Another Concert Review from Shelley Sweet-Tufano

Bowzer's Last Rock 'n Roll Dance Party?

Can it be that this is the last Bowzer show I will see at Mohegan? 

 

I so look forward to this show each January. It brightens the beginning of mid-winter for me. Why would it be discontinued? Here are the factors I was told:

    

     1. Bowzer's back surgery didn't really help his situation.

     2. Three weeks ago, he had a heart procedure and is returning home to have another.

     3. Nobody in the music business is growing younger by the day, (same  situation for everyone on earth) and so pre-scheduling a show a year in         advance, as is his practice, is not possible.

     4. Tickets do not sell as they use to. Yes, the concerts bring younger and younger fans into the fold, but those younger fans (and many of we older fans) do not continue to go to concerts unless they are free or comped. This means the house makes up the difference. I have heard this said from several artists.

Let's get into yesterday's performance at Mohegan Sun so we can see what we would be missing if this is indeed the finale.

Bowzer's Dance Parties are like listening to the radio of the past. Each act performs no more than five songs, with the headliner topping out at 7-8. So, you are getting the hits. Just as you would have heard on the radio. Without this collaboration, we would not be able to experience a live performance, by the original artists, the way we remember it.  AND these talented people are able to still enjoy their craft. The concert was four hours long! And I didn't get hungry! (OK, I went through a drive-thru on my way home, as all the restaurants were filled after the show, but it was because I knew I better ingest some food before I arrived home. Now I will become a name-dropper and tell you who performed.

As you will soon read, this show was a family affair. Generational and long-term friendships, which only solidifies the fact that music is forever.

First out after Bowzer's introduction to the day is Johnny Farina. His steel guitar playing maintains its exceptionality. As he says, "You can't get that sound with anything else." His second and final song was "Sleep Walk," which I could hear coming from the car radio as my dad drove us on the long trip to visit grandparents. The benefit of those trips was eating at Howard Johnson's and listening to the hits of the day as the car moved closer to our destination. "Sleep Walk" was written by the Farina brothers (Johnny and Santo) at 2:00 in the morning after one of them woke up and said, "Get up! I have an idea for a song." They lived in a duplex so not only did their family get to hear this early morning songfest, but the family in the second half of the building must have also awakened.

A bright red suit, a skip, a jump and a hop announces the entrance of ... not Santa ... Joey Dee! The man who made The Peppermint Lounge what it was and became its resident performer hits us with several Twist songs. Ending with "The Peppermint Twist" (naturally), he skip hops off the stage, but not before he has mimicked a RAP song to show his disdain for that genre. I am not in any way, a RAP fan so I cannot give a technical review ... however, I thought, as RAP goes, he wasn't bad. If he had been horrible at it, it would be easy for people to say, "Of course he doesn't like it. He can't do it." So doing the best RAP a limber 83 year old can do is the way to present it. "AH NUTS!"

I want to take a minute to thank Jimmy Fox (now passed) and Maynard Strickland of the Mohegan Tribal Council for 22 years ago working with Bowzer to bring about the first ... and all succeeding Bowzer Doo Wop and Rock 'n Roll shows. Without their tireless support, I would not have had my January respite from the grey skies of winter all these years.

Cleveland Still (88), of The Dubs, is also recovering from heart surgery and was unable to make it this year. But the other three members of the group came and if you search for information on The Dubs, you will find that the three songs they are known for are: "Don't Ask Me to Be Lonely, " "Chapel of Dreams" and "Could This Be Magic."  Delightfully, these are the three songs they sang here. Missing Cleveland, as a first tenor, they were Still (pun intended) able to pull off great Doo Wop harmonies. Cleveland says he will be here next year, so we just have to have a next year!

We gotta have some girls! You know I love their outfits! Believe Me ... LaLa Brooks of The Crystals has outfits that knock me out.

 

 

Here is LaLa and her co-singers today. That top shimmered and sparkled on stage, even when she was standing still ... which was for 10 seconds total at the most. Another three hit songs? "And Then He Kissed Me," "Da Doo Run Run" and "Proud Mary."  LaLa was only 13 when she first started recording with Phil Spector. Yes, Spector was suspect even then, but able to produce at a high quality. Check out the book, THE WRECKING CREW. "Proud Mary" is better known as a Tina Turner song so LaLa shoots the second half of the song into high gear with Turner twists and turns that rock the stage, down into the audience, and up the sides of the arena lofts. She posted that she had a great time and enjoyed doing the show. SHE enjoyed the show? WHAM! That means we must have relished each moment.

9/11 Firefighter hero, Frank Pizarro, took over lead vocals for Herb Reed and The Platters after his recovery from his response in 9/11. Herb Reed passed in 2012. Frank, his wife and two others who sang with Sonny Turner, also of The Platters, have teamed up to do The Platters hits, NOT labeling themselves as Platters (remember the Truth in Music Laws everyone), but singing as Frank Pizarro, former lead singer of The Platters. Herb Reed has professed that Frank was the only person he ever heard that sounded like lead singer, Tony Williams, who recorded The Platters songs. I have not run my own comparison. However, Frank Pizarro is good! From the moment his mouth opens into the mic, it is magic. His voice fills the arena and then escapes out into the lobbies. Again, three dynamite hits: "My Prayer," "The Great Pretender" and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes."  Wheeeewwwww ... my radio comparison is so true. This is hearing the best from the best.

Bowzer is known for playing "Bumble Bee Boogie" at this point in the program, but tonight he plays the Israeli National Anthem in honor and memory of his mother, Bessie Bauman. Since this may be Bowzer's last roundup here at Mohegan, I am going to relate the anecdote he tells of his mom. When he comes back next year (fingers crossed), ya'll can pretend you don't know it.

Bessie Bauman wanted her son to go to Julliard College of Music and play Carnegie Hall (no pressure here.)  He did attend Julliard from the age of 12 to 17. Then he joined this group, Sha Na Na, and discontinued his Julliard sojourn. Well, Carnegie Hall fell on some hard times and they started pulling in rock and roll groups to perform. Sha Na Na was one of these. Throughout the entire concert, a woman in the middle of the second row stood up excitedly waving her arms while Bowzer sang "Ram-a-Lam-a-Ding-Dong" and other non-Julliard favorites. On completion of the songs she yelled, "JONATHAN, YOU MADE IT!" because to every mother, Carnegie Hall is Carnegie Hall. No matter how you get there. Of course, the woman was Bessie Bauman. By the way, she proceeded to the autograph table, giving out autographs as, BOWZER'S MOTHER. 

Jackie Wilson, a high energy performer had no idea he had a son he had never seen or knew about. Conversely, his son never knew about him either. Bobby Wilson could not be more of a Dad Double. Before he knew he was Jackie's son, he did a tribute show with others where he impersonated Jackie Wilson. After a series of synchronicities, he was urged and indeed, invited to get a DNA comparison with a member of Jackie's family. The results showed 99.999% probability that he is Jackie Wilson's son. Can you imagine how he must have felt at that moment? Let me tell you how I feel as I watch Bobby perform, NO DOUBT! That is Jackie Wilson's son. After his four songs, I'm exhausted. Jackie's hits: "That's Why (I Love You So)," "Lonely Teardrops," "To Be Loved" and "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher" are done to perfection, just as his dad would have it. Both father and son had rough lives, but Bobby says he would change nothing. "It was all a process." Hopefully Bobby's life is now going forward and he can stay on track and enjoy his talent.

The last act before intermission is TA-TA-TA-TA!! Jay Siegel and The Tokens. 

Five wonderful songs:  "Tonight I Fell In Love," "I'll Always Love You," "Portrait of My Love" (my all-time favorite and one that charted during The British Invasion.)  I don't feel sorry for our American groups during that time. I was involved with all music then and now.  It is true that some people are fickle and jump from group to group, based on popularity and are not able to add on new without throwing away the old.  Their loss.

Medley to salute The Happenings and The Chiffons; two groups produced by The Tokens:  "See You In September" and "One Fine Day" ... followed by, of course, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight."

As long as the first act has been, the audience is still rocking and loving The Tokens. Jay's son, Jared, is the pianist and sometime vocalist with the group ... another familial connection. Jay's voice, especially his falsetto, is rockin' good. I am sure I have relayed the story about his granddaughter bragging that her grandfather sang "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" in The Lion King movie. Nobody bought her story. "Yeah, yeah! He sings it in the shower. He sings it in the house. Sure we know!" She had to bring him for kindergarten show and tell to prove it to her class. Well, there is no doubt that it was Jay Siegel and The Tokens when you hear it today.

While I was waiting in line to pick up my tickets, Jay and his son, Jared, cut through the line behind me in order to get from the hotel to the arena. I had just been in a conversation over the fact that people always cut through the line in front of me wherever I am standing. Jay proved me wrong. He cut in back. 

Bowzer and the Stingrays open the second act and I am thrilled to see the lead vocalist of Sha Na Na, Johnny Contado, join him for this session. They may not be physically related, but they are certainly family after all these years. Even in health recuperation status, Bowzer can sing bass for a mean "Blue Moon." With Johnny chiming in on vocals, and harmonies emanating from The Stingrays, this is not only triumphant for Bowzer, but magical for the audience. Bowzer's piano was wrongfully removed from the stage during intermission, but not to worry, Rocky and the Rollers (the band for all performers thus far) move a standing keyboard downstage to where Bowzer is standing and he uses it for "Runaway" and "Those Magic Changes."  The ending piece is the duet Bowzer and Johnny routinely sing when they perform together, "Lovers Never Say Goodbye."  I really cannot easily say good-bye to the Dance Parties and I will tell you how you can help at the end here.

Drum shots, guitar riffs, rocking horns and Gary US Bonds appears to hit us between the eyes with "New Orleans."  Well, a Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey. Backed by his wife and daughter, Gary shoots into a walloping medley of hits: "Shake, Shake, Shake"; "Twist, Twist Senora"; "La Chia"; "This Little Girl Is Mine"; and "Quarter To Three."  Gary explains that a medley is a composite of songs resulting from the performer saying, "I'm sick of doing these d*** songs."  It doesn't sound like it, so the audience can laugh at his definition, clap along and jump up and dance. His wife and daughter are unified in their movements and the presentation of harmonic backing. A Latin addition to bring up the heat.

This year's closers are Kenny Vance and the Planotones. As Rocky and the Rollers leave the stage, The Planotones Band starts moving in. Among them is Johnny Gale, musical director, producer, and guitarist extraordinaire. It only takes moments before they begin to play as Bowzer talks about the transformation of Kenny from Jay and the Americans to heading up his own group and now becoming the headliners of this 2024 show. The Planotones then stroll on stage asking Bowzer if he's seen a "tall guy with a hat?" Bowzer says they better find him because he has to stay onstage until the tall guy comes out. Then, of course, Kenny Vance saunters out. "It's Alright (Have a Good Time)" opens their segment. Next is the Jay and the Americans slot where they bring in three songs:  "She Cried," their first hit, "Come A Little Bit Closer" and "Cara Mia."  Until "Cara Mia," Kenny has been leading the vocals with a clear high intonation. His son, Ladd Vance, takes over on "Cara Mia" and we sway into Cara Mia Fair. The last three songs: "In The Still Of The Night," "Angel Baby" and "Looking For An Echo" only cement this concert as the finest way to relive the AM radio days. The quality surpasses what we heard from our favorite shows, but the songs are the ones we remember.

Rocky and the Rollers return and it is time for "Goodnight Sweetheart," the traditional Bowzer ending of every show. The father/son connections, the father/daughter connections, the husband/wife connections all brought together in the name of music. Just bringing stellar songs to life for mass enjoyment. 

So what can we do to continue the enjoyment for ourselves and those following us? Looking at my opening paragraph, there is much we cannot control. What we CAN control is letting theatres and venues know who we want to see and then BUYING tickets to go see them. We can't buy tickets to everything we want to see. (I know ... I keep trying!) But attend as often as you can and hit the fairs and outdoor venues. 

 

Bowzer said that if we can get a show at Mohegan Sun next year, it will indeed be the last one. I'm up for the challenge. If the 23rd year of "Bowzer Presents" is the final chapter, I will be there. The year will not be 2525, but 2025, and an admirable run. If you are in the New England area, let Mohegan Sun know that Bowzer should come back and end his Mohegan  run with a bang-up show.