As announced here a couple of weeks ago, The Wrecking Crew home DVD /
BluRay release is FINALLY just around the corner.
We have been singing the praises of the great film for many years now ...
it's an EXCELLENT documentation of how the hits were made, '60's-style, in
California. These previously unsung heroes are FINALLY getting their due,
thanks to profiles put together by our FH Buddy Denny Tedesco, son of guitar
whiz Tommy Tedesco, who was a regular contributor to these sessions.
In addition to the final cut of the film that is now playing in theaters
all over the country, the home video releases proudly boast OVER SIX HOURS of
additional footage and outtakes, interviews, song snippets and GREAT stories
from the artists who were there and part of the scene at the time.
I'd like to take a moment to tell you about a companion book that is ALSO available ...
a truly REMARKABLE "coffee table" type book, soft-cover bound, that's the size
of a record album (12 x 12), chock full of 268 pages of photos and memories and
comments from the movers and shakers of that era, all of whom had their fingers
on the pulse as this great music was being created.
You'll discover page after page after page of never-before-seen photos ... studio shots,
recording contracts and session logs ... as well as receive fly-on-the-wall commentary from the
musicians, artists and engineers who were there making pop music history during the most
exciting and important musical era of our times.
Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, The Monkees, The Mamas and the Papas, Sonny
and Cher, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin ... countless TV and Movie Soundtracks ...
great musicians like Glen Campbell and Leon Russell who went on to have their
own successful recording careers ... and behind-the-scene musical wizards like
Hal Blaine, Carol Kaye, Billy Strange and dozens more ... all told in their own
words and pictures ... the PERFECT companion piece to the DVD or BluRay
discs.
A movie soundtrack CD is also in the works. (More details and dates to
come as they become available). These artists provided the soundtrack to our
lives ... you simply will not believe the volume of tracks they produced during
this era, all as uncredited, unsung heroes who crafted and shaped the "now sound of today",
'60's-style. (You'll now be able to pop that soundtrack into our CD players
whenever we feel like it and relive all of the music, magic and memories!!!)
Numerous delays, film festival showings and fund raisers to collect the
money for music rights have turned Denny's little project (originally started as
a tribute to his father, who passed away early on during this whole process but
was captured on tape for a number of comments and memories) into a 19-year
ordeal of getting this final story out to the fans. Well, it has FINALLY happened ... and all I can tell you that it was WELL worth the
wait. Denny Tedesco can be proud of what he's accomplished here ... and
Forgotten Hits Readers will most definitely want to add these items to their
personal libraries.
DVD / BluRay available June 16th
(Kickstarter contributors will receive their "special" version of this
release automatically ... others can preorder through the website below)
The book "Sound Explosion" is available now.
Complete details here: http://store.wreckingcrewfilm.com/
And this just in ...
FH Reader Harvey Kubernik tells us about a very special Wrecking Crew
Concert Event coming up in Hollywood, California next week.
The Wrecking Crew All Stars featuring Don
Peake, Chuck Bergfoffer, Paul Kreibich, Richard Niles, Eric Eckstrand, Lamont
Dozier, Jr., with Nadia Deleye
An evening of Songs and Stories
Don Peake is a guitarist who studied with Barney Kessel, Howard Roberts and
Joe Pass. He toured with the Everly Brothers during 1961-1963, soon a membership
in the famed Wrecking Crew studio musicians. He’s heard on countless Lou Adler,
Phil Spector, Brian Wilson and Sonny Bono-produced recording sessions. In 1964
became the white guitarist to play and record with Ray Charles for ten years. He
arranged “If I Were a Carpenter” for Bobby Darin and is the lead guitarist on
Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” He is prominent on the early Jackson 5 and
Barry White hit recording sessions. Don has arranged recording dates for Roy
Orbison, the Monkees, Minnie Riperton and the Fifth Dimension. In 2011 he produced the album Winds of Change for vocalist Izzy
Chait.
“I have picked up as many hints on guitar playing as I can from Don Peake,
who is the Everly Brothers guitarist. He really is a fantastic guitarist, and
the great thing about him is that he is always ready to show me a few tricks.”
Keith Richards, New Musical Express
1963.”
Chuck Berghoffer: Bass. A leading musician on the west coast, Berghoffer accompanied
pianist Bobby Troup and his wife, singer Julie London. In the early sixties he
was a member of the house band at Shelley Manne’s venue, the Manne-Hole,
performing with Jack Sheldon, Frank Rosolino and Conte Candoli. He later worked
at Dante’s with Frank Strazzeri amd Nick Ceroli. Around his studio and live
gigs, he backed Nancy Sinatra on her hit single, “These Boots Are Made For
Walkin’” as well as studio endeavors with Elvis Presley, the ’68 Comeback Special, the Everly
Brothers, along with TV and video dates with Frank Sinatra, Glen Campbell, Ray
Charles, Stan Getz, Art Pepper, Peggy Lee, Larry Bunker and Zoot Sims. He’s also heard on Barbra Streisand’s Funny Lady as well as Frank Zappa’s Lumpy Gravy.
Lamont Dozier, Jr. Vocals: is a singer/songwriter who’s musical
influences range from gospel to soul and jazz roots. He hails from Detroit,
Michigan, where he began his musical career, honing his talent for song, first
in church, then branching out to local productions of television, radio,
musicals, and then live entertainment venues and nightclubs. He has shared many
a stage with many music industry notables, such as The Temptations, The Four
Tops, Aretha Franklin, Ollie Woodson, Rick Braun and Gregg Karukas, Michael
Lington, to name a few. He has also worked on show productions featuring
Jennifer Hudson, and Jay Leno. Lamont also shares strong roots to the legacy of
Motown, as his father, Lamont Dozier, Sr. is one third of the world renowned
songwriting team, Holland-Dozier-Holland, who wrote many hit songs for the
label. Through his own unique musical talent and expression, Lamont seeks to
continue the great musical heritage that was forged by those who preceded him,
and, at the same, help usher in a new age of soul singers and entertainers , who
blaze their trails as live performers, rooted in the great tradition of R&B
and Soul and Jazz.
Nadia
Deleye: started her career in Los Angeles
acting in television sitcoms, Diff’rent Strokes, What’s Happening Now, and had a
recurring role on NBC’s Amen. Her first
opportunity working as a session singer in a recording studio was with producer
and songwriter, Leon Sylvers III. She
continued to record vocals for Howard Hewitt, Austrian producer and composer,
Peter Wolf, Flim and the BB’s, Kevyn Lettau, and Michael Ruff. Most recently, Nadia was a member of The
Family Stone – performing and touring with the original Rock and Roll Hall of
Famers throughout the U.S. and Europe.
She’s also performed and recorded in Hawaii, Japan, and Scandinavia, and
has shared the stage with Sheryl Crow, Carl Anderson, Al Jarreau, David Crosby
and Graham Nash. She currently lives in
Santa Cruz, California.
Eric Eckstrand is serving as keyboardist and a guest vocalist for
this event. The pianist, arranger and singer leads both the Eric Eckstrand
Ensemble and the Eric Eckstrand Trio. As a session pianist, Eric has accompanied
Smokey Robinson and Paul Anka. The Eric Eckstrand Ensemble is considered the
premier band for swing, jump and boogie-woogie music since
1992. in
Paul
Kreibich. Drummer. He was drum major at Costa Mesa High School and already
working five nights a week at a local club on Balboa Island by his junior year.
Paul continued his studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.
In 1979 at the age of 23 he got his first major jazz gig with the great singer
Carmen McRae. They toured the United States and Japan including a concert at
Carnegie Hall. Paul moved to Los Angeles in 1981, began private studies with
well-known drum teacher Fred Gruber and attended LA City College. He joined the
Ray Charles Band. He was the last drummer to play and was hired on the spot.
Paul toured with the band internationally for four
years.
He has drummed for many touring artists such as
Mose Allison, Red Rodney, The Woody Herman Band, Anita O'Day, Scott Hamilton,
Joe Pass, Charles Brown, Rosemary Clooney, Lee Konitz, and others. Paul's
recording credits are now well over 60 titles including CD's with, Bill Perkins,
Dianne Reeves, Bob Cooper, Conte Candoli, Charlie Shoemake, Herb Geller, Cedar
Walton, John Hendricks, James Moody, Kenny Burrell, Ray Charles, Gerald Wiggins,
Andy Simpkins, Terry Gibbs, Claude Williamson, and Frank
Strazerri.
Dr. RICHARD NILES is a
prolific composer, producer, songwriter, arranger and musical director whose
career spans pop, R&B, rock and jazz. Records featuring his work have sold
over 250 million copies worldwide.
Richard Niles has produced, arranged and composed
music for some of the world's most acclaimed artists including Paul McCartney,
Ray Charles, Cher, James Brown, Kylie Minogue, Tina Turner, Mariah Carey, Joe
Cocker, Lulu, The Troggs, Deniece Williams, Michael McDonald, Dusty Springfield,
Pet Shop Boys, Cat Stevens, Grace Jones, Tears For Fears, Swing Out Sister,
Boyzone, Westlife, Michael Ball and Take That.
If any of our readers are able to attend this very special event,
please report back to us with all the details!!!
And one last VERY special Thank You to Henry Gross, who hooked me
up with Denny Tedesco some seven or eight years ago. As soon as we saw this
film, we were happy to jump on board and let the rest of the world know what a
great testimonial this was. In fact, you can read our very first review(s)
right here ...
Denny Tedesco and Kent Kotal
after a special screening of "The Wrecking Crew"
at The Arcada Theatre last year
