STAND BY ME: THE MUSIC OF THE BRILL BUILDING

One of the most important musical landmarks in New York City is the Brill Building where in the 50's and 60's a small army of ambitious teenagers competed with each other to write the next million seller for Elvis, The Drifters and The Shirelles. Along the way this small bunch of composers made a long string of hit records that saw them leaving parents basements in Brooklyn and entering rock n roll history as they created the second great American songbook, filling the airwaves and the dance floors and jukeboxes of the world with the hopes and dreams of the american teenager.

I first began singing this rich material during my time as a member of The Nylons when the guys schooled me on how the early Doo Wop and Rhythm and Blues developed into sophisticated three minute pop classics such as "One Fine Day" and "Spanish Harlem".  It was while I was living and writing in The Big Apple, writing the songs for my upcoming release "New York Stories" in those little piano rooms off of Time Square when the music of the Brill Era and these songs began to inspire me once again.. and the idea of the show "Stand By Me" was born!

Imagining an evening that might recreate a concert from the early 60's I asked some of the best singers in Canada to join me in forming a male vocal group to interpret songs written by legendary Brill Building composers and lyricists such as Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Lieber and Stoller and  Bacharach and David.  Each of the singers had to be able to handle  harmonies so it was natural to ask Billy Newton Davis, Gavin Hope and Tyrone Gabriel (who have all been a part of The Nylons), however this show is not an A Capella evening as it also features my trio featuring my brother Daniel Barnes on the drums, Russ Boswell on bass and our musical director Michael Shand.

Our upcoming show at The Al Green Theatre in Toronto is a fundraiser for the JCC's music scholarship foundation, and we are proud to be performing this concert in support of music education being available to all!

"STAND BY ME: THE MUSIC OF THE BRILL BUILDING"
Micah Barnes and Friends
Thursday, November 13th – 8:00pm
$50  Purchase ticket through the Box Office 416-978-8849 | www.uofttix.ca




 

 

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