Morris Museum "New Jersey Doo
Wop Groups - Part 1"
June 8, 2011, Morristown, NJ
Special Presentation for the "Jersey Rocks" Exhibit
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acappella videos!
A fabulous event took place in Morristown, NJ, on evening of
June 8th 2011. We gave a special multimedia presentation of our
"New Jersey Doo Wop Groups - Part 1". The gathering of fans, friends, and
stars took place in the "Jersey Rocks" exhibit gallery at the Morris Museum,
6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ. The exhibit, featuring New
Jersey's contribution to the history of Rock & Roll, will run through
September 5th and we'll be back on June 15 to give Part 2 of our
presentation. The "Jersey Rocks" program will also feature two major
acappella concerts, several lectures and numerous other activities
throughout the summer. Check our Events Calendar for details.
Perhaps one of the greatest honors to us was
to be able to talk within the exhibit itself. We had assisted the
Museum with the 1950's R&B and Doo Wop section of the exhibit, lending
photos and memorabilia for display. To make the evening special, we
invited many of our singer friends from New Jersey to mingle with the
attendees and sign autographs. We also asked some close friends of
ours to sing a few doo wop songs acappella, prior to our presentation.
We were honored to have so many singers
in attendance. We were delighted to have Tom Bialoglow an original member
of the Duprees, Sam Siciliano, Patsy Siciliano, Louis Scalpati and Dennis
Testa of the Darchaes, Sam campbell, Ron Taylor and Billy Spruill of the Del
Larks, Bobby Thomas of the Vibranaires, V-Eights and Orioles, Vic Donna of
Vic Donna & the Parakeets (now with the Vic Donna Group), Pete Sherwood of
Memories of You, Jim Bakay of the Copians (and WRDV-FM radio), Shelly
Buchansky of Vito & the Salutations, Five Discs, Silk City and Kid Kyle's
Kool Kats, and Carl Anderson and Ted Bennett of the Plurals. Carl
Anderson and Ted Bennett had not seen each other in 51 years. Three
members of the acappella group, Re-MemberThen (Frank Cicerale, Jim Offner
and Randy Croce) were also in attendance. We were also privileged to have
noted group harmony authority Paul Ressler in attendance. Paul has played a
major role in planning the Jersey rocks exhibit and activities at the Morris
Museum and it was Paul who invited us to be involved with the Museum's
program. Other noted guests included WRSU-FM's "Big Beat Show" host
Lou Rallo.
We set up for our presentation, "Doo Wop
Groups of New Jersey - Part 1" in the main exhibit area. Pam displayed
50 more photos of New Jersey R&B and Doo Wop groups along with collections
of vocal group sheet music. She also also handed out printed programs
listing more than 200 NJ 1950's style R&B, doo wop and acappella vocal
groups. Our friends the Del Larks also had a table and signed
autographs. Ron Taylor of the Del Larks brought along six large poster
boards displaying photos of the Del Larks and other Plainfield vocal groups.
Of course there were plenty of fifties
R&B and doo wop vocal group memorabilia throughout the Jersey rocks Exhibit
to view. Attendees mingled with our celebrity singers to examine the
exhibits.
Copians' Jim Bakay
(right) visits the Del Larks' table.
(left to right behind the tables: Del Larks' Billy Spruill,
Ron Taylor, Sam Campbell, Pam Horner)
Pete Sherwood of the
Jersey vocal group, Memories Of You,
visits the Classic Urban Harmony table.
Left to right: Jim Offner
(Re-MemberThen), Ron Taylor (Del Larks)
Frank Cicerale (Re-MemberThen), Billy Spruill and Sam Campbell (Del Larks)
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Vibranaires' Bobby
Thomas' viewing the Jersey Rocks exhibit.
Noted record collector
and music historian Angelo Pompeo visits the
Duprees display. Angelo grew up with the Duprees in Jersey City.
The Del Larks, from
Plainfield, NJ.
Left to right: Billy Spruill, Sam Campbell, Ron Taylor
The Plurals' Carl
Anderson with friend Linda
Original members of the
Plurals, Carl Anderson and Ted Bennett.
Prior to this night, Carl and Ted had not seen each other in 51 years.
Plurals' blue vinyl record, on loan from the Classic Urban Harmony Archives
to the right.
Randy Croce (Re-MemberThen)
and Tom Bialoglow (Duprees)
Tom Bialoglow of Duprees
by the Duprees display.
Tom lent the Museum the Duprees jacket to the left.
Del Larks' Billy, Sam &
Ron with Charlie
Tom Rowell, Shelly
Buchansky and Carl Tancredi
Jersey Rocks banner
autographed on top by
Southside Johnny & LaBamba
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Left to right: Shelly
Buchansky, Paul Ressler, Bobby Thomas & Jim Bakay
Del Larks with Pam Horner
Marian Cicerale & Del
Larks' Sam Campbell
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
We began the festivities with some
impromptu acappella doo wop singing from three members of the acappella
group, Re-MemberThen (Frank Cicerale, Jim Offner, and Randy Croce) joined by
Vic Donna (The Vic Donna Group) and Shelly Buchansky (Vito & The
Salutations). This was the first time these five gentlemen had ever sung
together as a quintet but they were able to quickly find their notes and put
together a few songs to sing for us. This is the way our music started
on the street corners with singers finding their notes and joining in.
With Re-MemberThen's Frank Cicerale leading, the quintet sang “Tonight Could
Be The Night”, “Gloria” and “So Much in Love". Shelly Buchansky of
Vito & the Salutations led “Zoom". It was a superb way to start the
evening with even the museum personnel enjoying the opening of our
presentation.
Acappella group getting
ready to sing as others view the displays
Impromptu acappella
harmony
Crowd listening to
acappella doo wop singing
Left to right: Randy
Croce, Vic Donna, Jim Offner, Shelly Buchansky, Frank Cicerale
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Shelly Buchansky (of Vito
& Salutations) leading the group on "Zoom"
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
To see and hear the acappella group singing click the
Youtubes below. Both are courtesy of Marian Cicerale.
Tonight Could Be The
Night
"So In Love"
Charlie welcomed the audience, now
occupying all of the seats, and we spent 90 minutes on the history of Doo
Wop in New Jersey. The presentation was composed of stories, photos of
groups, record label shots, and song clips. We began with the roots of
vocal harmony in New Jersey: The Coleman Brothers were a vocal group that
began singing in 1918. We then covered the groups of Asbury Park including
the groups that Bobby Thomas sang with The Vibranaires and V-Eights. Ray &
The Darches were next, followed by Nicky Addeo, Barbaroso & the Historians,
the Broadways, Uniques, Valtairs and Ray Goodman & Brown. Throughout
the evening we discussed the Plazas, Rivieras, Del Larks, Plurals, Duprees,
Ronnie & The Hi-Lites. We also covered the roots of the Four Seasons.
Charlie Horner beginning
the presentation
Charlie discussing the
Rivieras
Vibranaires' Bobby Thomas
being acknowledged by the crowd
Members of the Darchaes
in the audience
After the presentation there was a lot
of friendly intermingling among the attendees and celebrities.
Left to right: Darchaes'
Patsy Siciliano, Sam Siciliano,
Louis Scalpati, Dennis Testa, Charlie Horner
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Darchaes' Sam Siciliano,
Vibranaires' Bobby Thomas, Re-MemberThen's Frank Cicerale
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
Jim, Vic and Randy
(Photo courtesy of Marian Cicerale)
We came back to The Morris Museum on
Wednesday June 15th with another foray into New Jersey Doo Wop (Part Two).
We’d like to thank The Morris Museum for
the opportunity to give our multimedia presentations and for hosting “Jersey
Rocks”.
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