Sunday March 29, 2015
Ken Whiteley’s Gospel Matinee
with special guests
Lonnie “Big Ben” Bennett (Sacred Steel master)
The Fabulous Levy Sisters (Amoy Levy & Ciceal Levey)
Cherlyn Bennet
Ben Whiteley
Bucky Berger
It’s been many years since I first heard the incredible sound of “Sacred Steel”, after meeting all the Campbell Brothers in a Memphis elevator and then seeing them play the next day. Chuck Campbell told me about a player in his home town of Rochester who he said can play as well as he can and a couple of years ago he joined us on the Hugh’s Room stage. Lonnie “Big Ben” Bennett is an incredible musician. Like the best sacred steel artists, he can make the electrified steel guitar talk and sing, wail, moan and rock and even preach. But he is also a sophisticated musician who can hear complicated, unfamiliar chord changes going by and join right in without missing a beat. He is a real master of the “Sacred Steel”. This time his wife, Cherlyn Bennett will be joining us as well. She is a highly acclaimed gospel singer who has performed throughout the United States.
Making sure that the harmonies ring out at their absolute best are The Fabulous Levy Sisters. Amoy and Ciceal have been singing with me for over 20 years now and that kind of musical familiarity makes for a wonderful blend. Amoy possesses an incredible vocal range and is a remarkable soloist of great feeling and sincerity. She has a terrific new cd out called Testimony. Ciceal has a wonderful, rich alto voice that underpins group singing and enriches us all anytime she sings.
Rounding out the all star ensemble will be Bucky Berger on drums and Ben Whiteley on bass. Both are highly accomplished musicians with a broad range of experience but together they have rocked many a gospel show. “Bassy” and “Drummy” will be laying down grooves that will resonate from Dundas West to other side of the Don River.
Tickets: $20 Advance/$22.50 Door/Groups 10+ $18 (Group tickets must be purchased at one time) (inlcludes HST)
Performance: 2:00pm
Location: Hugh's Room, 2261 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON
For info and reservations click here
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