
Vic Donna Group
Vic Donna Group
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
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Vic Donna
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Vic Donna Group's Danny
Pesci
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Vic Donna Group's John
Mirabile
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Vic Donna Group's Dom
D'Elia
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Vic Donna Group's George
Marchese
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
The Vic Donna Group
After a brief intermission Jim Bakay
introduced the legendary Bobby Thomas and his Vibranaires who were composed
of some members Quiet Storm plus Gil Torres from The Lar-Kings. Bobby and
the group did a tribute to Sonny Til and The Orioles whom Bobby sang with
for many years. They opened up with “Good Looking Baby,” a rhythmic tune
The Orioles recorded for Jubilee that was not released until years later on
CD.
Bobby then slowed down the pace with “I Need You So”. Of course no Orioles
tribute would be complete without “Crying In The Chapel”, a song that initially
The Orioles didn’t want to record. We were pleasently surprised when Bobby sang the
seldom heard “Dem Days Are Gone Forever”. For an encore Bobby asked the
audience if they wanted to hear The Vibranaires “Doll Face” or The Orioles’
“It’s Too Soon To Know”. Of course, the audience wanted and got both
songs. This was a tremendous performance, Bobby’s voice sounds as strong as
ever.
Charlie & Pam swing
dancing during intermission.
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Bobby Thomas (left) and
the Vibranaires
Bobby Thomas & the
Vibranaires
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Bobby Thomas
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Bobby Thomas &
Vibranaires
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Bobby Thomas & the
Vibranaires
It’s not often an audience in New Jersey
gets to hear Baltimore’s great Eddie Rich and The Swallows. This
legendary group began singing in the late 1940's. They gave us a
fabulous performance with The Four Star Band backing them. The Swallows
opened with the jump tune “We’re Gonna Rock”. The unmistakable voice of
Eddie Rich led the 1951 ballad “Will You Be Mine”. The 80 year old Eddie
Rich distinctive lead thrilled the audience with “Dearest”, “Eternally”, and
“When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano”. The Swallows ended their set
with the energetic “Ride Jimmy Ride”. They came back for an encore by
singing The Five Keys “Out of Sight, Out of Mind”.
The Swallows. Eddie
Rich on right.
Eddie Rich & Swallows
Eddie Rich
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Eddie Rich
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
The Swallows
This was one of the best concerts we’ve
seen in a long time! Every group was superb! Congratulations to Jim Bakay
for putting on an outstanding concert.
Copyright © Classic Urban Harmony LLC, 2011. All
Rights Reserved.
