NYS Music 20​14

Tag: Paramount Hudson Valley

  • Bernie Williams & His All Star Band Impress A Hometown Peekskill Crowd

    Bernie Williams and his All-Star Band played a mix of tightly composed originals and well-known covers to an ecstatic Hudson Valley Paramount Theater crowd on Friday, August 22.

    Saxophonist Richie Cannata, formerly of the Billy Joel Band, played musical director on stage to an ensemble that included a singer, trumpet player, keys player, bassist, two guitarists, and two drummers.  With love pouring from the crowd, Williams sounded at home on stage in Peekskill, alternating between acoustic and electric guitars.

    Williams at The Paramount.

    Local musician Nick Rael kicked the night off, playing a drummer-backed acoustic set for 40 minutes.  After two originals, Rael caught the crowd’s attention with Bob Marley’s “Is This Love.” He showed strong vocals during a cover of Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes,” and original “81 Ford Grenada” induced empathetic chuckles and a choral sing-along from the crowd.  Rael closed his set with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” which drew plenty of cheers.

    Williams led his band on stage to a standing ovation at 8:45 p.m.  The Westchester resident opened the night with the title track from his album Moving Forward.  The album features 14 tracks and was nominated for “Best Instrumental Album” Latin Grammy award in 2009.  During the live track, Williams grooved on his electric guitar.  Richie Cannata, who kept a tenor and soprano saxophone nearby all night while also directing the show, pointed for a trumpet solo while Williams picked out smooth jazz scales on the guitar. “It’s great being here near home tonight,” Williams said between songs. “Back in Puero Rico, my mom was an educator for 40 years. She gave [me and my siblings] a well rounded-education and wanted me to be a doctor or a lawyer. Well, here I am though.”

    Williams told anecdotes and interacted with the crowd throughout the set. He dedicated a slow, catharctic cover of Sting’s “Fragile” to Don Zimmer and thanked Pedro Martinez and Roger Clemens for providing the inspiration for “Desvelado” (Spanish for sleepless). “I didn’t have to interact with an audience in my previous career,” Williams joked, “so I’d say this is a lot harder.” “Ritmo de Otoño,” the rhythm of the fall, exhibited Williams’ composition skills at their finest.  The tune began with a soprano saxophone solo from Richie Cannata reminiscent of the silky hook in “Baker Street.”

    The band kicked into gear for a Latin-jazz fusion that conjured images of its autumnal title.  The drummers both played crisp solos and each note from Williams’ guitar was poignant.  Richie Cannata dropped to both knees, wagging his saxophone over his head from side to side dramatically.  The jam crescendoed, reaching to 97% before dropping back into the original solo from Cannata on the soprano sax.  With a final bang, the full band joined back in, earning another standing ovation.

    Many pairs of fathers and sons donning Yankees caps and shirts filled the Paramount’s seats while a talented father-son pair shared the stage.  After waiting patiently during the first half of the set, Richie’s son Eren Cannata proved he had inherited his father’s musical ability while singing an acoustic-backed cover of “Imagine.”  The crowd expelled an audible “ahhhh” of delight when the John Lennon classic was recognized, and many swayed along in their seats.  When the band played a cover of Steve Miller’s “Fly Like An Eagle,” Eren showed that he also has his father’s flair for dramatics, dancing across the stage, one moment reaching to the sky, the next pointing to the crowd and igniting a clap-along.  He scatted smoothly during “Alphabet Blues” and flashed his wide vocal range during an exuberant cover of Van Morrison’s “Domino.”

    As the show progressed, the crowd grew more and more engrossed.  Eren Cannata’s energy was contagious and, when guest saxophonist Jay Beckenstein joined the party during “Fly Like An Eagle,” the crowd really “wow’ed.”  Beckenstein decided playing one sax at a time was not enough.  With an alto sax in his left hand and a soprano in his right, he played the chorus as the band sang along.  Another highlight came during the last song of the set when Richie Cannata pointed out everyone for a solo, including a funky slap-down from bassist Gene Perez.

    The band left the stage to roaring applause which, after a minute, turned into a “Ber-nie Will-iams” chant.  He reciprocated the love with a final acoustic solo with the spotlight on him.  While Williams may be better known for the four World Series rings he earned with the New York Yankees, his performance at the Paramount showed he can also enthrall a crowd with a pick and guitar.

    Setlist: Moving Forward, Go For It, Desvelado, Ritmo de Otoño, ?, Imagine, Fly Like An Eagle, Fragile, Alphabet Blues, ?

    Encore: Domino, Williams acoustic solo

  • It’s The Time Of The Season: The Zombies Mix Nostalgia and Relevance at the Paramount Hudson Valley

    The Paramount Hudson Valley has continued its remarkable comeback since reopening in 2013 by hosting a rather big name from the ’60s, The Zombies, who put on a remarkable show on Aug. 15. The Zombies haven’t been together under that name for a number of years since their first run in the ’60s, but “It’s The Time Of The Season” and after a few regroupings in the ’90s they have been actively touring since 2001. Original members Rod Argent (organ/vocals) and Colin Blunstone (vocals) have been joined by bassist Jim Rodford who played with The Kinks from 1978-1996 and with Argent in his band of the same name.

    The evening eased in with a set by singer-songwriter Bruce Sudano, known for his writing and arranging for some of the most famous performers in the world along with his late wife, Donna Summer. The songwriter in Sudano was apparent throughout his performance. With some longer songs to fill out his 40 minutes on stage, Sudano and his two band members carried a Brian Eno type ambiance throughout the set mixed with elements of rock, blues, and reggae. The layering of sounds and interweaving of guitar, sax, and keyboard lines help bring the words to life – more poetic than lyrical.

    When The Zombies took the stage, it may have well been a scene out of a club show The Beatles played in England in their earlier days with standing ovations and boisterous cheers. It was the first of many signs throughout the night that the band has, 50 years later, not drifted into the novelty band clique as some with decade-spanning careers have. Like the simple flick of a light switch, the  first sight of original members Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone brought the somewhat placid crowd to life.

    Colin Blunstone (center)

    With a smile on his face that carried through most of the show, singer Colin Blunstone introduced the evening early in the set claiming “We’ve been playing songs for 50 years. We’ll play the hits and lesser known songs. We want to keep it fresh with new songs.” The evening did, yes, include their chart-topping hits “She’s Not There,” “Time of the Season,” and “Tell Her No,” among others. The real attention grabber though was the roster of other songs weaved around these show anchors. How much of an attention grabber? Let’s say there were no dull I’m clapping because I have to moments after each of these other songs. In fact, each song in their set received at least a few standing ovations, though some songs of course received many more than others.

    Along with the “classics,” they performed a fairly eclectic mix of other songs to keep things interesting and fresh, a sentiment Blunstone touched upon throughout the show. Early in the set they brought back their 1964 single “You Make Me Feel Good,” and although it’s an old tune, it was their first time playing it live in 50 years. On the recent end, they performed a brand new bluesy rock song, “The Moving On,” which had only been written a few days prior and received quite well. Another recent song, “Any Other Way,” off their 2011 Breathe In, Breathe Out album, featured an acoustic guitar solo from Tom Toomey (a member of the band since 2011) that reverberated with the style of Mark Knopfler.

    Part of the musical journey of the night included material from the band members’ other gigs while The Zombies were in their disbanded years. They brought out two songs from Argent (the band), including “Hold Your Head Up” with Argent wailing out two extended keyboard solos that brought the remaining few people in their seats to their feet. Blunstone introduced the other Argent song as “The hit by tall guys with lots of makeup which was a hit in the UK before they got to it.” He was of course talking about Kiss covering “God Gave Rock and Roll To You.” Blunstone also spoke of his time away from The Zombies with a story of how he met Alan Parsons and became involved in recording vocals on the Alan Parsons Project album Eye In The Sky before performing “Old and Wise,” one of the songs he recorded with Parsons.

    To cap the evening off, the final song was a nod to the two original members of The Zombies. After a final bow from the whole band, Argent and Blunstone remained on stage to perform a duet on “The Way I Feel Inside,” one of the band’s earliest recordings.

    The reactions of some people in the audience screamed nostalgia throughout the evening.  Perhaps calling it a robust nostalgia would be a better way to describe it because of the band’s fresh mix of song selections. It was clear from this show that The Zombies have evolved with their latest regrouping to entertain fans old and new with a performance that is far from being a can of vegetables. They’re keeping up with the times pretty good too with different forms of social media to engage their followers. Don’t miss their show next time they pass through your neck of the woods – you may just regret it!

    Setlist

    I Love You
    Can’t Nobody Love You
    Breathe Out, Breathe In
    I Want You Back Again
    You Make Me Feel Good
    She’s Coming Home
    Miracles
    Any Other Way
    A Rose For Emily
    Care of Cell 44
    This Will Be Our Year
    Beechwood Park
    I Want Her, She Wants Me
    Time Of The Season
    The Moving On (newly written song)
    Tell Her No
    You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me
    Old And Wise (Alan Parsons Project)
    Hold Your Head Up (Argent)
    She’s Not There

    Encores:

    God Gave Rock and Roll To You (Argent)
    Just Out Of Reach
    The Way I Feel Inside

  • Bernie Williams and his All Star Band Friday at Paramount Hudson Valley

    Bernie WilliamsClassically trained in music from an early age, Bernie Williams kept his passion for music alive throughout his better known career. His first album, The Journey Within, was released in 2003 to critical acclaim – while he was still hitting home runs at Yankee Stadium. His even more acclaimed Latin jazz album Moving Forward, released in 2009 and featured guest appearances by Bruce Springsteen, Jon Secada, and Dave Koz. From center field to center stage, Bernie Williams brings his music to the Paramount Hudson Valley this Friday with his All Star Band.

    To quote Bruce Springsteen when Williams joined him on stage for an acoustic version of “Glory Days”: “He may be over it for baseball, but he’s a spring chicken for rock ‘n roll!”

    The Paramount is offering premium meet-and-greet tickets for the show. All tickets are available from the Paramount’s website here. Don’t miss this one – his only other currently scheduled performance is September 20th  in Connecticut.

    Check out this clip of Bernie Williams performing at the House of Blues in 2004:

  • The Zombies Invade Peekskill this Friday with Special Guest Bruce Sudano

    No, there is no zombie invasion, but ’60s British Invasion band The Zombies will be bringing nostalgic sounds back to the Paramount Hudson Valley Friday evening with Bruce Sudano

    The Zombies
    The Zombies in their current lineup

    Reforming in 2001 after a couple of one-time reunion stints since their active years in the ’60s, The Zombies currently have only two of the original members in the lineup. However, that hasn’t stopped them from actively touring every year in the past decade. Aside from original members Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone, the band has tapped bassist Jim Rodford who played bass with The Kinks from 1978 until they disintegrated in 1996. Also joining the band are Tom Toomey on guitars and Steve Rodford on drums.

    The Zombies were the second British band to achieve a chart-topper in the United States following The Beatles with “She’s Not There”. Of course, they’re also known for their other hits “Time of the Season” and “Tell Her No”. Their album Odessey and Oracle was recently ranked at #100 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.

    Opening the show will be singer-songwriter Bruce Sudano. The Brooklyn native has been performing in a solo career since the ’80s, but he has a rather impressive songwriting resume having written songs for Michael Jackson, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, and his wife Donna Summer, who the music world lost too soon in 2012.

    The show starts at 8pm on August 15th. Tickets are available from the Paramount here.

  • Peekskill’s 8th Annual Music Festival to Feature The Nighthawks and Local Talent July 25-26

    Downtown Peekskill will be the grounds for some great live (and free) music this weekend along with other goodies to go along as the city hosts its 8th annual Music Festival featuring The Nighthawks.

    Kicking off the weekend will be a “Best of the Valley” Battle of the Bands at restaurants and venues throughout the downtown area starting at 7pm Friday evening. The winner (chosen by vote) will be putting on a set on each of the two stages the following day. Over twelve local acts will be vying for the winning set during Saturday’s show.

    Saturday’s events run from 12pm-10pm, with music starting at 2. Aside from the music, there will be craft brews, artisan food trucks, street performers, and a car show by the local Road Knights Auto Club. The afternoon and evening of music will be split between two stages – the outdoor Central Avenue Main Stage and the indoor stage at the Paramount Hudson Valley. A unique feature of the day is that each band will do two sets, one on each stage, making it easy to catch all of the performers.

    Here’s a highlight of a few of the acts (full schedule follows):

    The Nighthawks – now in their 42nd year, this legendary blues and roots band has recently rocked Peekskill with an opening set for NRBQ at the Paramount.

    Livin’ the Blues Band – Southern NY/Northern NJ driving blues rock with Nik Rael on vocals, who opened up for Robert Cray at the Paramount Hudson Valley this past April.

    Jessica Lynn – A young talented country/pop singer-songwriter from neighboring Yorktown Heights, NY. Recommended if you like Shania Twain, Taylor Swift, or Rascall Flatts.

    Dana Edelman – Yet another local talent, Dana will be adding bluesy singer-songwriter tunes to the afternoon mix.

    Central Avenue Main Stage
    Rock of Ages Band – 8:30 -10:00
    The Nighthawks – 6:45 – 8:00
    Livin’ the Blues Band – 5:15 – 6:20
    Jessica Lynn – 4:00 – 5:00
    Dana Edelman – 3:00 – 3:45
    Best of the Valley Winner – 2:00 – 2:45

    Paramount Hudson Valley Stage
    Best of the Valley Winner 8:00 – 9:00
    Dana Edelman 6:30 – 7:35
    The Nighthawks 5:00 – 6:05
    Livin’ the Blues Band 3:30 – 4:30
    Jessica Lynn 2:00 – 3:05

  • Art Garfunkel Brings Unique Show To Peekskill

    A beautiful late spring afternoon in the lower Hudson Valley was concluded with a performance by Art Garfunkel at the Paramount Hudson Valley Theatre in Peekskill. Billed as “An Intimate Evening With Art Garfunkel,” that feeling was real from the moment of entering the theater: the audience dressed in better-than-jeans, stage dimly lit with a cloth-draped table, two microphones and a stool.

    art garfunkelGarfunkel arrived on stage to a standing ovation after a few refrains on guitar by his guitarist Tab Laven, a showing of the loyalty by his followers of many years and admiration by a few members of a younger generation in attendance. Despite having to call off a 2010 tour with long time musical partner Paul Simon due to injuries affecting his voice, it was clear that the packed theater was eager to hear the singer perform once again after four years of recovery.

    It was a unique type of show for the singer who had often performed his popular folk shows alongside Paul Simon to large audiences. Part song, part story, it reflected some of the emotion of a traditional folk concert with music mixed with spoken word and audience participation by softly singing along with some songs. Feeling nostalgic, Garfunkel shared stories and thoughts from his personal and professional life reading from handwritten notes on the backs of envelopes. He spoke of his experiences at the height of fame 44 years ago in New York City, memories of working alongside Jack Nicholson in his brief acting stint and the songwriting/recording process (particularly in regard to “Scarborough Fair/Canticle”). He reflected on the beauty and joy of his son Beau, who was one year old at the time he wrote that short poem in 2006. His story that resonated most was his “Note To Self,” one he also presented on CBS This Morning as seen here:

    Retrospective aside, Garfunkel did perform several crowd pleasing songs – major hits from his time with Paul Simon, a few covers originally by his favorite songwriters as well as some of his own recordings. With beautiful guitar intonations by Laven, the duo presented memorable performances of “The Boxer,” “Homeward Bound” (substituting “Peekskill” into the lyrics), “99 Miles From LA,” “Kathy’s Song,” and “The Sound of Silence” among others. The evening concluded with an arrangement in progress of “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” where Garfunkel is working hard at bringing his voice back.

    Garfunkel started the evening with a remark about being the least jaded of performers out there. He confirmed his thought at the end of the evening with an unscripted Q&A session with the audience. He was humbled by compliments and enthusiastic in his answers often elaborating beyond the point of the question.

    Throughout his career Garfunkel had been famed for his high octave register. Fans expecting to hear that on his tour may have been let down. However, the singer who was proud to acknowledge on stage that his tour is a “public rehearsal and recovery,” did not disappoint in his performance. Now in more of a tenor/alto range, his singing had a gentleness to it that resonated wisdom in song. There were a few times where he faded to a whisper when he tried to reach the highest of notes, a sign that he still has a little more progress to make. However, it did contribute a nuance that worked into the songs nicely, especially adding grace to “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” At 72, Garfunkel showed a resilience and determination to bring his voice back 100%.

    Art Garfunkel’s performance at the Paramount will be not be forgotten by his many fan in attendance and hopefully will be planted in the memories of the younger people in attendance for years to come. While there is nothing in the books, Garfunkel had expressed his openness to touring with Paul Simon again in the future which surely would be a show not to miss based on what we saw at the Paramount.

  • Art Garfunkel Performs Song and Prose at the Paramount Hudson Valley, Saturday June 14

    GarfunkelArt Garfunkel, legendary folk singer known for his part in Simon and Garfunkel, has recently taken back to the stage after three years of recovery from vocal cord weakness with a number of performances in the greater Northeast. This Saturday, he brings his performance to the Paramount Hudson Valley one night after a nearby show at the White Plains Performing Arts Center in White Plains.

    Diagnosed with vocal paresis in 2010, Garfunkel felt a tragic loss with his inability to sing. In the time he spent off stage he took to other forms of expression in writing and poetry. In early 2013 he felt the need to return to singing, as a singer does. He has overcome the tragedy (as he calls it) by learning how to sing differently, in a lower register.

    Now over a year after his return to the stage, Garfunkel has built a performance based on his songs and writings. On his tour he is joined by guitarist Tab Laven performing songs from his years with Simon and Garfunkel, his solo work as well as covers from some of his favorite songwriters. Aside from song, Garfunkel will also share thoughts from his writings and poetry.

    Be a part of “An intimate Evening with Art Garfunkel,” an acoustic performance with songs, anecdotes and prose at the historic Paramount Hudson Valley in Peekskill this Saturday.  Tickets for this performance are available here.

    For a full listing of Art Garfunkel’s performances, visit his website here. He is scheduled for  five additional Northeast stops in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Queens before moving on to England for five performances in September.

  • An Intimate Evening with Art Garfunkel: More Spring/Summer Dates With Appearances in NY and MA

    Art Garfunkel, legendary folk singer known for his part in Simon and Garfunkel, has recently returned to the stage with a select number of acoustic performances across NY.

    Starting his tour Garfunkelthis past December Garfunkel has just announced more performance dates for late spring and early summer, with three of those stops in downstate NY and the not-too distant reaches of the Capital District. Garfunkel recently performed several shows in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut between the months of March and April.

    Be a part of “An intimate Evening with Art Garfunkel,” an acoustic performance with songs, anecdotes and prose at these nearby tour stops:

    Tour Dates:

    June 13: White Plains Performing Arts Center, White Plains, NY (Tickets now on sale here)

    June 14: Paramount Hudson Valley, Peekskill, NY (Tickets are on pre-sale until April 20, open to the public afterward here)

    June 20: Mechanics Hall, Worcester, MA (Ticket sale date not yet announced)

    For a full listing of Art Garfunkel’s performances, visit his website here.

  • Robert Cray Lays Down The Blues at the Paramount Hudson Valley

    The Paramount Hudson Valley is no stranger to the blues, having hosted one of a handful of NY Blues Hall of Fame induction ceremonies this past fall featuring performances from Commander Cody and Professor Louis and the Crowmatix, among others. The theater itself was even inducted as a great performing arts center in the Blues Hall of Fame. The Paramount lived up to that recognition with an excellent double bill of blues headlined by Robert Cray on March 30th.

    robert cray bluesThe night started off with an opening set by local NY blues artist Nik Rael. Rael, on acoustic guitar, was joined by Joe Plum on electric guitar for an instrumentation that created a well-balanced sound for the blend of blues, soul, rock, and pop that was to follow. As a duo, many of the songs were not too complex but performed with a lot of expression and dynamic, from Rael’s voice to his guitar which carried the set to Plum’s electric riffs and lines that iced the cake. His set included a mix of his original work as well as some covers. One notable cover was of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song,” where Rael put on an accent to emulate Marley’s voice. Just as Charlie Daniels did with two songs at his show the night before at the Paramount, Rael performed three Dylan tunes that he has on his tribute album Highway 61. Most notable was “All Along The Watchtower,” combining elements of both Dylan’s and Hendrix’s arrangements. Rael’s opening set went beyond the expectations for a warm-up act with an impressive and engaging performance.

    After Rael’s opening set, the silhouettes of Robert Cray and his band took to a dimmed stage with much applause. Cray dialed in to the excitement of the crowd to get things going with a solid performance of “Phone Booth.” By the third song, “Right Next Door,” we saw the first of Cray’s rather dynamic, expressive and animated performances of the night, pretending to sing along with his guitar solos and bringing part of his second solo on the song down whisper quiet as fans listened intently.

    Unlike some artists that almost seem to make an effort to install a glass wall between themselves and the audience, there was no such barrier that night giving an almost living room like feel at the Paramount. Yes, the cozy quarters of the Paramount with its chest-high stage helped in that regard, but it was really the connection Cray built with the audience that did it. His quick wit led to jokes between songs about the subject of the song – some he would carry on to the next break – and brief exchanges with the audience.

    robert cray bluesCray gave a sneak peek, or rather gave us a sneak listen, of several new tracks off his latest album, In My Soul, released on April 1, just two days after the show. He debuted “You Move Me,” “Fine Yesterday,” “What Would You Say,” “Hip Tight Onions,” and a Bobby Blue Bland tune, “Deep In My Soul.” An example of Cray’s humor came when he joked about the new material. “You’ll never know we forgot the songs!” he said citing that no one in the audience would know how the songs were supposed to go. A highlight of the new songs was the band’s first instrumental track, “Hip Tight Onions,” written as a nod to the stylings of Booker T and the MG’s with Cray and bassist Richard Cousins dancing in sync and a more dominant keyboard presence over the other songs.

    Throughout the show, it wasn’t hard to miss the chemistry of the band on stage. Whether it was Richard Cousins sharing a moment with drummer Les Falconer (a 2013 addition to the band) as they laid down the groove for a song or Cray connecting ideas with keyboardist Dover Weinberg, the cohesion on stage radiated into the audience.

    The combination of Nik Rael and Robert Cray created an unforgettable evening of blues, setting a tone for a theater rebuilding a strong reputation for its musical presence after briefly closing its doors in 2012. It was a truly genuine performance and experience, leaving the crowd eager to hear more from Robert Cray on his next NY appearance, which he will hopefully make on his next tour.

    Setlist: Phone Booth, Poor Johnny, Right Next Door, It Doesn’t Show, You Move Me, Won’t Be Comin’ Home, Don’t You Even Care, Fine Yesterday, Chicken In The Kitchen, Bad Influence, What Would You Say, Hip Tight Onions, Forecast Calls For Rain

    Encore: A Memo (Nothin’ But Love), Deep In My Soul

  • The Devil Went Down To Peekskill: Charlie Daniels Band Live at the Paramount Hudson Valley

    It was a cool and rainy evening on March 29 in Peekskill with the last remnants of snow banks melting away making for a perfect virtual escape from the Northeast with the southern rock and country stylings of The Charlie Daniels Band.

    The night started with an acoustic set from Nashville country singer-songwriter Jacob Powell, who is making a handful of stops with the Charlie Daniels Band during his current tour. While his self-titled debut EP features a full band, he was joined on stage with fellow Nashville guitarist Jason Brooks to create a nice, full live acoustic sound. Singing some songs about summer, good times and koozies, Powell eased the crowd’s minds out of the cold northeast weather and warmed folks up for the Charlie Daniels Band.

    After a brief set change, the Charlie Daniels Band took the stage, wasting no time in setting the energetic tone for the evening. The band’s slightly short but appropriate length set of 75 minutes featured a number of CDB favorites. “Birmingham Blues” radiated vibes akin to an Allman Brothers Band performance both in song style and in the chemistry on stage. A rather interesting display came to us during a longer instrumental jam, “Black Ice.” Featuring some funky beats and riffs, elements of country and rock and roll and a spotlight on each band member, this fused a conglomeration of sounds and ideas and was a treat for every member of the audience. The set also included “The South’s Gonna Do It,” popular fan request “Long Haired Country Boy” – a tune that turns 40 this year – and of course “The Devil Went Down To Georgia.”

    This best-known hit for the Charlie Daniels Band closed the evening with flawless fiddle lines and a few extended segments over the studio version. It’s one thing to get a guitar pick from a band, but one lucky fan in the front row was given by Daniels himself the frayed horse hair fiddle bow in the middle of the song. Another crowd-pleaser came with a raucous cover of “Folsom Prison Blues” with fans having a grand time clapping and cheering along with the Johnny Cash classic.

    Throughout the evening, Daniels presented some songs off his latest album, Off the Grid – Doin’ It Dylan. Prior to performing “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” about mid-show, Daniels paused from the music for a moment to explain his connection with Bob Dylan which goes back to the late 1960’s when he recorded with Dylan on Self Portrait and New Morning. Aside from that song, Daniels also gave his nod to Dylan with “Tangled Up In Blue” early on in the set with a refreshing up-tempo and fuller arrangement of the tune. Off the Grid – Doin’ It Dylan was released this past Tuesday, April 1st.

    One unique element of the show was when Daniels, who holds his band mates in high regard, stepped to the back of the stage to put the limelight on the talent of two of his band members. Lead guitarist Bruce Brown, a 24 year veteran of the band, stepped forward and performed one of his solo works with the rest of the band; guitarist Chris Wormer did the same with his rockin’ version of the “William Tell Overture” on his double neck guitar.

    At age 77, Daniels can still perform a powerful show. His frequent quick wit and humor exchanged with band members and the audience between songs, along with a few anecdotes, kept every party at the Paramount engaged with one another. For those who missed the show in Peekskill, the Charlie Daniels Band will be back in Upstate NY at the Times Union Center in Albany May 31 with the Marshall Tucker Band and Bret Michaels (of Poison) and at the Main Street Armory in Rochester on June 1.