Post by Jonel on May 4, 2004 15:04:29 GMT -5
Sweet sounds of the Persuasions
Famed a capella group to perform in final UBS Atrium lunchtime concert
Jim Hague
Reporter staff writer 05/02/2004
The Persuasions
Jimmy Hayes, one of the founding members of the famed a capella performing and recording group "The Persuasions," vividly recalls his 26th birthday party.
"My friends gave me a surprise party and everyone was there," Hayes said. "All of the members of 'The Temptations' were there. It was a real surprise to me."
During that party, Hayes asked Otis Williams, one of the members of the original Temptations, to sing him a special song.
"I asked him to sing, 'Don't Send Me Away,' which he did," Hayes said. "And all the members of the Temptations and Persuasions got together and sang the background. It was something I'll never forget. I hadn't seen Otis since my 26th birthday. That was 30 years ago."
Just last week, Hayes hooked up once again with Williams, who is the only member of the original Temptations still performing with the legendary Motown group, when the Persuasions opened for the Temptations at a concert in North Hampton, Mass.
"It was 30 years ago, but Otis still remembered that night," said Hayes.
This May, Hayes will be performing locally, albeit without the Temptations. But he will lead the Persuasions in the May concert as part of the UBS Atrium Concert Series Thursday afternoon at 12:30 p.m., presented by the Hudson Riverfront Performing Arts Center.
It will be the final concert in the series for the season. The HRPAC will move their concerts outdoors into Lincoln Harbor Park, beginning next month.
Hayes and the Persuasions will bring their sweet melodies to the UBS Atrium, performing songs without the aid of instrumental background that they have been doing for more than 40 years. Over the years, they have recorded several a capella albums featuring the music of the Beatles, the Grateful Dead, and even Frank Zappa. They first broke onto the Billboard charts in 1970 with the album, "Street Corner Symphony," ironically recorded in Jersey City.
"It's still what we all do for a living and what we've done for 42 years," said Hayes, who said the group performs anywhere between 100 and 200 concerts every year. "Singing a capella is a great thing. Many years ago, I wondered why a capella was so hard to catch on, beyond what was being sung on street corners, just to amuse yourself. I guess it's because we're bucking the music industry, singing and recording without guitars, saxophones and drums. I wonder if Mick Jagger or Elton John could do that."
Hayes said that the group gained some popularity, thanks to a resurgence in a capella sounds, and to recording acts like Boyz II Men and Rockapella.
"Our music boomed again," Hayes said. "Although we have recorded a few albums with instruments, we've stayed faithful to a capella. It's what we do. It's our thing. We have a good time and we love this kind of music."
Hayes said that the group has performed a lot of concerts in the intimate setting like the UBS Atrium.
"We just recently performed in Central Park, after the Parkinson's Disease Walk," Hayes said. "We look forward to these types of concerts and venues."
Hudson Riverfront Performing Arts Center Executive Director Bruce Sherman was introduced formally to the members of the Persuasions two weeks ago (along with HRPAC Board member Jay Savulich) in Brooklyn and took some pictures to use for the promotional material of the concert.
There was an interesting sidelight to the meeting.
"We had lunch with them afterwards and that turned out to produce one of those quintessential New York moments," Sherman said. "You see, having lunch with the Persuasions is a very unusual experience. Since they've been singing together for decades, singing is almost like speaking for them. They'll hear a particular word or phrase which will remind them of a song and all of a sudden they'll be jamming."
Added Sherman, "People were gathering around the table listening and a young man approached and asked if they needed a bass. The bass of the group, Jimmy Hayes, challenged him to sing a song and he launched into 'Goodnight Sweetheart.' They all started singing to back him up. He did a great job and they congratulated him and asked him what he did. It turns out he was a student cantor at the local synagogue. Things like that only happen in New York."
Sherman said that he was thrilled about bringing the Persuasions to Weehawken for the concert.
"We're very excited about presenting such a groundbreaking group," Sherman said. "The Persuasions led the way for so many groups who followed in their footsteps."
Hayes said that he had a laugh with Sherman about the attire they plan to wear for the concert.
"I told Bruce that we had tuxedos, but Bruce said that it's a little more casual and that the tuxedos might be a bit over the top," Hayes said. "He took pictures of us in casual clothes, but I think he just might be seeing the tuxedos."
Hayes said that performing never gets tiring, after more than four decades on the road.
"It still is fun," Hayes said. "After 42 years, we still get a kick out of it. It's like any job. If it gets to a point where it's no longer fun, they you walk away. But I definitely enjoy it. Having a good time is all that matters. I'm looking forward to coming to Weehawken and doing our thing. I remember being there once and being so close that it felt like I could touch Manhattan, like I could jump in the river and swim across. If the weather is good, I might do it again."
However, that would tend to make the tuxedo soggy.
Sherman said that he was grateful to the people at UBS for allowing the HRPAC to hold the monthly lunchtime concert series since October.
"The concerts were a huge success and we hope to bring them back again in the fall," Sherman said. "We're going to concentrate now on our five outdoor concerts that begin in June. We'll have an announcement on those concerts shortly. We also hope to bring some children's programming next year as well."
©The Hudson Reporter 2004
www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=11420080&BRD=1291&PAG=461&dept_id=523588&rfi=6
Famed a capella group to perform in final UBS Atrium lunchtime concert
Jim Hague
Reporter staff writer 05/02/2004
The Persuasions
Jimmy Hayes, one of the founding members of the famed a capella performing and recording group "The Persuasions," vividly recalls his 26th birthday party.
"My friends gave me a surprise party and everyone was there," Hayes said. "All of the members of 'The Temptations' were there. It was a real surprise to me."
During that party, Hayes asked Otis Williams, one of the members of the original Temptations, to sing him a special song.
"I asked him to sing, 'Don't Send Me Away,' which he did," Hayes said. "And all the members of the Temptations and Persuasions got together and sang the background. It was something I'll never forget. I hadn't seen Otis since my 26th birthday. That was 30 years ago."
Just last week, Hayes hooked up once again with Williams, who is the only member of the original Temptations still performing with the legendary Motown group, when the Persuasions opened for the Temptations at a concert in North Hampton, Mass.
"It was 30 years ago, but Otis still remembered that night," said Hayes.
This May, Hayes will be performing locally, albeit without the Temptations. But he will lead the Persuasions in the May concert as part of the UBS Atrium Concert Series Thursday afternoon at 12:30 p.m., presented by the Hudson Riverfront Performing Arts Center.
It will be the final concert in the series for the season. The HRPAC will move their concerts outdoors into Lincoln Harbor Park, beginning next month.
Hayes and the Persuasions will bring their sweet melodies to the UBS Atrium, performing songs without the aid of instrumental background that they have been doing for more than 40 years. Over the years, they have recorded several a capella albums featuring the music of the Beatles, the Grateful Dead, and even Frank Zappa. They first broke onto the Billboard charts in 1970 with the album, "Street Corner Symphony," ironically recorded in Jersey City.
"It's still what we all do for a living and what we've done for 42 years," said Hayes, who said the group performs anywhere between 100 and 200 concerts every year. "Singing a capella is a great thing. Many years ago, I wondered why a capella was so hard to catch on, beyond what was being sung on street corners, just to amuse yourself. I guess it's because we're bucking the music industry, singing and recording without guitars, saxophones and drums. I wonder if Mick Jagger or Elton John could do that."
Hayes said that the group gained some popularity, thanks to a resurgence in a capella sounds, and to recording acts like Boyz II Men and Rockapella.
"Our music boomed again," Hayes said. "Although we have recorded a few albums with instruments, we've stayed faithful to a capella. It's what we do. It's our thing. We have a good time and we love this kind of music."
Hayes said that the group has performed a lot of concerts in the intimate setting like the UBS Atrium.
"We just recently performed in Central Park, after the Parkinson's Disease Walk," Hayes said. "We look forward to these types of concerts and venues."
Hudson Riverfront Performing Arts Center Executive Director Bruce Sherman was introduced formally to the members of the Persuasions two weeks ago (along with HRPAC Board member Jay Savulich) in Brooklyn and took some pictures to use for the promotional material of the concert.
There was an interesting sidelight to the meeting.
"We had lunch with them afterwards and that turned out to produce one of those quintessential New York moments," Sherman said. "You see, having lunch with the Persuasions is a very unusual experience. Since they've been singing together for decades, singing is almost like speaking for them. They'll hear a particular word or phrase which will remind them of a song and all of a sudden they'll be jamming."
Added Sherman, "People were gathering around the table listening and a young man approached and asked if they needed a bass. The bass of the group, Jimmy Hayes, challenged him to sing a song and he launched into 'Goodnight Sweetheart.' They all started singing to back him up. He did a great job and they congratulated him and asked him what he did. It turns out he was a student cantor at the local synagogue. Things like that only happen in New York."
Sherman said that he was thrilled about bringing the Persuasions to Weehawken for the concert.
"We're very excited about presenting such a groundbreaking group," Sherman said. "The Persuasions led the way for so many groups who followed in their footsteps."
Hayes said that he had a laugh with Sherman about the attire they plan to wear for the concert.
"I told Bruce that we had tuxedos, but Bruce said that it's a little more casual and that the tuxedos might be a bit over the top," Hayes said. "He took pictures of us in casual clothes, but I think he just might be seeing the tuxedos."
Hayes said that performing never gets tiring, after more than four decades on the road.
"It still is fun," Hayes said. "After 42 years, we still get a kick out of it. It's like any job. If it gets to a point where it's no longer fun, they you walk away. But I definitely enjoy it. Having a good time is all that matters. I'm looking forward to coming to Weehawken and doing our thing. I remember being there once and being so close that it felt like I could touch Manhattan, like I could jump in the river and swim across. If the weather is good, I might do it again."
However, that would tend to make the tuxedo soggy.
Sherman said that he was grateful to the people at UBS for allowing the HRPAC to hold the monthly lunchtime concert series since October.
"The concerts were a huge success and we hope to bring them back again in the fall," Sherman said. "We're going to concentrate now on our five outdoor concerts that begin in June. We'll have an announcement on those concerts shortly. We also hope to bring some children's programming next year as well."
©The Hudson Reporter 2004
www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=11420080&BRD=1291&PAG=461&dept_id=523588&rfi=6
