22/10/2022
He did it again. Promoter Todd Baptista, working with the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center, put on a spectacular show featuring R&B/Doo W*p acts of the 1950s and ‘60s.
Asked if Sunday's matinee concert brought back memories, Phil LaFond, a deacon in Brockton, MA, responded, “Absolutely. This is just an amazing display of Americana.”
It’s now back to a yearly event after a worldwide pandemic. In fact, this year’s festivities took place on the same date as last year’s concert.
The Five acts featured on the bill were The Rainbows, which saw original lead singer, 86-year-old Ron “Poozie” Miles, returning from a 15-year hiatus of theater concerts; The Mystics, best known for their 1959 hit “Hushabye,” The Swallows, which featured 91-year-old lead singer Eddie Rich; The Tymes (“So Much In Love”), and Jay Siegel’s Tokens (Siegel being the lead voice on the 1963 #1 hit “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”).
Concertgoers, most of whom were of an age to remember the songs performed when they originally hit radio airwaves, were transported back in time – somewhat -with the help of a classic car line-up along Purchase Street in front of the venue. In addition, black and white video footage of classic groups, along with commercials for such products as Lionel trains and Geritol, played on a screen on stage prior to showtime.
The Rainbows hit the stage first and original lead singer, Ronald Miles, began with the group’s 1956 classic, “Shirley.” An upbeat number, it was a perfect kick-off for a Sunday matinee show that packed a broad range of styles into a three-hour-plus show. Miles sang lead on the group’s first two numbers, “Shirley and “They Say,” before Larry Jordan took over the reins on “Evening.” Miles, along with three other singers, provided background harmony, before it was Miles up front once again, on The Rainbow’s signature tune, “Mary Lee,” as well as “Your Promise to be Mine,” a Clyde McPhatter-era Drifters ballad. Miles shined on this song, as it was a perfect showcase for his still top-notch voice. Performed A Ca****la, it also elicited the most response from the crowd, and nearly everyone at the front of the stage was standing and clapping for him when he finished.
However, die-hard Doo W*p fan Donna Whitworth, who made a seven-trek from Pennsylvania for the show, said she loved ‘They Say.”
“Poozie goes from high to low. He can do it today at 86,” she said. “It’s one I can close my eyes to.”
Miles enjoyed the return to the bigger spotlight. He noted he had done smaller shows recently, but nothing the level of the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center.
“It was good being back,” he said. “It felt wonderful. I thought it was a blessing, just to perform, just to be on stage again. I mean, the whole thing, the roar of the crowd. The whole thing just brought back so many memories of years past. Even the dressing rooms brought back memories.”
Miles, who came by train from Maryland, was pleasantly surprised to discover all three of his children made it to the show. He said he hadn’t performed that many songs in a row in a long time but was glad he was able to pull it off.
“I’ve been resting ever since,” he said, laughing, three days after the show. “It beat me to the ground, but it was great man.” The crowd, all the people I hadn’t seen it years. It was outstanding.”
Next to hit the stage at the Z was The Mystics. Opening their set with Jackie Wilson’s “Higher and Higher,” the four-member group includes two original members from Brooklyn, NY, original lead Phil Cracolici and George Galfo (second tenor). It aims to please with uptempo numbers, including a few The Mystics recorded for Laurie Records in its doo w*p heyday: “Darling I know Now,” “Goodbye Mr. Blues” and “Hushabye,” the set closer.
However, “Goodbye Mr, Blues” was the most rocking of the aforementioned three, and as lead vocalist Ralph Rati stood ready to sing again, the rest of the crew danced in unison with choregraphed steps during a mid-song sax solo, looking like an Italian version of The Temptations.
Not afraid to poke fun at themselves, Galfo commented at the song’s end, “As you can see, we’re not dancers.”
The Mystics did slow things down a bit at times to show members are also adept at ballads. They did a fine job on “A Sunday Kind of Love,” made famous by the New York City-based Harptones; elicited claps early on during an A Ca****la version of “Where or When,” a show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical Babes in Arms that has been covered by Frank Sinatra and Dion and The Belmonts, among others; and catered to the older audience with another classic, “Over the Rainbow,” on which Galfo handled lead.
Asked during intermission what keeps it fun for the group, Galfo said, “Seeing the people’s faces, the memories we bring back to them.”
He added, “They sing the words. They know our songs and it’s a blessing that they keep coming to see the shows, and that’s what makes it all worthwhile for us, just to watch them enjoy what we’re doing.”
Perhaps the most memorable performer of the night was 91-year-old Eddie Rich of Eddie Rich and The Swallows. That’s because not only does he still sound great less than a decade from his 100th birthday, he was also a dancing machine up there on stage in his bright red suit.
Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, The Swallows hit it big with its 1951 release, “Will You Be Mine,” on which Rich sang lead. The group had further success with “Beside You,” its second national hit. Concertgoers got to hear these classics, as well as lesser-known cuts such as “It Aint the Meat (It’s the Motion,” the raunchy B-side of their third single, “Eternally.”
Other songs performed included, “Oh Lonesome Me,” “Dearest,” “Since You’ve Been Away” and the set closer, “Ride, Eddie, Ride,” which saw younger member Johnny Stone taking lead duties. The uptempo tunes provided opportunity for Rich to show he’s perhaps the most limber 91-year-old on planet Earth. He made it a habit to kick up a leg – sometimes the left, sometimes the right – to show he’s far younger than his actual age. He also repeatedly employed a dance move in which he’d do a sort of hop step while quickly pulling outstretched arms in toward his torso. However, his most impressive moment was when The Swallows were seconds away from walking off stage, Rich decided to lay down on his back at stage right and kick his feet up from a horizontal position.
Isaac Rezende, of Dorchester, MA, enjoyed the entire show, but said, “The highlight of the night for me was Eddie Rich, just because, at his age, and the fact that he was able to perform at that level, the energy level he had.”
He added, “It was amazing. He still had it. His vocals were still strong.”
Following a 20-minute intermission, the music resumed with an appearance by The Tymes, best known for the 1963 R&B/Doo W*p classic, “So Much in Love.” The set opened with members singing a bit of The Impressions’ “People Get Ready” while out of public view. As they walked to center stage, original members Ceasar Berry and Norman Stone, along with lead vocalist John Stone, did a medley of “Love Train” and “The Love I Lost.”
The Tymes then did two of their own hits, “Somewhere” and “Wonderful Wonderful,” which peaked at #7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1963.
The group also did its cover of “People,” which many feel is far superior to Barbra Streisand’s 1964 version featured in the film Funny Girl. Its final foursome of songs was as follows: “The Love That You’re Looking For,” “Miss Grace,” “So Much In Love” (the group’s signature song) and “You Little Trustmaker,” a 1974 release whose intent was to appeal to disco fans of that time.
Lead singer John Stone III belted out a passionate vocal on “The Love That You’re Looking For,” and didn’t disappoint with “So Much In Love.” However, he felt the doo w*p crowd may have liked “Wonderful Wonderful” most of all, “because as soon as I started singing the audience started applauding and let out ‘oohs and ahhhs.’ ”
“So Much In Love” provided one of the funniest moments of the night, when, as Stone neared the song’s end, and held a note for some time, original Tymes member Norman Burnett turned to look at him, and said, with the delivery of a seasoned comic, “Well shut the front door.”
However, this wasn’t planned dialogue. Stone burst out laughing, and even when he attempted to resume the song a short time later, he laughed some more. It was great to see a truly organic moment.
Stone subsequently told this reporter,” He caught me off guard.”
The final act of the night was Jay Siegel’s Tokens, a group that got its start singing along Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, NY. The Tokens first saw chart success in early 1961 with “Tonight I Fell In Love.” It reached #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and earned the group an appearance on American Bandstand.
The Tokens opened up its set with “Tonight I Fell In Love” and in between songs Siegel talked about the good ol’ days. He noted that his grandkids wouldn’t know what a B-side is.
“They don’t even know what a record is,” he added. He said further, “There’s no more records, no more cassettes, but the music’s still here.”
Siegel also talked about how the British Invasion, led by the Beatles, hurt stateside groups. Fortunately, The Tokens scored its biggest hit, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” on which Siegel sings lead, three years before the Beatles’ 1964 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. It was a number one hit and hit a second time in the 1990s when RCA Records re-released it in response to being featured in the 1994 animated film The Lion King. Just before doing the song, which is sung in a high voice, Siegel joked that he always says a silent prayer that “the notes come out.”
Siegel did a fantastic job. He need not have worried. He still sounds like the recording.
With The Tokens already on stage, the four prior groups walked out and joined them for an encore performance – The Beach Boys ‘ hit song from 1965, “Barbara Ann.” A dozen-plus voices blended, but one man stood out more than everybody – Eddie Rich. That’s because he once again demonstrated he has boundless energy. He had to dance as well as sing.
Baptista said it correctly earlier at the concert, “Truly a showman.”
It was wonderful to see a 91-year-old out-performing his younger counterparts on stage, because it cements the old adage that age aint nothing but a number.
