Wynonna & The Big Noise, Ladies of Laughter & More at NJPAC on Sale Friday
By: Tyler Peterson May. 02, 2016
Wynonna and The Big Noise
Wynonna and her band The Big Noise, led by her husband/drummer/producer, Cactus Moser, released their debut full-length album in February 2016 via Curb Records to critical acclaim. RollingStone.com's Stephen L. Betts raved, "...Wynonna & The Big Noise brings a raw, unvarnished approach to the album's dozen tracks, which run the gamut from gutsy blues to sweet, Seventies-inspired country-pop. While the LP is a natural for the wide-open Americana format, Wynonna's legions of country fans will feel right at home..." Wynonna has described the new sound as "vintage yet modern" and a "return to the well." It's a rootsy work encompassing country, Americana, blues, soul and rock. The album features special guests Derek Trucks, Jason Isbell, Susan Tedeschi and Timothy B Schmit. NPR's Ann Powers noted that "With her tight band behind her after touring together for several years, she just sounds like she's home...You can just feel the grin on her face."
American country music singer Wynonna Judd first rose to fame in the 1980s alongside her mother, Naomi, in the country music duo The Judds. The duo released seven albums in addition to charting 26 singles, of which 14 were number one hits. In their six-year career, The Judds sold more than 20 million records worldwide and won over 60 industry awards, including five Grammy Nominations, nine Country Music Association awards (seven of them consecutive), and eight Billboard Music Awards. In her solo career, Wynonna has released eight studio albums, a live album, a holiday album and two compilation albums in addition to charting more than 20 singles of her own. Her first three singles all reached number one on the U.S. country singles charts consecutively, as did 1993's "Only Love" and 1996's, "To Be Loved by You." Three of her albums are certified platinum or higher by the RIAA. Wynonna has a long history of being involved with a wide array of charities including global humanitarian efforts, natural disasters, veterans, and drug and alcohol programs.
Scott DeCarlo: With the street smarts and strength of a NJ Police sergeant, and the musicianship and voice of a country singer, Scott DeCarlo is using his unique sound to take the Country music scene by storm.
Ladies of Laughter Presents NJ's Funniest Females
The national contest & tour comes home to bergenPAC with New Jersey's funniest females. It's a celebration of the Garden State's funniest female talent. The show includes a cross section of some of the funniest women to come out of the national Ladies of Laughter competition first established in the Bergen County YWCA's gymnasium in 1998. Since then Ladies of Laughter has visited theatres, casinos and even Madison Square Garden through its competition and Funny & Fabulous Tour and has catapulted the careers of dozens of female comedians.
The show will include the following locally grown but nationally known headliners:
Robin Fox-This Bridgewater resident's first time on stage was in the Ladies of Laughter Competition at Rascals Comedy Club in 2004. 10 Years later, she won the entire Contest in the "Professional" category and currently has a strong following all over the east coast coining herself, "The Real NJ Housewife." Since winning the Contest she has appeared on Nick at Night and is featured in Marlo Thomas' bestseller "It Ain't Over..."
Sara Contreras-Sara Contreras may have grown up in the projects of Brooklyn but this Latina has made her home in Teaneck for many years. Featured in the Latino Laugh Festival and on "New Joke City," Sara's national credits include headlining in Showtime's "Original Latin Divas of Comedy."
Julia Scotti-Originally, from Fairview and currently a resident in Toms River, Julia had previously gained a national following as 'Rick Scotti' in the eighties, opening up for Chicago, Lou Rawls and Frank Valli before undergoing gender re-assignment surgery. Now, known as Julia Scotti, her blog entitled "Inside and Out" is currently read and shared internationally. Julia currently tours with Kevin Meaney, in "Big Pants and Hot Flashes."
Poppi Kramer-This former "Biggest Loser" star and Edgewater resident was a finalist in the 1999 Ladies of Laughter competition at Caesars Atlantic City Casino. She is currently the warm-up comedian on the Bill Cunningham Show and has been making them laugh at The Duplex Cabaret in New York since 1997.
New Jersey's Funniest Females show also includes an appearance from the first-ever "New Jersey's Funniest Female" grandmother and Teaneck resident, Micki Shilan and 2014 Ladies of Laughter finalist, Mindi Yeger.
The Manhattan Transfer
With worldwide sales in the millions, Grammy Awards by the dozen, and as veterans of sold-out world tours, The Manhattan Transfer has proven timeless! Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of this group that is restless, adventurous, limitless, and as the Philadelphia Inquirer so aptly put it, a group that "still can sound dangerous!" Formed in 1972, the group went from strength to strength, and in 1981, they became the first group ever to win Grammy Awards in both Pop and Jazz categories in the same year - Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "Boy From New York City," and Best Jazz Performance, Duo or Group for "Until I Met You (Corner Pocket)," both from their fifth studio long player, Mecca for Moderns.
In 1982 and 1983 the group won consecutive Grammy Awards in the Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group category for, respectively, "Route 66" and "Why Not!"
The critical praise and commercial success of the group's first seven studio albums could hardly have prepared them for the monumental 12 Grammy nominations they received in 1985 for the album Vocalese. Those 12 nominations made Vocalese the single greatest Grammy nominated album in one year, and cemented the group's status as one of the most important and innovative vocal groups in the history of popular music.
Take 6
The most awarded a cappella vocal group in history (10 Grammy Awards, 10 Dove Awards, a Soul Train Award, and more) recently celebrated their 25th Anniversary with a World Tour and heads to Las Vegas in "Georgia On My Mind: A Ray Charles Tribute" for a multi-week run! Heralded by Quincy Jones as the "baddest vocal cats on the planet," Take 6 (Claude McKnight, Mark Kibble, Joel Kibble, Dave Thomas, Alvin Chea and Khristian Dentley) is the quintessential a cappella group and model for vocal genius.
Six virtuosic voices united in crystal clear harmony, against a backdrop of syncopated rhythms, innovative arrangements, and funky grooves that bubble into an intoxicating brew of gospel, jazz, R&B, and pop. With Praise from such luminaries as Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Brian Wilson, Ella Fitzgerald and Whitney Houston, the multi-platinum selling sextet has toured across the globe, collaborated across genres, and is recognized as the pre- eminent a cappella group in the world.
Their self-titled debut CD won over jazz and pop critics, scored two 1988 Grammy Awards, landed in the Top Ten Billboard Contemporary Jazz and Contemporary Christian Charts, and they've never slowed down. What makes the music and the group last this long? The answers are direct and simple: faith, friendship, respect, and love of music. Such qualities garnered them awards beyond musical category - a Soul Train Award and two NAACP Image Award nominations. From their exceptional live performances to their recordings, these qualities remain at the heart of the Take 6 phenomenon.
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