 |
|
|
|
|
Pre-millennial PruneFest will feature lots of eclectic music
From a very big band to a small group of Friends of Bill to Caribbean Pan-pipers, eclectic sounds will fill the air downtown
By Genevieve Roja
Much like the George Gershwin standard tunes and the John Philips Sousa marches consistent in his band's repertoire, Richard DeLuca is hardcore Americana.
DeLuca, Sherman Oaks barber shop owner by day and musician by night, will be playing with the orchestral ensemble known as the San Jose Metro Band, one of 10 bands taking the stage at the 21st annual Campbell PruneFestival this weekend.
S.J. Metro will play a number of favorites on the main stage between 2:30 and 5 p.m. on Sunday, including old-time swing, big-band favorites, Irish melodies and rhapsodies, British and American marches, and traditional Armed Forces anthems.
This will be the first time the group--a regular at Campbell's Oktoberfest, Cupertino's Fourth of July, and the All-Star High School Football game at San Jose State's Spartan Stadium--will be performing at the PruneFestival.
Unique to the band is its sheer size--55 to 58 different pieces, including as many as four tubas. Also unique is its diversity--the bandmembers' ages range from 23 to 71 years.
Everyone gathers for rehearsal every Monday night. The difficulty of rounding everyone up is like assembling a weekly family reunion, but everyone's professional and extremely dedicated, DeLuca says.
The same rings true for the musical group The Hitmen, who'll be gracing the stage before S.J. Metro in Sunday's 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. spot. The group, in its second PruneFest appearance, features '70s classic soul, funk, disco, rhythm-and-blues and dance music. They'll be playing from a song list that includes, among others, hits by James Brown, Earth, Wind, & Fire, Kool and the Gang, the Doobie Brothers, Santana and Stevie Wonder.
A regular at Club Max at the Double- Tree Inn near the San Jose Airport and #1 Broadway in Los Gatos, The Hitmen even has a presidential-related story. During a stint at Club Max last summer, the crew of Air Force One happened to be in the audience. They dug the music and wished the boss, who was residing at the home of Apple founder Steve Jobs during a Chelsea visit, could've heard them play.
"We traded stories [with the crew], and I said, 'hey, if you see the President, how about if we give a T-shirt to him?'" says frontman and saxophonist Brooks Gregory, who together with the 10 bandmates autographed a Hitmen tee.
Soon afterwards, Gregory received a call from the White House Gift Office, which asked him to verify the presidential gift. An official White House thank-you note signed by the President arrived later, stating: "Dear Friends: Thanks so much for the autographed T-shirt. It was kind of you to think of me. I appreciate your generosity and send my best wishes to all the members of The Hitmen. Sincerely, Bill Clinton." The message is now included on the group's website.
Also making an appearance on Sunday is Andean band Viento Y Madera from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the second stage, and alternative-popular band Rebecca's Mask, from 3 to 5 p.m.
Saturday's main stage headlines Black Market Band, which plays jump blues, rockabilly swing, and rock 'n' roll. It seems that the band promises good times and old time rock 'n' roll a la early Elvis and '50s rock, but warns in its press release, "our band is not for the faint of heart; we're not your friendly dinner band." (What about brunch? Black Market will play from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)
Meanwhile, the second stage will feature gospel music from the Lorna Goodwin Band from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. At the 1 to 2:30 p.m. slot, Jesse Charles Band, a monthly regular at the Fairmont Hotel, will play a variety of hits from the '40s to the '90s on the main stage; Pan Kind Steeldrum band will air out the sounds of the Caribbean on the second stage.
From 3 to 4:30 p.m., the Charles Williams Band will play gospel and the group's specialty of Motown hits on the main stage. The band has enjoyed success on the radio with songs from their album If We Try. Charles Williams, whose six pieceplus band also plays at political events in the South Bay, is the ambassador of music in San Jose. PruneFest newcomer Christine Marie Jazz is taking second stage from 3 to 4 p.m.
|
|
|
|
Campbell, California
