JERRY BLAVAT 10th Anniversary Reunion with Swinging Sounds of Doo Wop, April 7
MARCH 9, 2012
Legendary radio icon and local celebrity Jerry Blavat returns to Verizon Hall on April 7, 2012 at 8pm to host a 10th Anniversary Doo Wop Reunion as part of the Kimmel Center’s season-long anniversary celebration. The energetic and star-studded evening features a program of oldies-but-goodies from the 50s, 60s and 70s, performed by celebrated and authentic doo-wop ensembles including The Duprees, The Chiffons, The Dubs, The Passions, The Chimes, The Demensions and The Capris.
Tickets for Jerry Blavat’s 10th Anniversary Doo Wop Reunion are available at $41 to $81, and can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online at kimmelcenter.org, or at the Kimmel Center Box Office located on Broad and Spruce streets, Philadelphia, Pa. (open daily from 10am to 6pm, later on performance evenings).
2009 marked Philadelphia native Jerry Blavat’s 50th Anniversary in show business, for which he was recognized by Congress and the Mayor of Philadelphia. Calling himself “The Geator with the Heater,” he began his career as a radio broadcaster in 1961 and began broadcasting regularly from WCAM and later from WHAT in Philadelphia. Over the years he has served as on-air personality for several other stations; today his Geator Gold Radio can be heard over WVLT 92.1 FM. Rock & Roll, Rhythm & Blues Express is also simulcast on public radio’s WXPN 88.5 FM in Philadelphia & South Jersey, 104.9 in the Lehigh Valley, 88.1 WXPH in Harrisburg, and 90.5 in Baltimore. Blavat was one of the radio greats honored by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in April 1998.
With their unique sound and outstanding vocal harmonies, The Duprees (Tony Testa, Tommy Petillo, Jimmy Spinelli, and Phil Granito) have captivated thousands of fans around the globe with their wonderful mixture of romance, energy, and fun. After starting out in the early 60s in Jersey City, NJ., The Duprees made a career out of giving new life to old hits. Their first recording added a smooth vocal quality and Big Band arrangements to Jo Stafford’s 1950’s ballad “You Belong to Me” and became an instant national hit.Other top 40 hits include "My Own True Love" a vocal adaptation of "Tara's Theme" from the soundtrack of Gone with the Wind,"Have You Heard" and "Why Don't You Believe Me". The Duprees are known today for their romantic interpretations of the most beautiful love songs ever written.
The Chiffons combine sassiness and innocence on several of the style’s greatest classics as one of the best early-‘60s New York girl groups. By the time their hit “He’s So Fine” reached number one on both the Billboard Pop and R&B charts in March 1963, it seemed as if the whole country was singing their classic “doo-lang, doo-lang” riff. The hook was unintentionally but controversially mimicked by George Harrison in his own 1970 chart-topper, “My Sweet Lord.” Other memorable hits by The Chiffons include “One Fine Day,” “I Have a Boyfriend,” and the Motown-influenced “Sweet Talkin’ Guy,” as well as some singles issued under an alter ego, the Four Pennies.
The Dubs formed in 1957 from two Harlem vocal groups, The Five Wings and The Scale-Tones. The group was led by original members Richard Blandon, Billy Carlisle, Cleveland Still, James ‘Jake’ Miller, and Thomas Gardner, who was later replaced by Tommy Grate. Together they became The Marvels and recorded “I Won’t Have You Breaking My Heart” on ABC-Paramount records, but the single did nothing. The group then renamed themselves The Dubs and recorded “Don’t Ask Me to Be Lonely.” The song was a radio hit and was picked up for national release, with the record climbing the Billboard Top 100 chart to #72. In November 1957, “Could This Be Magic” climbed the chart to become the group’s biggest hit, remaining on the Top 100 for 16 weeks and reaching #23. It has become a doo-wop classic and is listed by Gribin/Schiff in their book, “The Complete Book of Doo-Wop,” as one of the top doo-wop songs of all time. Other regional hits include “Beside” (1958) and “Chapel of Dreams” (1958).
The Passions (Albee Galione, Louis Rotundo, Lenny Trerotola, and Wayne Smith) are one of the best vocal groups to emerge from Brooklyn in the late 50s and early 60s. Originally known as the Sinceres, founder Albee Galione changed the group’s name in August of 1959 as they recorded "Just To Be With You." By October, the song was enjoying a ten-week run on the Billboard pop charts. A string of still-time-tested hits including “I Only Want You” and “This Is My Love” led The Passions to an appearance on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand and several tours around the country with talents including Frankie Avalon, Del Shannon, Chubby Checker, Fats Domino, Freddie Cannon, Jackie Wilson, Frankie Ford and Jimmy Clanton. Today, they continue to perform at many of the largest venues and finest concert halls in the Tri State area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, combining rock and roll tunes, love ballads, dance songs, nostalgia and comedy.
Organized in the mid-‘50s by Brooklyn native Lenny Cocco, The Chimes’ first record was a vocal arrangement of the old Tommy Dorsey hit "Once in a While." The quintet scored right out of the box as that record reached number 11, which led to a follow-up recording of the 1930s standard "I'm in the Mood for Love." By 1962, the group was known as Lenny & the Chimes, and jumped around to several record labels before landing at Vee Jay. The quintet dissolved in 1964 with the collapse of Vee Jay, but has since re-formed, usually as Lenny & the Chimes, in various configurations for oldies shows since the early '70s. Members Lenny Cocco, Pat DePrisco, Richard Mercado, and John D’Orta still perform around the country and Tri-State area. In 2012 they released “As Time Goes By,” a compilation of never-released recordings and behind-the-scenes recordings of intimate moments with the original Chimes.
The Demensions (Lenny Dell, Robin Robbert, Joey Reinleib, and Tom Clemente) are a legendary oldies group recognized and respected as one of the finest performing acts originating in the sounds of the ‘60s. In addition to performing regularly at Palisades Park in New Jersey during the early years of the decade, the quartet appeared on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand and the New York-aired Clay Cole Show. Their biggest hits included a cover of Harold Arlen and E.Y. "Yip" Harburg's "Over the Rainbow," which broke into the Top 20 in 1960, and "My Foolish Heart." In 1992, The Demensions entered the studio for the first time in nearly 30 years to record “Beyond the Rainbow,” which they dedicated to the memory of founding member “Uncle” Phil del Guidice. They continue to thrill audiences by taking beautiful standards and infusing them with unique musical arrangements and ultra-warm vocal harmonies.
The Capris were formed in 1957 by teenagers Nick Santamaria (a.k.a Nick Santo), Mike Mincelli, Frank Reina, Vinnie Naccarato, and John Cassese in Queens, New York. Answering an ad placed by fledgling record producers, they cut “There’s A Moon Out Tonight” in 1958 and promptly disbanded following the song’s failure. Two years later, a New York City disk jockey played the tune to much fanfare, and the Capris re-assembled to hit the charts three more times and play some of the most prestigious venues in the country, including the Regal in Chicago and the Apollo in New York City. Their 1982 release “There’s A Moon Out Tonight” was picked up by oldies stations who assumed they had overlooked it during the genre’s heyday and is still considered a doo-wop standard. Following the loss of Naccarato in 2008 and Santamaria in 2010, the remaining original members continue to perform today, complemented by Tony Sergi, Lou Esposito and John Monforte. The Capris were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2007.
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Kimmel Center, Inc., a charitable, not-for-profit organization, owns, manages, supports and maintains The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, which includes Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, Innovation Studio and the
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