Richard Barone, Steve Addabbo & Eric Bazilian – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – June 17, 2017 – photo by Chris Sikich © 2017 Richard Barone, Steve Addabbo & Eric Bazilian – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – June 17, 2017 World Café Live was transformed into a 1960’s era venue last Saturday, as Richard Barone brought his covers album Sorrows & Promises: Greenwich Village in the 1960’s to life. With help from the expert musicians Steve Addabbo and Eric Bazilian, the sho

Ladysmith Black Mambazo – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – 3/15/17 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2017 Ladysmith Black Mambazo – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – March 15, 2017 Last Wednesday Ladysmith Black Mambazo provided some much needed tonic for the soul with their rousing vocal stylings. The South African-based all-male choral group wowed a World Café Live audience with a setlist spanning their vast career going back to the 1960’s. Founder Joseph Shabalala led their

Kris Kristofferson Kris Kristofferson – The Keswick Theatre – Glenside, PA – January 25, 2017 Songwriter.  Movie star.  Outlaw.  Rhodes Scholar.  Addict.  Singer.  Soldier.  Character actor.  Sex symbol.  Penitent.  Athlete.  Storyteller.  Poet.  Party Animal.  Silver-Tongued Devil.  Military brat.  Rebel.  Highwayman.  Janitor.  Half of a celebrity couple.  Cowboy.  Old coot.  Legend. Kris Kristofferson has worn a lot of hats in his eight decades on this mortal coil.  Howeve

Stevie Wonder – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA – October 7, 2015 – Photo by Jim Rinaldi © 2015 Stevie Wonder – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA – October 7, 2015 It has become a pretty common for legacy artists to do tours celebrating their most classic album, literally playing the record from start to finish and then throwing in some additional non-album hits in as the encore. Of course, in the case of Stevie Wonder, that brings up something of a conundrum.  How

Live From New York! LIVE FROM NEW YORK! (2015) Featuring Dan Aykroyd, Alec Baldwin, John Belushi, Candice Bergen, Dana Carvey, Chevy Chase, Billy Crystal, Jane Curtin, Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Al Franken, Bill Hader, Darrell Hammond, Steve Martin, Lorne Michaels, Seth Meyers, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, Amy Poehler, Chris Rock, Fred Armisen, Al Gore, Rudolph Giuliani, Ralph Nader, Tom Brokaw, Paul Simon, Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz, Maya Rudolph, Andy Samberg, Bi

Melissa Manchester Melissa Manchester Think of Her as a Friend by Jay S. Jacobs “I think we can make it, one more time, if we try.” That line sort of sums up Melissa Manchester, and not just because it was a huge part of “Midnight Blue,” the songstress’ first huge hit single in 1975.  In a career that has spanned over forty years, Manchester has shown an amazing ability to make it, over and over again. She has reformatted and resurrected a fascinating career many times over. 

Seamus McDonagh Seamus McDonagh The Fighter Still Remains by Ronald Sklar Photography by Eugene Gallegos “I did feel like I was Rocky,” Seamus (pronounced Shay-mus) McDonagh was admitting to me, but only after I insisted. “It was my nickname in school, after Rocky Mariano.” The other Rocky – the guy picked out of obscurity to touch gloves with the heavyweight champion of the world – was re-made into a real-life story on June 1, 1990 at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City. That’s