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The Mighty Echoes. Photo, singers.com.
The Summer Music Festival, one of Culver City’s favorite pastimes for almost two decades, resumes tomorrow evening at 7 in the Courtyard at City Hall.
Producer Gary Mandell returns for this six-concert Thursday night season, and at least one of the two opening attractions will be among the most unusual:
A quartet, The Mighty Echoes, singing Doo Wop a cappella.
Mr. Mandell may have been instrumental in landing them, but there is not expected to be a single instrument in view.
Instrumental music will abound, however, when blues singer/songwriter Doug MacLeod is on stage.
Hoping for clear skies after this morning’s sparse raindrops, Mr. Mandell, lover of puns, delivered his own whether forecast:
“Opening Night,” he predicted, “will feature The Might Echoes and partly scattered MacLeod.”
After still another restless off-season when Mr. Mandell’s suitability for the position and the size of the schedule typically were heatedly debated in Council Chambers, the series now known as Culver City’s Boulevard Music Summer Festival returns intact.
Externally, it looks as if all of the players spent the off-season playing and praying with each other.
Mr. Mandell says of the two acts:
“Founded in 1986 in the Silver Lake district of Los Angeles, The Mighty Echoes are one of the country’s most accomplished vocal groups.
“They have appeared on television shows including “Who’s The Boss?,” “Murphy Brown,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” and “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.” They were featured in the movie “Wilder Napalm,” with Debra Winger and Dennis Quaid. Harvey Shield, Charlie Davis, Jon Rubin and John Lathan consider themselves true brothers in harmony.
“They feel lucky and blessed to be great friends and to have maintained a family atmosphere for 27 years.
“Their true affinity for each other and the authentic Doo Wop style inspires their concerts and recordings in a way that sets them apart from the rest of the field.
“As for Doug MacLeod, he is a singer-songwriter in the American tradition.
“A traveling artist, he writes and sings original songs based on his own life and experiences. He learned from the old masters. He lived the music. He survived the life.
“MacLeod is known for his superb songwriting, guitar wizardry, warm soulful vocals, his wit. His live performances are unforgettable. At the heart of this is his knack for storytelling. He brings characters from the faceless to the legendary to real life.
“Over 29 years, 19 studio albums, several live records, compilations, a blues guitar instructional DVD and a live performance DVD, Doug has consistently earned raves. Many artists including Albert King, Albert Collins, Joe Louis Walker and Eva Cassidy have covered his songs. He has co-written songs with Dave Alvin and Coco Montoya.
“MacLeod's songs have been featured in television movies and the hit show “In the Heat of the Night.” Two songs are on Grammy-nominated albums by Albert King and Albert Collins.”
