BERT PAGANO & THE BIG IDEA FRIDAY / JUNE 3RD / 9PM
| Jun ’11 |
| 3 |
| 9:00 pm |
Bert Pagaon & The Big Idea are full of energy and charisma as they perform R&B, Motown, Soul & Funk Favorites. You can help but think how lucky you are to relax, have a drink or dinner and enjoy a great show like this in Albany.
ANNETTE HARRIS GRACES THE STAGE – WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8TH
| Jun ’11 |
| 8 |
| 8:00 pm |
The Early Years
The daughter of a gospel pianist, Annette grew up surrounded by music. She sang in countless choirs and ensembles and participated in school play productions, performing everything from jazz, rhythm and blues and gospel.
“I love to sing. It is as much a part of me as breathing. I sing not only to entertain, but to stimulate my audience. Music is something that we all are connected by no matter what culture we come from. During my performances, it is important that my listeners connect with others through song.”
Influences
Annette’s gift of song is deeply rooted in gospel music. She shares a love for the great gospel hymnals and discovered her true love of music while singing in the church choir. Her influences include such vocal legends as Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin and Roberta Flack. She blends her diverse musical influences into her performances with a singular ability to take well known songs and make them her own.
“I select music that is meaningful to me so that it is believable to my audiences. I am mindful of the diversification of my audience and my musical selections need to reflect that. I want to appeal to all people.”
Music
Annette’s voice encapsulates the sultry sounds of soul, rhythm and blues. She performs tunes from the standard jazz repertoire, Bossa Nova, Rhythm and Blues and traditional vocal pop. Annette provides her audiences with a diverse repertoire that includes songs from the jazz era to today’s mainstream music.
FRIDAY, JUNE 17TH -ERNIE WILLIAMS – AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH A BLUES ICON
| Jun ’11 |
| 17 |
| 12:00 am |
Ernie played his first guitar in the 30′s; he was 13 and living in a shack on a Virginia Plantation. He spent his days picking tobacco and his nights bending the blues on a beat up six-string. By the 40′s, he earned the right to play with the local bluesmen at the Saturday night Fish Fries in Halifax County, Virginia. At the age of 19, he bought a one-way ticket to Harlem, NY with the $9.00 it took him a year to save – he was moving north to go after his dream. In the 50′s, he played as many as 7 nights a week. From amateur nights at the famed Apollo Theater to juke joints in the dark corners of the city, he was making his mark as a young showman. In the 60′s, life demands brought him north to Albany, NY. He worked odd jobs day and night to support his family. His dream was put on hold. In the 70′s when the blues scene was waning, he formed a new band, playing gigs in local bars and hosting blues jams whenever he could slip away from his minimum wage jobs. Over the next two decades, he maintained his post as a fixture of Albany’s blues community, a scene hidden away in the dingy rooms of the city’s toughest neighborhoods. In 1992, he formed yet another band and, 53 years after he played his first note, Ernie Williams was about to realize his dream. Although the band members have changed through the years, Ernie has remained one of the most beloved performers in the region. From the House of Blues in Boston to Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago; from festivals to opening slots for major recording acts, Ernie has been a force to be reckoned with. Ernie and his band represented the East Coast in KLON’s National Blues Talent Search and walked away with a prize for first runner up; on two occasions they received a Critic’s Choice column in the “Chicago Reader”. To date, Ernie has released six CD’s. In addition to his musical performances, Ernie’s charisma has landed him both magazine and TV spots. He was selected by Canon for their ad campaign for their new line of copiers called “Canon Blues”. He also appeared on a TV commercial for “Grapes and Grains”, a Capital District upscale wine establishment. At 80+ years young, Ernie continues to say “this is just the beginning”. Knowing his spirit and motivation, that’s entirely possible!
Join us on Facebook!
