Catch a rising star in Pastorius Park
By Nancy Berger
It’s not often that a community (this means YOU) can get to hear one of the country’s hot, new stars for FREE. But on Wednesday, August 4 in Pastorius Park at 7:30 p.m., this is your chance.
Up-and-coming young (26) singer-songwriter Amos Lee has played North by Northwest, the Tin Angel, the Point, has opened for Bob Dylan, and is, according to Inquirer music writer Tom Moon, truly a rising young star.
His style runs the gamut from soul to folk to funk. According to Lee’s Web site, he delivers “folky soul” music with his “Marvin Gaye-like” voice and acoustic guitar.
And he’s joining the Norah Jones North American tour right after he plays in Chestnut Hill, though he’ll be back in Philly at the Mann with Jones on September 4. Wow. This is quite a switch from his early days of performing at open mic nights. How did this come to pass? According to Lee’s manager, Bill Eib, it’s as simple as Norah hearing Amos playing at a club in New York, she liked his music, invited him to join the tour, and … voila! Eib speculates that Lee’s appeal is the age- and timelessness of his music, which can also be said of Jones’ songs. They’re neither “flameout trendy” nor stodgily old-fashioned: just good music, well sung.
Lee, who is now living in New York while he finishes recording his first CD, for Blue Note records, has recently returned from a three-month, 42-show European tour, which, according to Eib, was absolutely thrilling. Eib was especially impressed because Amos “never did the same show twice. Oh, he may have sung some of the same songs,“ Eib said “but he always brought a slightly different style to them, mostly based on the vibes he would get from the audience.”
Concertgoers should expect an evening of Lee performing original songs, probably accompanied by a few sidemen. Though if the weather’s nice, Eib said, many of Lee’s musician friends may join him on the stage, as they often do.
Following the Amos Lee concert, the Pastorius Park concert series will continue with the Savoy Company, singing Gilbert & Sullivan favorites on August 11; and Zydeco a Go Go electric energy on August 18.
Supporting the concert series this year are North by Northwest, Citizens Bank, Magarity Ford and Magarity Chevrolet, Merrill Lynch-Sarian / Nottingham Group, Eichler & Moffly, McNally’s and the Chestnut Hill Business Association.
Brochures are available at the CHCA office at Town Hall, 8434 Germantown Ave. The concerts are funded by the Chestnut Hill Community Fund, the CHCA’s nonprofit arm, which raises money for community programs from area residents and businesspeople.
The Pastorius Park concert committee is selling t-shirts featuring the series’ new green and blue logo and tagline ”Pastorius Park Music under the Moon” created by Mt. Airy graphics artist Ed Bednow. The shirts are available in children’s and adult sizes and are being sold at the concerts as well as at Town Hall. T-shirts are $10 for adults and $7 for children.
Admission is free but donations will be requested from concertgoers.