Seasonal version of Kenny Moten’s revue is a high-octane blast of fun
The Aurora Fox Arts Center is soaring a mile high this holiday season with Kenny Moten’s musical revue Motones & Jerseys: Holiday Hi-Fi. This musical competition between the two rival groups, Motones and Jerseys, delivers over two hours of enduring music from the 20th century along with a variety of Christmas classics.
Conceived by Moten and Chris Starkey, the production is directed by Moten and has nine talented vocalists singing music inspired by the genres of Motown and singing groups from New Jersey — and beyond. Along with the singers, there are four super-charged musicians on stage blasting out the tunes that have made these musical styles famous.
The performance is a competition between the two groups for the most beloved sound: Is it going to be Detroit or Hoboken? Only the audience will know for sure when they vote with their hands after each category is sung. The evening is overseen by Emcee Anne Elizabeth Terze-Schwarz or Valerie Igoe (alternate). Igoe commanded the stage at the performance I attended showing masterful control over the groups as they performed songs from such categories as doo-wop, British invasion, girl groups, love songs and holiday faves. Emcee Igoe also gets in the act singing such hits as “Here Comes Santa Claus” and a highly energized version of “Natural Woman.”
The Jerseys | Photo: Gail Bransteitter
Dressed in crisp white dinner jackets, Motones include Elio Nova, Blue J. Lawrence, Moses Alanzo Brown, Alejandro Roldan, and Randy Chalmers (alternate). They have perfected everything we love about music from Detroit beginning in the 1950s through today with smooth vocals, rich with mellow tones, and synchronized dance moves that give Jerseys a run for their money.
There are dozens of songs in their repertoire including “Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch),” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” and the Beatles classic “Yesterday.” In the name of friendly competition, Motones collaborate with Jerseys on a roof-raising rendition of a Tina Turner classic, “Proud Mary.”
Jake Bell, Barrett Harper, Nolan Baker, and Brian Jackson are Jerseys performing such hits as “Oh, What a Night,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “I Love You Baby,” “So Happy Together” and “Run, Run Rudolph.” In collaboration with the Motones, they sing the Nancy Sinatra classic, “These Boots Are Made for Walking.” Not only do they also have all the right synchronized dance moves, but they also tap dance at one point in the competition. The evening ends on a sky-high note with the entire company singing a beautifully soulful version of “Stand by Me.”
Exhilarating performance
As directed by Kenny Moten, Motones & Jerseys: Holiday Hi-Fi never falters with one exhilarating song after another as the two groups compete for the coveted title of best musical genre. Moten has created a friendly competition that never oversteps its playful boundaries in a less-than-upbeat presentation. As important as the music is to its overall success, the choreography catapults the performance into another stratosphere. Moten, along with Jessica Hindsley and Chris Starkey are responsible for the innovative steps throughout the performance.
None of this would be possible without extraordinary musicians including Ryan Austin Millard (guitar), John Edward Seaberry (bass), Dean Vlachos (drums) and Paul Faulk (keys). Appropriately located onstage, they are the fire that fuels the engine moving swiftly from song to song with the greatest of ease.
Motones & Jerseys: Holiday Hi-Fi is a cavalcade of sensational music and dance that brought the audience to its feet more than once.
Leave A Comment