{"id":37135,"date":"2022-08-18T15:11:14","date_gmt":"2022-08-18T19:11:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/?p=37135"},"modified":"2022-08-18T15:11:20","modified_gmt":"2022-08-18T19:11:20","slug":"on-stage-sarah-diamond-comes-home-to-headline-at-uptown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/?p=37135","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Sarah Diamond comes home to headline at Uptown!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

\"\"

Sarah Diamond<\/p><\/div>\n

There is an old saying \u2013 \u201cYou Can Never Go Home Again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t tell that to Sarah Diamond. She won\u2019t believe you — and will offer proof of the opposite this weekend.<\/p>\n

Diamond is a Downingtown East grad and a West Chester University alumna who is now living in Largo, Florida.<\/p>\n

She is also a talented singer who leads her own band, Sarah Diamond and the Soul Miners.<\/p>\n

On August 20, she will headline a show at the Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org<\/a>). It\u2019s a one-off northern gig before she returns south for a series of shows in Florida.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight before COVID hit, I was playing music full time in the Downingtown\/West Chester area,\u201d said Diamond, during a phone interview Monday from her home in Largo. \u201cI was also a part-time worship leader at my church \u2013 938 Church in West Chester. <\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to take a break, so I visited family in Huntsville, Alabama and took my gear with me. It was going to be for a couple weeks and then COVID hit. I had to wait it out with my family in Alabama because I couldn\u2019t come back to Philly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI came down to visit my cousin Jill Gillian in St. Petersburg while waiting for COVID to get over. A lor of restaurants in St. Pete were re-opening. I gave out cards, got booked and built up a following. Now, I\u2019ve been here more than two years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diamond\u2019s roots are in Chester County where she has been involved in singing for a long time<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been singing my whole life,\u201d said Diamond. \u201cMy dad Art was a music teacher at Chichester High. My mom Karyn was a singer\/songwriter in Christian music. My brother Lou is a guitarist. My sister Alyssa is the only one not in music. She\u2019s a fashion designer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was born and raised in Downingtown and started singing in choir in elementary school. At West Chester University, I got a B.A. in music with a concentration in voice \u2013 including classical and opera\/<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned to play guitar when I was 12 and then started writing songs three years later. I\u2019ve always been a songwriter but I never took the plunge into recording until this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diamond listed her biggest influences \u2013 Kelly Clarkson, Hayley Williams, Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert.<\/p>\n

\u201cDave Walker, one of my managers, taught me the business,\u201d said Diamond. \u201cHe held my hand throughout. Tony Doblin, my other manager, came on as an investor initially and got more involved.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve flown to Nashville three times to do some recording \u2013 March, April and June. I\u2019ve been recording with producer Roger Nichols. \u00a0He was the mentor of Paramore\u2019s Hayley Williams, who has always been one of my favorites. I got to record in a very special studio \u2013 Bell Tone Recording \u2013 with a very special team.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have six tracks recorded. The first single from the sessions \u2013 \u2018I Got Away\u2019 \u2013 was just released on August 5. The plan is to keep releasing singles. The next one will be in October and then the other four by the end of the year.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, my live show is half originals and half covers. I grew up listening to my dad\u2019s classic rock, so I want a rock edge to my music. I\u2019d describe it as country with a rock edge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Sarah Diamond and the Soul Miners \u2013 www.facebook.com\/sarahdiamondmusic\/videos\/2851523938490838<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Uptown on Saturday will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35.<\/p>\n

On August 18, the Uptown! Knauer will host One Alternative \u2013 another band with Chester County roots.<\/p>\n

\"\"

One Alternative<\/p><\/div>\n

One Alternative features Jill Haley\u00a0on oboe\/English horn,\u00a0Dana Allaband\u00a0on violin and\u00a0Mark Oppenlander\u00a0on various acoustic guitars.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe play acoustic fusion music \u2013 classical, folk, rock, jazz,\u201d said Opperlander, during a phone interview Tuesday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started in 1983 with two guitars and an oboe. Jill and I have been together ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n

They wanted their sound to be an alternative to other acoustic ensembles by using a unique instrument lineup and by exploring different musical styles.\u00a0 Hence, the name — One Alternative.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were both music students at Temple University,\u201d said Oppenlander, an Embreeville native who graduated from Unionville High in 1978.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were in the same dorm. We and met at a Halloween party and started dating. Then, I hooked up with a dulcimer player \u2013 Kevin Ross, who was from the Unionville area. He wanted to add a French Horn player. I told him about Jill, who was also an English Horn player.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe brought in Jill. And the I was let go. I started writing with Frank McDermott, a guitar player from West Chester. She heard what we were doing and wanted to add oboe. In April 1983, we were a trio.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe went through five different guitar players. In 2018, we stopped guitar and added violin \u2013 Dana Allaband, who lives in Southern Chester County. For the last 10 years, we\u2019ve added a drummer for live shows \u2013 Tony DeAngelis. And our regular bass player is Tim Celfo.\u201d<\/p>\n

One alternative has released eight albums.<\/p>\n

The first, \u201cGreenlawn\u201d, was recorded in 1985. The second album, \u201cTake Note\u201d, was released in 1988 and received praise from publications such as Billboard and CD Review.<\/p>\n

In 1990, the third album, \u201cShadows,\u201d was recorded and released. Radio airplay for this recording was heard on several hundred radio stations in the United States, as well as Japan and Spain. The band followed with \u201cYet To Be\u201d in 1996, \u201cChanges\u201d in 1998, \u201cAir Sculpture\u201d in 2011, \u201cPendulum\u201d in 2003, and \u201cTwilight\u2019 in 2017.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis five-piece live line-up has been together four years now,\u201d said Oppenlander, who is also a music teacher. \u201cWe\u2019re still playing older songs and some new originals. I\u2019d say 75 per cent of our music is written down and the rest has the elemnt of improvisation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for One Alternative \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/aoyxi16MUv0<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Uptown on Thursday will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25.<\/p>\n

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org<\/a>) is also presenting Best Friend\u2019s Girl on August 27.<\/p>\n

There are two good productions of Broadway shows in the area that are well worth seeing \u2013 but you need to hurry up. This is the penultimate weekend for both shows.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Dear Evan Hansen<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cDear Evan Hansen,\u201d which is billed as a \u201cdeeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it,\u201d is making its Philadelphia premiere\u00a0at the\u00a0Forrest\u00a0Theatre (1114 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, www.kimmelculturalcampus.org<\/a>) now through August 28.<\/p>\n

This touring production is being presented by the Shubert Organization in partnership with the Kimmel Cultural Campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Evan Hansen\u201d\u00a0is a\u00a0musical\u00a0with music and lyrics by\u00a0Benj Pasek\u00a0and\u00a0Justin Paul, and a\u00a0book\u00a0by\u00a0Steven Levenson. The musical follows Evan Hansen, a high school senior with\u00a0social anxiety \u201cwho invents an important role for himself in a tragedy that he did not earn.\u201d<\/p>\n

The musical opened on\u00a0Broadway\u00a0at the\u00a0Music Box Theatre\u00a0in December 2016 and received critical acclaim. At the\u00a071st Tony Awards, it was nominated for nine awards, winning six, including\u00a0Best Musical,\u00a0Best Book,\u00a0Best Score,\u00a0Best Actor\u00a0for\u00a0Ben Platt, and\u00a0Best Featured Actress\u00a0for\u00a0Rachel Bay Jones.<\/p>\n

The Grammy Award-winning Original Broadway Cast Recording of \u201cDear Evan Hansen\u201d was released in February 2017 and made an extraordinary debut on the Billboard 200 — entering the chart at #8, the highest charting debut position for an original cast album since 1961. A remixed cover of \u201cWaving Through a Window\u201d can also claim a rare first for a Broadway show \u2013 as a number one hit on Billboard\u2019s Dance Club chart.<\/p>\n

Basically, Hansen is a geeky high school student who spends much of his time in front of a computer screen \u2013 cut off from the world. His mother is on his case all the time \u2013 exhorting him to interact with his peers.<\/p>\n

In the summer prior to his senior year, Hansen broke his arm and had to start the school year wearing a cast. His mom suggests that he gets people to sign the cast.<\/p>\n

At the same time, Hansen is assigned by his therapist Dr. Sherman to write letters to himself detailing what will be good about each day. His overworked mother Heidi suggests that he ask people to sign the cast on his arm to make friends. Meanwhile, Cynthia and Larry Murphy struggle to connect with their son Connor, a sullen drug user.<\/p>\n

The only one to sign the cast was the school bully Connor Murphy \u2013 mockingly in big letters that leave hardly any room for other signatures.<\/p>\n

Hansen wrote a letter that expresses his loneliness.\u00a0He printed the letter out in school but Murphy grabed it from the printer tray and refused to give it back.<\/p>\n

Days later, Hansen is called to the principal\u2019s office, where Murphy\u2019s parents tell him that their son had died by suicide. They found Hansen\u2019s letter in their son\u2019s pocket, and mistakenly believe it was written by their kid — indicating a close friendship between them. Murphy\u2019s signature on his cast strengthens that belief despite Hansen\u2019s fumbling attempts to explain.<\/p>\n

The Murphys invite Hansen to their house for dinner, where he is awkward and uncomfortable, so he tells them what he thinks they want to hear, pretending that he and their son had secretly been best friends.<\/p>\n

The plot then deals with how the lie continued to grow.<\/p>\n

Hansen spends an increasing amount of time with Murphy\u2019s family — fabricating details about his \u201cfriendship\u201d with Murphy. The Connor Project is launched, along with a fundraiser to create a memorial space in an orchard.<\/p>\n

The National Tour cast features Anthony Norman as Evan Hansen, Alaina Anderson as Zoe Murphy (Connor\u2019s sister and Evan\u2019s crush), Colleen Sexton as Heidi Hansen (Evan\u2019s sister) and Lili Thomas as Cynthia Murphy.<\/p>\n

In a recent interview, Thomas said, \u201cAudiences really relate to this show. There is a character in this show for everybody to relate to. The message of this show is mainly about connection.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cDear Evan Hansen\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/6GzU40h_kO8<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show will run from August 16-28 at the\u00a0Forrest\u00a0Theatre. Tickets prices range from $59-$177.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Candlelight\u00a0Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>) is presenting an all-time classic musical as its fourth production run of 2022. The lively comedy \u201cSweet Charity\u201d is running now through August 28.<\/p>\n

\u201cSweet Charity\u201d\u00a0is a musical with music by\u00a0Cy Coleman, lyrics by\u00a0Dorothy Fields\u00a0and book by\u00a0Neil Simon. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by\u00a0Bob Fosse\u00a0starring his wife and muse\u00a0Gwen Verdon\u00a0alongside\u00a0John McMartin.<\/p>\n

It is based on the screenplay for Federico Fellini\u2019s 1957 Italian film, \u201cNights of Cabiria.\u201d<\/p>\n

Besides the obvious major change of resetting the story from Rome to New York, the biggest change is Cabiria\/Charity\u2019s occupation. Cabiria is a \u201chooker with a heart of gold.\u201d This had to be softened for American musical audiences in 1966, so Charity works instead as a taxi dancer at the Fandango Ballroom.<\/p>\n

In the early 20th century, men could go to dance halls and pay to dance with the woman of their choice, usually for 10 cents a song (thus the famous Rodgers & Hart song \u201cTen Cents a Dance.\u201d) However, by the1960s, taxi dance halls were not nearly as common. It\u2019s suggested, at least in \u201cSweet Charity,\u201d that most of the women who were still taxi dancers were willing to do more than just dance, if the price is right.<\/p>\n

The musical premiered on\u00a0Broadway\u00a0in 1966, where it was nominated for nine\u00a0Tony Awards, winning the\u00a0Tony Award for Best Choreography. The production also ran in London\u2019s West End\u00a0as well as having revivals and international productions.<\/p>\n

The musical was adapted for the screen in 1969 with\u00a0Shirley MacLaine\u00a0as Charity and\u00a0John McMartin\u00a0recreating his Broadway role as Oscar Lindquist. For Bob Fosse, who directed and choreographed, the\u00a0film\u00a0was his feature-film directorial debut.<\/p>\n

The production at the Candlelight features stellar performances by Phoebe Gavula on the title role of Charity Hope Valentine. The other main character — Oscar Lindquist \u2013 is performed admirably by Jared Calhoun.<\/p>\n

Other key performers are Gabrielle Impriano as Helene, Beth Dugan as Nickie, Tess Sinatra as Carmen, JJ Vavrik as Herman, Joe Falcone as Vittorio Vidal, and Rebecca Schall as Ursula March.<\/p>\n

The production at the Candlelight Dinner Theatre is directed by Jessica Bostock with choreography by Jody Anderson and musical direction by Christopher Tolomeo.<\/p>\n

\u201cSweet Charity\u201d is running now through August 28.<\/p>\n

Tickets, which include dinner, non-alcoholic beverages and free parking, are $65.50 for adults and $33 for children (ages 4-12).<\/p>\n

On August 18, it will be time for another edition of Candlelight Comedy Club at the Candlelight Dinner Theatre.<\/p>\n

The show will feature Keith Purnell, Rachel Fogletto and Justin\u00a0Gonzalez.<\/p>\n

Gonzalez, who is a stand-up comedian and magician, is a local Renaissance Man. He is an independent musician based in Philadelphia who travels throughout the tri-state area and beyond.<\/p>\n

Gonzalez, who began performing professionally at the age of 11, now performs with a repertoire that includes classical, big band, Broadway and opera. Most recently, he added a new genre when he assumed the role of lead vocalist for \u201c33 1\/3 LIVE\u2019s Killer Queen Experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m originally from Northeast Philly,\u201d said\u00a0Gonzalez. \u201cI went to school in South Philly at GAMP.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP) is a college preparatory school for students in grades 5 through 12 that provides a unique educational environment, focusing on college and career readiness, while allowing all students to pursue music as a major subject.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was at GAMP for eight years,\u201d said\u00a0Gonzalez. \u201cI studied voice and instruments starting with lower brass. Voice was a large chunk of it. I got my first professional performance in Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the age of 13,\u00a0Gonzalez\u00a0was asked to join a chorus as a soloist on its two-week tour of Germany and France. On that trip, he had the opportunity to perform in many castles, mansions, and historic houses of worship. The most memorable moment for him was singing in the Cathedral Notre Dame in Paris, France.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was amazing,\u201d said\u00a0Gonzalez. \u201cI was 13 and I was singing at the Cathedral Notre Dame. I was just a poor Puerto Rican kid from North Philly, and I was singing in places like a castle in Germany and a cathedral in Berlin.\u201d<\/p>\n

After years of laying the groundwork for a promising career as an opera singer,\u00a0Gonzalez\u00a0was diagnosed at the age of 18 with Multiple Sclerosis, an autoimmune disease. One of the symptoms of MS is memory loss. His opera career was over just as quickly as it began.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt affected my brain\u2019s ability to memorize,\u201d said\u00a0Gonzalez. \u201cI still sing classically at venues around the East Coast and on Broadway.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, 20 years since that first tour,\u00a0Gonzalez\u00a0is still a sought-after classical music soloist. He is also a practitioner of the American Song Book and the music of Broadway. He uses all of this music to entertain, educate, and share his story.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also have several music projects,\u201d said\u00a0Gonzalez. \u201cThere is the Little Big Band Lounge Revival, which does\u00a0lounge and popular standards along with classic love songs, and the Justin\u00a0Gonzalez\u00a0Jazz Trio, which is a pop trio that uses classical instruments.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is also \u201833 1\/3 LIVE\u2019s Killer Queen Experience.\u2019 I leave Friday for Pittsburgh to do a show with them and then I\u2019m back in Philly on Sunday to sing the \u2018Messiah\u2019 with the Philadelphia Chorus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Can you say \u2013 \u201cJustin\u00a0Gonzalez, Renaissance Man.\u201d<\/p>\n

The comedy aspect is the most recent.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout eight years ago, I was doing a weekly cabaret show with Julia Scotti \u2013 \u2018Julia Scotti\u2019s Comedy Test Kitchen,\u2019\u201d said\u00a0Gonzalez. \u201cShe said I should tell my stories when performing. That allowed me to just be funny.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Justin\u00a0Gonzalez\u00a0— https:\/\/youtu.be\/kNtcF4Z5aqQ<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Candlelight Theater will start at 7:30 p.m. on August 18. Tickets, which are $30, include complimentary light fare and free parking.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking to hear jazz or blues music live, then you need to look no further than Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>). The Delaware County venue is a prime destination to hear folk, jazz and blues music every Thursday through Sunday.<\/p>\n

The \u201cThursday Night Jazz Jam\u201d and the \u201cSunday Blues Brunch & Jam\u201d are regular features on Jamey\u2019s calendar while Friday and Saturday night shows feature national and regional acts.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The headline acts this weekend are Dave Orban and the Mojo Gypsies on August 18 and Elle Gahnt on August 19.<\/p>\n

With Dave Orban and the Mojo Gypsies, you get both jazz and blues.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d describe our music as blues-based with a jazz twist,\u201d said Orban, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from his home in Hamilton, New Jersey. \u201cWe also have a fair amount of influence from traditional R&B from the 50s like Rya Charles and T Bone Walker.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a teenager in the 60s, Orban was influenced by rock bands such as the Beatles and Rolling Stones. Then he expanded his tastes.<\/p>\n

According to Orban, \u201cInitially, my exposure to it came through such British interpreters as Cream, Jeff Beck, the Stones, and John Mayall who eventually led me to uncover some of their \u201csource\u201d material. Then, I discovered the music of the late, great harmonica virtuoso and band-leader Paul Butterfield, and through him, the master — Muddy Waters. Countless hours of my late teen years were spent listening to his \u201cSail On\u201d LP, a collection of classics from about 1947 through 1952. For me, this was the mother lode.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the first notes of \u201cI Can\u2019t Be Satisfied\u201d all the way through \u201cLouisiana Blues,\u201d these songs were filled with a raw immediacy that, for me, has never been matched. And I was hooked. Of course, Muddy led me to Little Walter Jacobs, Jimmy Rogers, Howlin\u2019 Wolf, and Willie Dixon. Digging deeper, I learned about Robert Johnson, Huddie Ledbetter, Blind Will McTell, Lightnin\u2019 Hopkins, Blind Willie Johnson, T-Bone Walker, Blind Blake, and hundreds of others.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then, his interest in music got shelved.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was in a couple bands in high school,\u201d said Orban. \u201cThen, I fell away from it when I was in college. I studied art and got my bachelor and master\u2019s degree in art from Brooklyn College. Around 1976, I sold all my music gear. I spent the 80s being \u2018Mister Corporate America.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the mid-90s, I started with music again. I had forgotten everything. I\u2019d go and listen to people play. Then, I\u2019d go home and mimic it with a guitar I borrowed from my nephew. Eventually, I started doing open mics and then was in a couple bands. In 1998, I decided I wanted to do my own thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Mojo Gypsies were born and have continued to thrive over the following two-and-one-half decades.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve probably had six different line-ups since 1998,\u201d said Orban. \u201cThe most constant member has been sax player Mike Scott, who was been with me for 10 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

A lot of bands have a lead vocalist and two harmony singers and take the stage with three mics. Orban has a slight variation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the current band, it\u2019s me and three Mikes,\u201d said Orban. \u201cIn addition to Mike Scott, we have Mike Cruse, who has been my bass player for the last year, and Mike DeMonte, who has been my drummer for a while.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of the music we play is blues-based but, if you\u2019re looking for traditional blues, look elsewhere. I\u2019ve played all the traditional blues before. With this band, I wanted to play blues with a modern approach \u2013 contemporary blues, jazz\/blues.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we\u2019re onstage, we\u2019re not just up there playing music. We want to put on an entertaining show. A lot of acts don\u2019t try to engage the audience. Other acts \u2013 like Steely Dan \u2013 had a presence. That\u2019s what we try to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Orban is no stranger to Jamey\u2019s stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the fourth or fifth time I\u2019m playing there,\u201d said Orban. \u201cI also sit in periodically with the Sunday Blues Jam if their regular guitar player is unavailable.<\/p>\n

\u201cJamey\u2019s is such a great place to play \u2013 great sound and there\u2019s not a bad seat in the house. Jamey is also a great guy who does so much for local and national music acts. That\u2019s why our show there this weekend is a benefit for him. All the money from our ticket sales is going right back to the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Dave Orban and the Mojo Gypsies — https:\/\/youtu.be\/ZUR75Cq1RzI<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Jamey\u2019s on Friday will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.<\/p>\n

This week\u2019s featured performer on Saturday will be Ella Gahnt.<\/p>\n

Ella Gahnt is not only her (stage) name, but also a description of the music she plays and of her singing style.<\/p>\n

Gahnt is a vocalist in the jazz\/traditional pop style who has performed with some of the most talented musicians in the quad-state area of Philadelphia, New Jersey, Delaware and New York. She also has worked professionally as a studio vocalist\/performer for many years.<\/p>\n

\u201cElla Gahnt, which is my stage name, was given to me by my husband Leon Mitchell,\u201d said Gahnt, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from her home in the East Oak Lane section of Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt comes from the persona I want when I perform \u2013 elegant. I wat to be like the performers back in the day who dressed to the nines \u2013 Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Nat King Cole. They put on a show. It\u2019s all about entertaining.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mitchell is a sax player and a key figure in Philly area jazz support groups such as The Jazz Bridge Project. He is also the Musical Director of the Philadelphia Legends of Jazz Orchestra<\/p>\n

\u201cI sang in church choirs when I was little then glee clubs in junior high and choirs in high school,\u201d said Gahnt, a graduate of West Philadelphia High School. \u201cI was also in one of the last versions of the Orlons in the late 60s.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Orlons were an R&B group from Philadelphia. The group had nine Top 20 hits. \u201cThe Wah-Watusi,\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t Hang Up,\u201d and \u201cSouth Street\u201d each sold over one million copies and were awarded\u00a0gold disc status.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the 1980s, I decided I wanted to be a jazz singer,\u201d said Gahnt. \u201cI started listening to old favorites \u2013 especially to learn the songs and find different versions of the songs I liked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was a big fan of Chick Corea and Return to Forever. I learned his song \u2018You\u2019re Everything.\u2019 A lot of people played it but no-one played it the way Chick Corea wrote it. I played it the way Chick Corea wrote it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy first jazz show was at the Freedom Theater. I was the featured vocalist for the Mike Hill Trio.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my live shows, I do mostly traditional jazz \u2013 including some originals. One original is the set opener \u2018What You\u2019ll Hear from Me\u2019 and another is \u2018Let It Be Yesterday.\u2019 I also do a lot of jazz standards.<\/p>\n

\u201cI venture into the more challenging music. When I\u2019m working with guys on a regular basis, they can handle music that\u2019s more challenging.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gahnt has released several albums over the years including \u201cImmaculate Union,\u201d \u201cThird Stage of Elegance,\u201d and \u201cBy Request.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m working now on a new album,\u201d said Gahnt. \u201cIt\u2019s a new project for Aaron Graves and me. It\u2019s pretty much all recorded.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Ella Gahnt \u2014\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/1jQyZncKxZg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Jamey\u2019s on Saturday will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.<\/p>\n

The \u201cThursday Night Jazz Jam\u201d and the \u201cSunday Blues Brunch & Jam\u201d are regular features on Jamey\u2019s calendar while Friday and Saturday night shows feature national and regional acts.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s has started a popular \u201cGuest Singer Series\u201d featuring many of the best singers in the region performing a set from 7-8 p.m. with the backing of the Dave Reiter Trio and occasional guest musicians.<\/p>\n

This week\u2019s featured performer on August 18 will be Greg Farnese. The show will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cSunday Blues Brunch & Jam\u201d is a favorite of Jamey\u2019s regulars because Jamey Reilly and his band the Philly Blues Kings (www.phillyblueskings.com<\/a>) are the performers each week.<\/p>\n

The Philly Blues King are a veteran outfit comprised of David Reiter on guitar, keyboards and vocals, Maci Miller on vocals, Bill Marconi on drums and vocals and Reilly on bass guitar. They have performed together for 15 years (except for Miller) and are the house band for Jamey\u2019s House of Music. They are well known for tight, jazz inflected classic blues.<\/p>\n

Reiter performs on a seven-string guitar and Reilly plays a fretless five string bass and that sets the group above the ordinary. The three veteran musicians have each spent decades playing the blues professionally and have backed many well-known national artists. Maci Miller, an internationally recognized jazz singer based in Philadelphia, joined the Blues Kings and quickly established herself as a top-flight front woman.<\/p>\n

Video link for Philly Blues Kings \u2014\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/bAnBVLc7Wsg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Jamey\u2019s House of Music on August 14 will start at noon. Admission is free.<\/p>\n

The Dales have an interesting history with MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia,\u00a0www.milkboyphilly.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The L.A.-based band, which features California country rock\/Americana\/Topanga Canyon music, played MilkBoy in 2020 \u2013 just days before COVID-19 slammed the door shut on live shows everywhere.<\/p>\n

The Dales — Drew Lawrence, Preston Pope, Jackie\u00a0Tozzi\u00a0— were scheduled for a triumphant return to the venue in Center City Philadelphia on August 18.<\/p>\n

This time, the door did slam shut on the show.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were supposed to play there this week, but the club is temporarily closed,\u201d said Lawrence, during a phone interview Monday from Spring Lake, New Jersey.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems the club has been having trouble with Philadelphia inspectors and has to remain closed until things are fixed.\u201d<\/p>\n

MilkBoy had 14 shows scheduled between now and September 30. Five have been cancelled. Four have been shifted to Kung Fu Necktie and two to Silk City. One show has been relocated to Silk City, one to the World caf\u00e9 Live and one to 118 North.<\/p>\n

The Dales\u2019 show has been relocated to 118 North (118 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne, www.118northwayne.com<\/a>) where they will share the bill with Andrew Duhon.<\/p>\n

In January 2020, The Dales released \u201cEasy Times\u201d an EP which charted both at AAA and Americana radio.<\/p>\n

The band spent the winter of 2021\/2022 recording its second full length album at Bear Creek Studio in Washington state with producer Jerry Streeter (Brandi Carlile).<\/p>\n

The Dales are still (sort of) touring in support of their latest album \u201cEasy Times,\u201d which is the follow-up to their acclaimed 2018 debut album, \u201cMarie.\u201d \u201cEasy Times\u201d features a sense of optimism and exuberance which offers an antidote for troubled times.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe album dropped on January 10,\u201d said Lawrence, during a recent phone interview from his home in Los Angeles. \u201cWe did it in L.A. and produced it ourselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe tried to do an EP with a producer earlier and it didn\u2019t work out. It was too heavy. The instrumentation was fighting with the vocals. We were mixing and the mixing just wasn\u2019t right. It was a heavier sound \u2013 more electric.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a home studio and so does Preston. We\u2019re both engineers and produces in addition to being in the band. So, we decided to do it ourselves. We started from scratch. It had been a year-and-a-half since our last album came out. The first few songs we released from \u2018Easy Times\u2019 were well-received. The album is clearly Americana.\u201d<\/p>\n

With \u201cEasy Times,\u201d The Dales had better vibes \u2013 and a better line-up.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring the recording of the shelved album, there was some tension in the line-up with the band,\u201d said Lawrence. \u201cTwo members left, and we got a new member \u2013 Jackie\u00a0Tozzi.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt brought a lot of new excitement into the group. That\u2019s why the concept was \u2018easy times.\u2019 With the old line-up, the band was in a tense period, and it showed in the music.<\/p>\n

\u201cMe and Preston have been playing together for 12 years and our drummer Blake has been in it since Day One. We went to college together at Berklee School of Music in Boston.\u201d<\/p>\n

Produced by The Dales, \u201cEasy Times\u201d is, as Lawrence describes it, all about affirmation and encouragement, a soundtrack that urges the listener to get on with the business of life and not get bogged down in disappointment and hard times.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Americana and the genre is open for us,\u201d said Lawrence. \u201cIt\u2019s grassroots \u2013 just us playing for folks. It has longevity.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur first album was recorded in Washington State. The tome was about loss and heartbreak. With \u2018Easy Times,\u2019 we wanted to focus on good times.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even without the ability to tour in support of \u201cEasy Times,\u201d the Dales saw positive reaction.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Easy Times\u2019 did well,\u201d said Lawrence. \u201cWe got some radio play and the single, \u2018Homesick Summertime,\u2019 was on the Americana charts.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of COVID, we couldn\u2019t go out and tour in 2020. We did play a number of ticketed streaming concerts from our studio in L.A. We also did some festivals remotely.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a good year-and-a-half when we were without live audiences. We did a tour of the East Coast last summer and that was our first time of being on the road again.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Dales spent the down time recording a new album.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe album is called \u2018Multi-Track Pony,\u2019 and it will be out on September 23,\u201d said Lawrence. \u201cThe first single, \u2018Glass Wall,\u2019 came out in May. The second single, \u2018Don\u2019t Tell Me How to Hurt,\u2019 will be out next week.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe went to Bear Creek Studio in Woodinville, Washington. We spent two weeks living in the woods there. We immersed ourselves in the music.<\/p>\n

\u201cPreston and I live in L.A. and Jackie lives in Santa Barbara. We went to studio like this to have a change from daily life with our families. It was good to get away and immerse ourselves in nothing but the music.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new album is an evolution for us. Ever since Jackie joined, we\u2019ve been more collaborative. It\u2019s less of an Americana album and more a rock LP. There\u2019s also some soul music along with some rockers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s louder \u2013 a post-Covid release of energy to make people feel alive again. More importantly, we wanted to write music that we would want to see a band play.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for The Dales — https:\/\/youtu.be\/M-JU_gnrGUg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at 118 North, also features Andrew Duhon, will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at 118 North are Sundried Vibes on August 19 and Zen Dog on August 24.<\/p>\n

Over the last quarter-century, Chris Knight, who is headlining a show City Winery (990 Filbert Street, Philadelphia, citywinery.com<\/a>) on August 24, has built a reputation as one of Americas\u2019 most respected singer-songwriters. And it\u2019s always been \u201cno frills.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve just done a little bit of writing again \u2013 new songs for my next album,\u201d said Knight, during a recent phone interview from his home in eastern Kentucky.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wait until the spirit moves me. I\u2019ve slowed down a whole lot. When I first started, I wrote about everything I wanted to. Now, I\u2019m not writing a song just to write a song. It\u2019s got to grab me \u2013 got to do something to me to get me interested in writing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I can\u2019t believe myself, I won\u2019t sing the song. The last song I wrote was on a glider in the yard at my house. It ain\u2019t even got a name.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Knight, \u201cIf I don\u2019t have something worth saying, I\u2019m not opening my mouth. I haven\u2019t suited everybody, but every time I get a new fan it tells me I\u2019m doing something right. I think all my records have set a precedent, if only for me at the very least. I just want people to think the latest one stands up to everything else I\u2019ve done.\u201d<\/p>\n

A lot of musicians believe in what Knight has written.<\/p>\n

Some of his songs that have been covered by other artists are \u201cA Pretty Good Guy\u201d (\u00a0Fred Eaglesmith), \u201cA Train Not Running\u201d (Stacy Dean Campbell), \u201cCry Lonely\u201d (Cross Canadian Ragweed), \u201cHeart of Stone\u201d Dan Baird, \u201cHighway Junkie\u201d (Randy Travis,\u00a0Gary Allan,\u00a0The Yayhoos, The Von Ehrics) \u201cI Don\u2019t Want to Hang Out With Me\u201d (Confederate Railroad), \u201cIt Ain\u2019t Easy Being Me\u201d (John Anderson,\u00a0Jason McCoy, and\u00a0Blake Shelton), \u201cLove at 90 Miles an Hour\u201d (Ty Herndon) and \u201cShe Couldn\u2019t Change Me\u201d (Montgomery Gentry).<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my mid-20s, I started doing some open mics after I started writing some songs,\u201d said Knight. \u201cThe place was about 30 miles away \u2013 Goldie\u2019s Opera House in Goldsboro. One of the people there told ne I should keep writing my own songs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started writing in 1986. I was inspired by Steve Earl, Dwight Yoakim, Lyle Lovett, Marty Stuart and Hank Williams, Jr. I wrote a bunch of songs when I was 26 but didn\u2019t write a keeper for a year-and-a-half.<\/p>\n

\u201cI sent my songs to people in Nashville and would get hand-written notes that said \u2013 we like your style\u2026keep writing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Knight kept writing and released his debut album, \u201cChris Knight,\u201d in 1998 on Decca Nashville Records. He has released 10 albums altogether \u2013 the most recent of which is \u201cAlmost Daylight,\u201d which was released via Drifter\u2019s Choice in October 2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a big tour scheduled for 2020,\u201d said Knight. \u201cOur last show was March 15. That\u2019s when everything shut down. In 2021, I got back to doing about half the amount of shows I would usually do. So, I consider what I\u2019m doing now is still touring this album.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Chris Knight \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/Ylb7RwJn4dk<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at City Winery on August 24 will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25.<\/p>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) is presenting Tret Fure and Heather Mae on August 19, Sugar Lime Blue on August 20, and The Real Diamond on August 27.<\/p>\n

Concerts Under the Stars (Upper Merion Township Building Park, King of Prussia, concertsunderthestarskop.com<\/a>) will present Steal Your Peach on August 19, Devon Gilfillian on August 25, Brett Dennen on September 14, David Bromberg on September 23, and The Wailers on September 30.<\/p>\n

On August 21, the West Goshen Community Park (1023 Fern Hill Road, West Chester, www.westgoshen.org\/201\/Summer-Concert-Series<\/a>) will present Irish music by The Malarkey Brothers.<\/p>\n

Bryn Mawr Twilight Concerts (9 South Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr,<\/a> brynmawrtwilightconcerts.com<\/a>) will present Cris Jacobs Band on August 19, Trout Fishing in America on August 24, and The Dirty Grass Players on August 28.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times There is an old saying \u2013 \u201cYou Can Never Go Home Again.\u201d Don\u2019t tell that to Sarah Diamond. She won\u2019t believe you — and will offer proof of the opposite this weekend. Diamond is a Downingtown East grad and a West Chester University alumna who is now living […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37131,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[14034,6269,14041,14043,14042],"class_list":["post-37135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-dear-evan-hansen","tag-featured","tag-mojo-gypsies","tag-one-alternative","tag-sarah-diamond"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=37135"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37135\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37136,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37135\/revisions\/37136"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/37131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=37135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=37135"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=37135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}