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Stormin’
Norman Seldin and Friends plus
the Return of Ray & The Darchaes
Sallee Tee’s Grille, Monmouth Beach, NJ
February 16, 2012
On Thursday night, February 16, 2012, we
drove to Monmouth Beach, NJ, to catch two fabulous Jersey Shore musical
groups, Stormin’ Norman Seldin & Friends and Ray & the Darchaes.
What a treat to meet the legend Norman
Seldin who has had a 50-year music career as a singer, songwriter,
keyboardist, front man, sideman manager, concert promoter, music instructor
and record label owner. Norman began playing in clubs when he was thirteen
years old. He helped give a start to the careers of Clarence Clemens, as
well as Harry Ray of Ray, Goodman & Brown and many others. Norman owned the
Selsom label that released so many records by the Valtairs, Shondelles,
Uniques, Shells and Tony Maples. Norman is featured in a chapter of
Local Heroes: The Asbury Park Music Scene by Martensson and
Johansson.
Stormin' Norman Seldin,
Charlie & Pamela Horner
Norman Seldin's Selsom
label. Harry Ray of the Valtairs later gained
fame with the Moments and Ray Goodman & Brown.
(From the Classic Urban Harmony Archives)
Double CD, "Asbury Park
Now & Then" by Stormin' Norman Seldin & Friends
contains 46 cuts recorded by Norman Seldin over the years including all
the Valtairs, Uniques, Barbaroso & the Historians, Soul Set, Tony Maples
cuts, etc. Many previously unreleased. Lots of great vocal group
sides.
Currently available through
www.cdbaby.com/cd/storminn
On this night, Norman Seldin was on
stage with Pam McCoy on guitar. Later in the night John Hanney, a very
talented self-taught harmonica player, who has been playing for six years
joined in on the fun. Stormin’ Norman and Friends played and sang a wide
variety of music. Some of the songs were “Traveling Man” (Rick Nelson),
“Blue Bayou” (Linda Ronstadt) and “Let the Good Times Roll” (Shirley &
Lee). Norman has released a highly recommended double CD called
Asbury Park Then & Now by Stormin’ Norman and Friends. It contains
many of the songs he’s recorded over the years. We’ll be covering more of
Norman’s musical career as well as that of the Darchaes in our April 22nd
Asbury Park presentation, “West Side Harmony: Asbury Park's Vocal Group
Legacy (1948 - 1968)”. See
Our Events Calendar.
Norman Seldin & Pam
McCoy
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Norman Seldin, Pam
McCoy and John Hanney
Crowd at Sallee Tee's
Grille, Monmouth Beach, NJ
Ray and the Darchaes, a highly respected
Asbury Park NJ vocal group from the early 1960’s had not made a live singing
appearance prior to this in 40 years! They’d recently released a great CD
containing previously unreleased cuts from the 1960’s as well as a couple of
new recordings. Ray & the Darchaes are known for such doo wop classics as
“Carol” and “Darling Forever”. Lead Ray Dahrouge later went on to be a
hugely successful song writer and producer. He was joined by original
Darchaes Sam Siciliano, Dennis Testa, Louie Scalpati and Patsy Siciliano.
Ray & the Darchaes, ca.
1960.
(Photo courtesy of Sam Siciliano)
"Little Girl So Fine" by
Ray & the Darchaes
(From the Classic Urban Harmony Archives)
"Darling Forever" by Ray
& The Darchaes
(From the Classic Urban Harmony Archives)
New CD by Ray & The
Darchaes containing 17 cuts from 1961,
many previously unreleased, and a couple new sides.
Available through
www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayandthedarchaes
Stormin’ Norman backed Ray & the
Darchaes on the keyboard and sometimes sang lead with the Darchaes backing
him. What an amazing night! The Darchaes warmed up with Norman on lead to
“In The Still of The Night”. Ray led with songs he wrote, “Darling Forever”
and “Carol”. Norman played and sang lead on “Come Go With Me”. The group
sang acappella on “There Will Always Be” and closed with a record Ray wrote
in 1961, “Little Girl So Fine”. What a thrill for us to be at Sallee Tees
for this spectacular historic event.
Norman Seldin, Ray & the
Darchaes
Left to right: Norman Seldin, Ray Dahrouge, Dennis Testa,
Sam Siciliano, Louie Scalpati, Patsy Siciliano
Norman Seldin, Ray & The
Darchaes
Ray & The Darchaes
Left to right: Ray Dahrouge, Dennis Testa,
Sam Siciliano, Louie Scalpati, Patsy Siciliano
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Ray Dahrouge
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Dennis Testa & Sam
Siciliano
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Louie Scalpati & Patsy
Siciliano
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Pam Horner, Ray Dahrouge,
Charlie Horner
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Ray Dahrouge talking to
Frank and Marian Cicerale
Frank Cicerale, Pam
Horner, Ray Dahrouge, Charlie Horner, Tom Rowell
Charlie flipping through
Darchaes and Selsom label 45's
from the Classic Urban Harmony Archives while
Ray Dahrouge, PJ Noce and Frank Cicerale look on.
Original label 45 of
"Carol"
PJ Noce, Ray Dahrouge and
Frank Cicerale
We loved the ambiance and dinner at Sallee Tee’s in Monmouth
Beach and want to return. All in all, it was an astonishing night.
Stormin' Norman Seldin and Friends play
the stage room of Sallee Tee's Grille, 33 West Street, Monmouth Beach, NJ on
alternate Thursday evenings. Visit
www.salleeteesgrille.com/ for details.
Check out the NJ Discover interview with
Norman Seldin in the YouTube below.
Copyright © Classic Urban Harmony LLC, 2012. All
Rights Reserved.
