Chicago Meets Motown at NYC Town Hall

Broadway - today and over the last decade or more - has played host to programs spotlighting the legends of the music industry: From Billie Holliday, Fat's Waller, and Kurt Weill to Carole King, Frankie Valli, ABBA, Janis Joplin, and Johnny Cash; to Peter Allen, Jimmy Buffet, Donna Summer, The Shirelles, The Gogos, Green Day, Tupac Shakur ... and lots of Beatles tributes ... with CHER planned for next season.

Now, Town Hall will host a special one-night-only concert featuring the phenomenal band, Beginnings and their tribute to the legendary 70s & 80s band, Chicago; and That Motown Band - celebrating the 60s record label that fostered powerful, definite and historic music.

In 2002, a group of celebrated professional musicians, all veterans of the New York music scene, came together to form Beginnings. But a funny thing happened on the way to Broadway, a collaboration blossomed into a non-stop musical odyssey. Their journey has taken them across the entire country with celebrated stops at Epcot Center, Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and now the Broadway area. Beginnings are individually talented musicians who together comprise an ever-evolving universe multi-instrumentalists and multiple lead vocalists. Their performances bring to life the music of Chicago, recreating every decade of the band's hits. Beginnings is family friendly and a treat for music lovers of all ages.

A national phenomenon for many years, That Motown Band brings to life - at each performance - the music of Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, The Supremes, The Four Tops, and so many others. TMB is a talented group of vocalists and musicians who have played to sold-out houses in The Hamptons, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, just to cite a few.

The band features a Grammy-Award nominees Johnny Gale on lead guitar and Ryan Shaw as a guest vovalist.

Producer, composer, arranger, vocalist and guitarist, Johnny Gale is a renowned expert in the authentic styling of classic soul, doo wop, R&B, blues and rock. He discovered and co- produced Grammy nominated artist Ryan Shaw's debut album entitled 'This Is Ryan Shaw'. Original composition 'We Got Love' from that album has been featured on ABC TV's 'Brothers And Sisters', the film 'My Blueberry Nights' and 'Sex and The City' Vol. 2 soundtrack album. Johnny was nominated for a Grammy for his work HBO series, Vinyl. .

Ryan Shaw began his career in 1998 in Tyler Perry's play I Know I've Been Changed. At the end of the play's run he began doing Motown covers in New York, joining the group Fabulous Soul Shakers in 2004. He recorded a demo in 2006, won the ear of Columbia Records, and was signed to said label. The album, This is Ryan Shaw, mixes new material with covers of songs by Wilson Pickett, Bobby Womack, and Jackie Wilson. He was the opening act for the Van Halen tour 07-08. In 2012, Ryan Shaw released Real Love on Dynotone Records.

Ryan has been nominated for three Grammy awards for songs co- produced by Johnny Gale.

At The Center for Discovery, people with disabilities work hard to find a way forward as they shape lives of meaning. The supports we offer are grounded in the land and our community of care and education, which for many years has integrated food and farming, science and research, and health and wellness. Designated as a Center of Excellence in New York State, we have become a magnet institution where individuals from around the region and world travel to receive highly advanced care and access to groundbreaking research for a myriad of complex disabilities. We offer residential, medical and special education programs to over 1,200 children, adults and families annually We are a vibrantly successful program that encourages people with intellectual and physical challenges to defy expectations, while simultaneously evolving new models for living.

FOR MORE INFO ON THE GROUP, THE SHOW, AND TICKETS, CONTACT JMAE.EVENTS@GMAIL.COM