Tuesday January 31, 2006
@ CODA CLUB
34 East 34th St
in Manhattan, New York City
(www.mercycorps.org) for direct aid on the ground in the affected region. The funds we were able to raise will help Mercy Corps to secure over $37,500 in donated food and other critical supplies!NOTE: members of the original Broadway cast and band of HAIR will be available for interviews upon request.
On October 8th, 2005, the Kashmir region of Pakistan and India was hit by a massive earthquake - killing 73,000 people and leaving approximately 3 million people homeless.
The initial response to the devastating earthquake was tremendous as people, organizations and governments around the world opened their hearts and their wallets for the survivors. Even the heavily armed border in Kashmir was opened for aid to cross in the wake of the tragedy.
And yet, 3 months later, 2.5 million people are still homeless and facing starvation as the impending harsh mountain winter draws near. Already, reports of refugee camps overwhelmed by snow and scarce provisions are headlining the international media.
Our Voices, Our World is a new ongoing event series dedicated to the spirit of world peace, sustainability, understanding between cultures, healing and reconciliation. It represents the collaboration of Mike Blaxill of Music for America (MusicForAmerica.org), independent music promoter Todd P (ToddPNYC.com), and Rick Ulfik of We, The World (WeTheWorld.org) who have created this concert event in New York City on January 31st, 2006. It will benefit victims of the devastating October 8th earthquake in Pakistan and Northern India.
In addition to raising awareness, the funds raised at this event will go to Mercy Corps for direct aid on the ground in the affected region. Mercy Corps (www.mercycorps.org) is providing shelter, medical care, clean water, sanitation, temporary schools, and emergency items such as food, blankets and stoves. Mercy Corps has worked in Pakistan since 1985 and is preparing for long-term recovery efforts once the current emergency conditions have improved.
This special concert event is the first of the Our Voices, Our World series that will combine celebration, information and action for the challenging future that lies ahead.
The organizers are excited to announce that the benefit will feature members (see profiles below) of the original Broadway cast and original Broadway run of the "American Tribal-Love Rock Musical" HAIR - singing Aquarius, Hair, I Got Life, Easy To Be Hard, Three-Five-Zero-Zero, Frank Mills, Where Do I Go, Let the Sunshine In and other hits from the show that changed America.
Additionally, this concert event will include performances by Nicole Atkins and her band, by Neel Murgai, a sitar player from India, by the PURE Belly Dancers for Healing and Peace, as well as speakers (see above) offering first hand accounts of the efforts for peace and reconciliation as well as disaster relief in the Kashmir region.
Kashmir Mission/Kashmir Restaurant will be providing a free buffet of delicious Kashmiri food when doors open at 6:30PM. Food will be served only during the beginning of the show until 8:00PM. In the future, please enjoy Kashmir Restaurant which is located at 601 Eighth Avenue between 39th and 40th Streets.
For more information please contact
Mike Blaxill <mblaxill@yahoo.com> 917 327-6376
Todd Patrick <toddp@toddpnyc.com> 718 501-3101
Rick Ulfik <RickUlfik@WeTheWorld.org>
212
867-0846
MEMBERS OF THE CAST AND BAND OF HAIR THAT WILL BE APPEARING:
Joe Butler (Claude in original Broadway run)
Heather MacRae (Sheila in original Broadway run)
Ellen Foley (Sheila in 1977 Broadway revival)
Debbie Andrews (Crissy in original Broadway run)
Wilbur Bascomb (one of the original Broadway bass players)
Donnie Burks (original Broadway cast, Hud)
Robert Camuto (Woof in various 70's productions)
Warren Chiasson (original Broadway percussionist)
Zenobia Conkerite (Dionne in original Broadway run)
Al Fontaine (original Broadway guitarist)
Ula Hedwig (original Broadway run)
Marjorie Lipari aka Mudra (original Broadway cast)
Natalie Mosco (original Broadway cast)
Allan Nicholls (Berger in original Broadway run)
Kathy Nixon Ingraham Del Rosso (Sheila in original Boston Hair)
Sherwin Ross (Berger in 20th anniversary Hair)
Robert I. Rubinsky (original Broadway cast)
Ron Shetler (Claude in original Broadway run)
Dale Soules (Jeannie in original Broadway run)
Jimmie Young (one of the original Broadway drummers)
(See below for detailed bios of these members of Hair)
OTHER PERFORMERS:
PURE BELLY DANCERS FOR HEALING AND PEACE
PURE (Public Urban Ritual Experiment) is a community of dancers and
musicians who come together to share their art with the public as well
as each other for the purposes of peace and healing. PURE primarily uses
Middle Eastern dance and music, and draws from other world influences such
as Spain, China, India and Europe to create its unique style.
NEEL MURGAI
Neel Murgai is a sitar player from India. At this event Neel will be performing with a Tabla artist (Ed Feldman). Neel regularly performs with an Indian Fusion Rock band called Mission On Mars.
NICOLE ATKINS AND HER BAND
"Muralist and chanteuse Nicole Atkins is on a lot of people's lips
as the next almost big thing. Her new album, The Party's Over, is a jangly,
carnival-esque ride into the burnt out ends of a long night. As your guide
through the couple hours before dawn, Nicole's voice is at once soulful,
stripped and smoked.
"Atkins is more accomplished as a songwriter than she needs to be. She and producer David Muller add lush harmony after lush harmony to each track and pay rapt attention to every la da deeing. The descending line of the piano in "Delora" coupled with what can only be called Martian sounds is a great marriage of old and new influences. "Neptune City," an indirect ode to her hometown of Neptune, NJ, is a final and triumphant closing track.
"After the party is over, there will be unfair comparisons to Chrissie
Hynde. However, the sway and note choices of Jeff Buckley would probably
be a more accurate description. No comparisons would make any sense trying
to explain the post apocalyptic joyride the CD explores. Best to just let
Atkins guide you through it." - the Deli Magazine
LANGHORNE SLIM
Slim hails from the dark forests of Pennsylvania. Slim recently moved to Brooklyn, NY in order to perfect his already natural born gift of writing and recording music. Slim has toured the US extensively with the Trachtenberg Slideshow Family. Other highlights: Slim played the Bonaroo Music Festival sharing the stage with Neil Young, Sonic Youth and James Brown to name just a few. With an innate ability to engage with the audience Slim's live performances are legendary for unexpected mayhem.
Supposedly Slim is the bastard son of Hasil Adkins...just imagine Slim's estranged mother wrapping her boy up in baby blue sheets, placing him inside a hollow log and sending him down to ride the dark waters of the mighty New River of West Virginia. How Slim survived is murky at best. Langhorne's one man road show relies on witty lyrics and a backwoods feel. Slim sits a good three feet away from the microphone. His voice grabs a hold and sends the listener to wherever the story is flowing. However he decides to spin a tale Slim manages to always take the listener to a gut level good time.
DETAILED BIOS OF MEMBERS OF THE CAST AND BAND OF HAIR:
JOE BUTLER
Joe played the lead role of Claude in the original Broadway run of
HAIR, singing "Where Do I Go", "I Got Life", "Manchester England" and "Flesh
Failures".
Joe is an original member of the influential band The Lovin Spoonful
and has also landed Broadway leads in "Mahogany" and "Soon". Since the
Spoonful reunited in 1991, Joe has stepped out from behind the drums as
lead singer, performing the classic hits, new Spoonful material and his
own new songs.
In 2000 Joe and the Spoonful were inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame along with James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt.
HEATHER MACRAE
Heather MacRae played the lead role of Sheila in the original LA and
Broadway runs of Hair singing "Easy to be Hard" and "Good Morning Starshine".
Heather appeared in the role of Dr Charlotte in the award winning musical "Falsettos", and regularly performs her one woman show "Songs for My Father" - a tribute to her father Gordon MacRae - throughout the country.
ELLEN FOLEY
Ellen Foley played the lead role of Sheila in the 1977 Broadway revival
of HAiR, and later would perform the song "Black Boys" in the Hair movie
released in 1979. She is best known to Rock & Roll listeners as The
Girl on the multi-platinum duet with Meat Loaf, "Paradise by the Dashboard
Light" in which she uttered the three immortal words: "Stop right there!"
She reunited with Meat Loaf on his album, "Bat Out Of Hell II." She also
received several gold records and awards for her three solo albums recorded
on Epic Records, produced by such rock legends as Ian Hunter, Mick Ronson,
and Mick Jones and Joe Strummer of The Clash.
She also played featured roles in the films "Tootsie," "Fatal Attraction," "Married to the Mob," and "Cocktail" - and leading roles on Broadway in Me and My Girl and Into The Woods. She is currently developing a one-woman musical, These Sunglasses Belonged to Roy Orbison - and will soon be performing with her new band.
DEBBIE ANDREWS
At the age of 17 played the role of Crissy in the original Broadway
run of Hair singing "Frank Mills". She's also received a National Endowment
for the Arts Jazz Grant for piano, and plays and sings in some of the finest
piano rooms in New York City such as the Oak Room at the Plaza and the
Waldorf-Astoria.
She is a founding member and co-writer of the pop/rock group Gladshot - The band's songs have been featured on the WB network and they've opened for such artists as Michelle Shocked, Head Automatica, and Corey Harris.
WILBUR BASCOMB
Wilbur, along with Jimmy Lewis, was one of the original Broadway Hair
bass players - he plays on the soundtrack for the 1977 Hair movie and continues
to play and record with Hair composer Galt MacDermot
Among the artists he's performed with include James Brown, Dr. John and Aretha Franklin. Wilbur is the bass player on Jeff Beck's influential 1975 jazz fusion album "Wired", and can regularly be heard alongside legendary drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie.
ROBERT CAMUTO
Robert has played the role of "Woof" on tour for3 consecutive years
back in the early 70's,logging in almost 1200 performances. He has also
appeared in Jesus Christ Superstar as the apostle Peter, Oliver Twist in
Oliver, and Kurt in The Sound of Music.
He directed a bus and truck production of HAIR, with original cast member Sally Eaton, and has recently collaborated with Natalie Mosco, also of the original cast, on a recent New York City production of the show. Robert is on the board of the HAIR archives and is very happy to be singing that wonderful score again with this group of very talented performers.
WARREN "VIBES" CHIASSON
Warren was the percussionist in the band the night HAiR opened on Broadway
- he remembers the "thrill of the opening night party when the good reviews
came in and we knew that we had a long run to look forward to."
Warren is best known as a jazz vibraphone player called "one of the six top vibraphonists of the last half century" by the New York Times. He was originally a member of the George Shearing Quintet, and before forming his own group performed with the Chet Baker Quartet, the Tal Farlow Trio and Roberta Flack.
ZENOBIA CONKERITE
Zenobia made her Broadway and theater career debut at the age of 18
in the Hair tribe, singing "What a Piece of Work is Man" and later went
onto perform as one of the original "Weather Girls "featured on the hit
70s single "It's Raining Men".
Among her many talents are jingle writer, film scorer, theater director, music producer and author. In 2001, Zenobia received three Grammy nominations for her debut solo CD, "Home".
ALAN FONTAINE
Alan was the original guitarist in the Broadway show and cast album
of Hair. He went on to play more Galt MacDermott compositions for "Two
Gentlemen of Verona", and was also guitarist for The Wiz in '78 and '79.
He's played with artists ranging from Harry Belafonte, Ben E. King and Idris Muhammad's jazz ensemble, to Disco Tex and the Sexolettes.
JOANN HARRIS
ULA HEDWIG
MARJORIE LIPARI
She has worked in the best cabarets in New York - Reno Sweeney, The
Grand Finale, Tramps, and The Copa - and traveled across country in the
Tom O'Horgan production of Tom Paine. One of her biggest thrills was composing,
performing and producing a half hour ballet A Tear In Time, for The Netherlands
Dance Theater, in Den Haag.
NATALIE MOSCO
Natalie has also had leading roles on three continents: on Broadway
she starred in The Magic Show; in London's West End, she alternated the
roles of "Grushinskaya" and "Rafaella" for Tommy Tune's Grand Hotel; and
in Australia and New Zealand, she originated roles in the Australian debut
productions of Grease, 2 Gentlemen of Verona, Rocky Horror Show and Pippin.
ALLAN NICHOLLS
He's appeared in many movies including Johnny Upton in "Slapshot" and
featured roles in Nashville, Bob Roberts, and Popeye. Film credits include
producer and/or assistant director for Dead Man Walking, Mrs. Parker and
the Vicous Circle, Short Cuts and The Player.
KATHY NIXON INGRAHAM DEL ROSSO
She has enjoyed a successful career as a singer in NYC recording with
Luther Vandross, Marc Cohn, Laura Branigan and Pink Floyd; and being featured
in hundreds of commercials (Coke, Pepsi, ABC, NBC). She's also recently
starred in the musical "QueenLTC" at the Manhattan Theatre Source.
SHERWIN ROSS
ROBERT I RUBINSKY
He toured with "Jesus Christ Superstar" reinventing the role of Herod.
Off-Broadway, he performed in "Have I Got A Girl For You?" the Frankenstein
Musical, and co-wrote 'Dementos" with Marc Shaiman, which he also appeared
in. He also has been active as a playwright, screenwriter and lyricist,
and has worked with Luther Vandross, Joy Behar, Bette Midler and Andy Warhol,
amongst others. Most recently "Instant Celebrity...Just Add Water" co-written
with Nonnie Thompson, Martyn Watson and Ric Peet, was work shopped on London's
West End and is gearing up for a spring production.
RON SHETLER
His numerous stage credits include Judas on the national tour of Jesus
Christ Superstar, performing for the Leonard Bernstein Mass that opened
the Kennedy Center and touring with Milton Berle for the show "Two By Two".
DALE SOULES
She has worked extensively Off-Broadway, Regionally and Internationally
with Directors such as Doug Hughes, Dan Sullivan, William H. Macy and David
Esbjornson. TV credits include: Sesame Street, American Playhouse, Maurice
Sendacks' "Really Rosie", Law & Order and lots more. Dale has received
awards from Mabou Mines, New Dramatists, SUNY, and the NEA. She is a New
York Theatre Workshop USUAL SUSPECT (actor/oral historian).
JIMMIE YOUNG
He's recorded with, among others, Ashford and Simpson, Miami Sound Machine,
Ben E King and Frank Sinatra; played live with Art Garfunkel, Nancy Wilson
and Vicky Sue Robinson; played in Broadway shows Sweet Charity, Company
and Smokey Joe's Café.
JoAnne played the lead role of Sheila in the original Seattle, Miami and Mercury Tour companies of Hair. As a vocalist for two years from 1978 to 1980, JoAnne toured with Bob Dylan and sings on his platinum certified records "Street Legal" and "Live at Buddokan".
Ula Hedwig performed in the original Broadway run of Hair as well as
with the original Chicago company and the infamous Mercury Tour. Singing
career highlights include: performed with Bette Midler as a "Harlette";
toured with Robert Plant; and sang backup for numerous other artists over
the years in concert, on t.v. and on records.
Marjorie Lipari was in Hair the night it opened on Broadway and many
other times, featured in the role of Crissy, as Shelley Plimpton's understudy.
She was an active tribe member who, as called upon, would also perform
Electric Blues and/or White Boys.
Natalie's Hair associations are extensive: original Broadway cast (Tribe/understudy
"Sheila"), Hair Paris ("Jeanie"), Hair Melbourne("Sheila"/"Jeanie"), Hair
Auckland ("Sheila");choreography includes Hair Toronto, Hair Boston, Hair
Melbourne, Hair Auckland, and re-choreography of Hair Paris and Hair Sydney.
Allan played both lead roles of Berger and Claude in the original Broadway
run of HAiR, singing "Donna" and the show's title song "Hair".
Kathy was in the original Boston production of Hair where she played
both lead roles of Sheila and Jeannie.
Sherwin played the lead role of Berger in the 20th anniversary stage
production of Hair. Sherwin (as Ace Ross) is the drummer singer in Johnny
Angel and the Halo's, an LA-Based band. Over the years he's recorded with
various rock groups signed to Epic Records (Ram Jam) and Decca, and spent
9 years as a recording artist in France.
Robert "I" Rubinsky aka Robert I. (aka the artist formerly known as
Robert I.) was in the original cast of "Hair" (he is the third person on
the right in meat grinder).
Ron played the lead role of Claude in the original Broadway run of
HAiR after 2 years as the original Claude in the San Francisco company.
Dale Soules first played Crissy singing "Frank Mills", and later played
Jeanie singing "Air" in the Original Broadway run of "Hair". She went on
to co-star with magician Doug Henning in "The Magic Show"introducing the
Stephen Schwartz songs "Lion Tamer" & "West End Avenue". Most recently
on Broadway she played Sarah Good in Athur Millers' "The Crucible" starring
Liam Neeson & Laura Linney.
Jimmie, along with Idris Muhammad, was one of the original Broadway
HAiR drummers, and was most recently was heard in the jazz ensemble for
"His Royal Hipness Lord Buckley in the Zam Zam Room"at 59E59 Theater.