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With surprising energy, cellist brings a ‘vibe’ to Wyoming concert

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

It’s not blues or classic rock that will take center stage at Tuesday’s Concerts in the Park series in Wyoming.

It’s not a punk rock or country band, either.

It’s a cellist, and his name is Jordan Hamilton, where he will play “a mix of mastery and maverick musicality,” according to his bio.

Jordan Hamilton performs on cello at the next Wyoming Concerts in the Park set for Tuesday. (Supplied)

In an interview with WKTV Journal, Hamilton – who is extremely humble – explained his style is not something you see every day.

“I have a hard time speaking about myself,” said the Kalamazoo-based vocalist and instrumentalist. “I have been told it’s an experience.”

Local music journalist John Sinkevics of LocalSpins.com agrees.

“Plucking, sawing, pounding and caressing the cello to extract sometimes other-worldly sounds; melding live looping with classical music interludes, hip hop, and jazz,” he said of Hamilton’s performance.

A native of Maryland who was classically trained on Western European composers, Hamilton, 29, started playing cello when he was 8-years-old. He learned all of the classics, but he was also introduced to a wide range of music by his dad, who listened to Earth, Wind & Fire, Sly and the Family Stone and Bobby McFerrin.

As he got older he would sneak off to listen to Nas, Fabulous and Jay-Z.

Still, he stayed focused on the cello.

After graduating from the Conservatory of Music at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio, he earned a Master’s degree in cello performance in 2018 at Western Michigan University. Hamilton remained in Kalamazoo mainly because of steady gigs, but was forced to stay longer during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Eventually he will leave Michigan for other opportunities “when the time is right,” he said. But for now, he loves playing his music and introducing audiences to the cello because “cello is at the center of everything” he does, he said.

“You don’t see a lot of cellos doing concerts that are not outside of the symphony….It’s definitely unique. It’s a niche.”

He will perform as a trio in Wyoming, bringing a keyboard player and drum programmer. He will play mainly original songs, as well as a few covers.

“You can expect a little bit of soul vibes, jazz vibes, beat music vibes, some very spacy vibes, and all over the place kind of vibes,” Hamilton said.

According to his bio, Hamilton’s music is  “emotional energy crafted from integrity, immaterial and immortal, experienced at the speed of sound, with a bit of bounce, groove by the ounce, and all the jump you’ll need to move.”

More directly, he said, just “come to the show, and you will leave with something more than you were expecting.”

And “be prepared to have open ears,” he added. “It’s going to be a wide range of music, but it’s all going to feel like it’s in place…If you like jazz piano, hip hop beats and cello, this is a show for you.”

Hamilton performs at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 28 at Lamar Park in Wyoming. Admission is free. More info: Wyoming Concerts in the Park Facebook page.

The Tuesday night series continues through Aug. 2. All shows will be recorded and aired on WKTV. More info below.

READ: Wyoming Concerts in the Park return this summer

Learn more about Hamilton at jordanhamiltonmusic.com.

Wyoming Concerts Lineup

June 28 – Jordan Hamilton – Cellist 

July 12 – Randy McAllister – Blues and Soul 

July 19 – Monty Pride – Folk 

July 26 – Bernadette Kathryn – Country 

August 2 – Grupo Latin – Latin Soul (13 piece band)

Can’t make it to the show? You can still enjoy the bands by watching WKTV-Channel 25 for the weekly airings at 5 p.m. Wednesday and 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday.

More info at wktv.org/concerts.

John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

‘American Idol’ contestant headlines Wyoming’s next Concert in the Park

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

If you’re a fan of soul singers such as Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers and Al Green, you’re going to love Nathan Walton & The Remedy.

Nathan Walton looks for to an evening of soul music at Wyoming’s Lamar Park. (Supplied)

“We play a lot of soul music, and soul covers. We got a pretty good size band….we’re just out to put on a good show for the community,” Walton said in an interview with WKTV Journal.

Walton and his rock ‘n’ roll soul band The Remedy will perform those songs – and may other covers – as part of Wyoming’s weekly concert series at 7 p.m. June 21 at Lamar Park. Admission is free.

The Tuesday night series continues through Aug. 2. See the list of shows below. All will be recorded and aired on WKTV.

If Walton’s name sounds familiar, maybe it’s because he was featured on TV’s “American Idol.”

The singer appeared on Season 3 of the ABC show, where he received a Golden Ticket and competed in Hollywood with talented vocalists from all over the country. Judge Lionel Richie called his voice “a cannon.”

Walton said his experience on “American Idol” in 2020 was “life changing.”

“It was incredible…for sure,” said Walton, who graduated in 2011 from Byron Center High School.  “A friend of mine encouraged me to audition, and I’m glad I did. The next I knew I was in L.A. and hanging out with Lionel Richie. I became a Top 60 singer in America, which was pretty awesome.”

Since then Walton has gained a local following.

He was the “Staff Pick” for Best Solo Musician in Revue Magazine’s “2021 Best of the West” issue.

According to Revue contributing editor, Eric Mitts:

Nathan Walton will perform with his group The Remedy on Tuesday. (Supplied)

“Walton has shone bright. Sure, his powerful, soulful vocals draw most of the attention, but it’s his prolifically diverse songwriting and passion behind the scenes that make him an increasingly major part of the music scene, and an artist everyone should know.”

He’s also proud of his band The Remedy, which put out an album last spring. The seven-piece band also includes a jazz vocalist.

In addition, he is known for assembling a “supergroup” of well-known local multi-instrumentalists called King Possum. And he regularly lends his powerful voice to bands like Stone Soup and the Broken Teeth, and with special guests at his Greyline Brewing residency.

He also serves as music director for Elevator a GoGo, a West Michigan-based platform to discover music, the spoken word, and performance artists from America and around the world.

As for his upcoming gig, he’s just hoping for good weather. His band is ready to go!

“We’re just thankful we could be playing for the community,” he said, “that’s really what we’re happy about. We’ll get out to see some friends and hopefully put on a good show.”

Learn more about Nathan Walton on his website nathanwaltonlive.com/.

Listen to tracks of his latest album at nathanwalton.hearnow.com.

Wyoming Concerts in Park 2022 are all at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park. Admission is free. More info: Wyoming Concerts in the Park Facebook page.

Upcoming Concerts:

June 28 – Jordan Hamilton – Cellist 

July 12 – Randy McAllister – Blues and Soul 

July 19 – Monty Pride – Folk 

July 26 – Bernadette Kathryn – Country 

August 2 – Grupo Latin – Latin Soul (13 piece band)

John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Serita’s Black Rose brings the funk, more to Tuesday’s concert

Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

It was a chance meeting at lunch spot in Eastown that brought Serita Crowley and John Hayes together.

Discovering they both had a passion for music and after playing a few sessions together, the two local musicians not only became a couple but formed one of the area’s popular groups, Serita’s Black Rose.

Serita’s Black Rose, featuring John Hayes and Serita Crowley, will perform this Tuesday in Wyoming and on July 4 in the City of Kentwood. (Supplied)

The duo with its bandmates, bassist Robert Pace and drummer Mark Weymouth, will continue the music — or rather the funk — this Tuesday as they take the stage at Lamar Park, the second concert in the Wyoming’s Concerts in the Park series.

The popular local band will perform at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

A self-professed “Funkateer,” Crowley brings a raucous mix of funk, rock, blues, neo-soul, and Americana to the stage, according to the Serita’s Black Rose website. In fact, her voice his probably recognizable to many as she has done voices overs along with performed in the musicals “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Hair.”

As a duo, Hayes and Crowley perform many of the timeless classics of the 1960s and 1970s, although in a recent February 2022 article from Local Spins, Crowley said the band’s focus has been on a specific style: the blues.

“Blues music is a genre that we can focus on. It’s an accessible market for us to do really well in. I mean, blues is at the root of everything,” she told Local Spins.

The pandemic offered the duo a chance to work on new song ideas with a new release expected sometime down the road. 

For now, Serita’s Black Rose has been busy performing. Last summer, the group opened for the classic rock band Kansas at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and its 80-plus gigs a year have the members traveling much of Michigan from Wyoming and Kentwood areas to Mackinaw Island.

Serita Crowley is know for her amazing vocal range. (Supplied)

No sweat if you miss Serita’s Black Rose’s performance on Tuesday. The group has a number of local performances scheduled including being part of the City of Kentwood’s Fourth of July celebration line-up. (That performance is scheduled for 8:30 p.m.)

For more about the group, visit www.seritasblackrose.com.

Wyoming Concerts in Park 2022 are all at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. More info: Wyoming Concerts in the Park Facebook page.

The rest of the Wyoming Concerts in the Park line up is:

June 21 – Nathan Walton Band – Soul, Rock 

June 28 – Jordan Hamilton – Cellist 

July 12 – Randy McAllister – Blues and Soul 

July 19 – Monty Pride – Folk 

July 26 – Bernadette Kathryn – Country 

Aug. 2 – Grupo Latin – Latin Soul (13 piece band)

Wyoming Concerts in the Park returns June 7

Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Recreation, Upcoming Events, ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

The Soul Syndicate kicks off the Wyoming Concert series on Tuesday, June 7. (Supplied)

The Wyoming Concerts in the Park kicks off with Soul Syndicate, which is one of the most recognizable bands in the area known for its horn section that cranks out classic soul, R&B and funk tunes meant to keep those toes tapping and the young at heart dancing.

“It’s a party!,” said founder and guitarist Mike Coon, who leads a 10-piece band through a long list of songs everyone knows and loves. “It’s a fun band. You don’t sit in chairs and watch us.”

Soul Syndicate opens the Wyoming weekly concert series at 7 p.m. June 7 at Lamar Park. Admission is free.

The Tuesday night series continues through Aug. 2. See the list of shows below. All will be recorded and aired on WKTV.

Coon said performing in front of fans at outdoor concerts like Wyoming, Meijer Gardens (June 28) and Kentwood (June 30) really brings out a wide range of ages. That’s the great thing about these classic songs by Aretha Franklin, Sam and Dave, KC and Sunshine Band and Chicago, he said, everyone knows them.

“These songs seem to transcend over a lot of ages, particularly in the outdoor shows like Kentwood and Wyoming where you got, literally, all ages,” Coon said.

Younger people know these songs from parents and grandparents or they’ve heard them in advertisements.

The Soul Syndicate performs at the Frederick Meijer Gardens June 28 followed by a summer performance at Kentwood on June 30. (Supplied)

“The younger people are like ‘Yeah, I know that song,” he said. “And the older people remember it when it was on the charts.”

“These songs just sort of resonate…. Nobody is hearing that old classic rock song that’s been in their head for 30 years. (Our show) is different. It’s refreshing.”

That was the goal when the band started in 2013. Even though the beginnings of the band had started, it was the urging of friend Juliet Dragos of WZZM-TV (Channel 13) who reached out to Coon, asking if he could put a group together for a Special Olympics event.

From there they started doing special events, corporate shows, outdoor festivals and casinos.

The premise has always been the same: To entertain crowds with music they know and love and keep them dancing and clapping along.

Their popularity took off because not a lot of bands had horn sections playing these classic songs, he said.

“I couldn’t think of anybody that really did that,” Coon said. “A lot of other bands had one Stevie Wonder song in their set. We had four of them. It set us apart, and the horns made it snap.”

The group consists of: Mike Coon, guitar; Tom Taylor, drums; Katie Sarb, vocals and backup; Matt Fouts, bass; John Neil, keyboards; Tim DenBesten, trumpet (horn leader); Nate Hansen, sax; Jeff Carroll, trombone; and Colin Tobin, lead vocalist.

They also have a couple other musicians who play sax and rotate through the band, Coon said.

They perform about 50 shows a year, which might not seem like a lot, but Coon emphasized that they’re not a “tavern band.”

“We’re all pros.” he said. “No matter the venue we’re given we seem to be able to adapt quickly and make it work.”

But it’s the horn section that really distinguishes the band from others.

“When they’re all in sync it adds that energy to the show, and the audience really responds to them,” Coon said.

“Everybody in the band is an accomplished soloist. Anybody, whether keyboards, bass, drums, anybody in the section can step up and rip your head off on a solo….When the horns  are on and in sync, it just blows your hair back. It’s cool.”

Learn more about Soul Syndicate and see a list of shows at https://www.thesoulsyndicate.com/shows.

Wyoming Concerts in Park 2022 are all at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park. Admission is free. More info: Wyoming Concerts in the Park Facebook page.

Concerts Lineup

June 7 – Soul Syndicate – Covers – Rock 

June 14 – Serita’s Black Rose – Funk, Rock, Blues 

June 21 – Nathan Walton Band – Soul, Rock 

June 28 – Jordan Hamilton – Cellist 

July 12 – Randy McAllister – Blues and Soul 

July 19 – Monty Pride – Folk 

July 26 – Bernadette Kathryn – Country 

August 2 – Grupo Latin – Latin Soul (13 piece band)

John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.