Ponderosa Stomp @ Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing - night 1 pics (William Bell, Paul Shaffer, Bobbettes, more)
words & photos by Jacob Blickenstaff
Paul Shaffer sits in with William Bell
It was the Ponderosa Stomp‘s first night to shine at Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night Swing (Thursday, 7/16). The Stomp presented Harvey Scales, the Bobbettes, and William Bell with Memphis’ Bo-Keys. The show was presented ‘revue’ style with all the artists performing two separate sets. Soul, Funk and Disco pioneer Harvey Scales arrived in a purple suit and then took it up a considerable notch with a lime green outfit with gold shoes and later a red suit with all the trimmings. The Bobbettes presented their unique soulful and gritty girl-doo-wop, first killing off Mr. Lee (I Shot Mr. Lee) and bringing him back to life for the original version that sounded as clean and sharp as ever. Harvey Scales delivered spastic funk, dancing across the stage like and electrified lime green Frankenstein, whipping up the crowd with his sweat towel. William Bell delivered his trademark deep Memphis soul with style and integrity, later bringing Paul Shaffer to sit in on Otis Redding’s ‘Hard to Handle’ – a musical highlight of the evening.
On Friday, the Stomp and Lincoln Center switched gears into high octane Rockabilly with The Collins Kids (double necked guitar prodigy Larry Collins and his sister Lorrie), Carl Mann (Sam Phillips recording artist) and Joe ‘Ducktail’ Clay (whose insane recordings with Mikey Baker are some of the hottest ever recorded), all backed by Deke Dickerson and the Eccophonics.
On Wednesday, The Bo-Dukes played a pre-Stomp show at Southpaw with The Sweet Divines. More pictures from Thursday below…
Ponderosa Stomp founder Ira Padnos (Dr. Ike) at the WFMU tent
Harvey Scales backstage
The Bo-Keys
Skip Pitts (longtime Isaac Hayes guitarist and Stax session man)
Ben Cauley (original member of the Bar-Kays)
The Bobbettes
Harvey Scales
The Bobbettes, backstage
Harvey Scales
Paul Shaffer in the crowd
William Bell
Harvey’s Gold Shoes
Paul Shaffer sits in with William Bell
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Southpaw pics HERE.
Chubby Checker played a Midnight Summer Swing show too. Pics HERE.
Pics from the Ponderosa Stomp in New Orleans, HERE.
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