Stats:FEBRUARY 23, 2008
THE REGATTABAR
at the Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St, Cambridge MA 02138
617.661.5000 for more info. Ticket info: 617.395.7757.
7:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
$18, Get tickets here for 7:30 p.m. and here for 10:00 p.m.
Go support AWESOME musician and friend of the co-op, John Aruda, as he backs this fab duo on saxophone.
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PRESS RELEASE:
On Saturday, February 23, 2008, soulful duo Dwight & Nicole (Dwight Ritcher & Nicole Nelson) celebrate the lives of legends Ray Charles & Betty Carter with an evening of music at the Regattabar, Harvard Square, MA, for two shows: 7:30 & 10:00 p.m. Tickets are $18.00.
In 1961, Ray Charles invited (then-unknown) jazz singer Betty Carter into the studio for a live recording of 12 love songs. The result was a groundbreaking 78-minute collection of duets. "The inspiration was contagious," claimed the album producer (and longtime Charles collaborator), Sid Feller. Now, 47 years later, NYC soul duo Dwight & Nicole will honor Ray and Betty, joined by an all-star group, including Tom West on piano, John Lockwood on bass, Marty Richards on drums, Jeff Galindo on trombone, and John & Scott Aruda on tenor saxophone & trumpet, respectively. Expect to hear renditions of classic duets such as "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and "People Will Say We're in Love," as well as Betty's hit "Mean To Me," and Ray's ubiquitous "Night Time is the Right Time."
Fans of Dwight Ritcher & Nicole Nelson may recall a time when they each fronted their own popular bands earlier in the decade. Forging their way up from pubs to theaters, they played music at a level which belied their years. Dwight Ritcher, a New Jersey native, moved to Boston and formed the Dwight Ritcher Band. The singer/songwriter & guitarist tapped his deep blues and funk roots to front a high energy, horn-driven group, eventually recording two highly acclaimed, if not chart-topping albums; Drive Around Town and Radioman. Often sharing the stage with such greats as Otis Rush, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, and Buddy Guy, Ritcher carved out his own musical niche and gained a loyal fan base.
Rising up at the same time from a crowd of Boston area vocalists was Nicole Nelson. A standout soul singer from the start, described as "Magnificent" by Maya Angelou, and "A voice for the ages" by the Boston Phoenix; Nelson and her band churned out crowd-crushing Etta James & Aretha covers during the first half of her 7-year career. Over time, she developed her own unique sound as a songwriter. After a move back to her hometown, Brooklyn, NY, in 2004, Nelson teamed up with Ritcher. Blending their voices to create a very original music; the Dwight & Nicole duo was formed.
The versatility of their current incarnation allows them the luxury of creative options. Some live shows reveal a stripped down duo, just Ritcher's guitar and Nelson's percussion supporting their rich vocals and carrying the crowd. Other shows find them fronting full big bands together, 1940's style. The latter is like stepping into a time warp- no strangers to jazz & swing, Dwight & Nicole recall Jimmy Rushing & Ella Fitzgerald. For fans of that musical era, this is a show to catch. A closer listen reveals inflections of Patsy Cline, BB King, Johnny Cash, & Nina Simone. And of course, the real magic is in that non-definable extra something; the element of surprise which keeps the music fresh and very alive: a necessary ingredient when interpreting the songs of such personalities as Ray Charles & Betty Carter.
for more info contact: Bonnie Ahl 917-756-2318
info@mixmanagement.net
www.myspace.com/dwightandnicole
