A concert paying tribute to one of America’s greatest record label is happening on Thursday, April 2nd in the Nexicom Studio at Showplace Performance Centre in Peterborough.
The “Stax/Volt Revue” will perform songs made famous by legendary soul musicians like Otis Redding, Albert King, Sam and Dave, and Booker T. and the MGs.
The concert is being put together by well-known bluesman Gerry Archer of The Fabulous Tonemasters.
Archer has assembled a “who’s who” of blues and R&B musicians from the Peterborough area to perform at the concert.
Local legendary soul singer Buzz Thompson will be front and centre on vocals, joined by the equally talented Kim Doolittle, and the show will introduce Kingston’s soul diva Lisa Vee Marzano to a Peterborough audience.
The backing band, directed by Archer (who also performs on guitar/vocals), includes J.P. Hovercraft (bass/vocals), Al Black (drums/vocals), Gord Girvan (keyboard), and Jim Usher (saxophone).
“I wanted to present a show that was strong on vocals, at an exciting pace, and with a lean and professional backing band”, Archer says.
For those who don’t know about the Stax/Volt record label, it’s second only to Motown for sales and influence on American popular music.
The label was founded in 1957 in Memphis by white country music fan Jim Stewart as Satellite Records (probably because Russia’s Sputnik was dominating news headlines at the time). A year later, Stewart’s sister Estelle Axton became involved in the label, mortgaging her family home to finance recording equipment.
In a period of 15 years, Stax (which later became Volt) placed more than 167 hit songs in the Top 100 on the pop charts, and a staggering 243 hits in the Top 100 R&B charts. It launched the careers of Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Rufus and Carla Thomas, and Booker T. & the MGs — arguably the worlds’s most famous house band.
The Stax/Volt label and its touring revues changed the musical map forever, and Archer hopes his collective of local musicians plan can recreate that moment in history.
“We’re working hard to capture the excitement of the traditional revue,” he says. “No tricks or short cuts — just a well-rehearsed program that moves smoothly from song to song.”
“You can dance at the lounge and you should,” he says.
Tickets are on sale now at the Showplace box office and at Moondance Music.
