Courtesy of Ray LaVoie Photography
I must admit, memories of my adolescence growing up in Brooklyn, New York, have not waned after residing 45 years in central Ohio. The street corner days of harmonizing to the doo-wop hits of the 1950s and 1960s are permanently embedded not only in my mind but also on stacked shelves in the basement of my home.
Resting on these shelves are weathered cardboard boxes containing numerous 45s. For those of you who were not fortunate enough to experience the greaser era (think about the dress of those in the movie and play Grease), 45s are the small vinyl records with the large hole in the middle that were played on a phonograph or in many cases, in a jukebox in the luncheonette down the block. In my neighborhood, one re- sided on a block, not street. It’s memorabilia such as this that help me maintain an appreciation of a genre of music I find alive and inspiring.
Imagine the rush of excitement that crossed my cerebral cortex as I started to peruse Megan Roth’s article, Orchestra Rocks! I be- gan to experience a reawakening of the days when Leiber and Stoller’s composed songs that dominated the airwaves on popular east coast radio shows, emceed by icons like Alan Freed and Murray the K (on the swinging soiree with a blast from the past). Accompanying this genre of music perpetuated a culture exemplified by the greaser look, harmonizing under the streetlamp and cruising the streets in a 1957 Chevy.
But Megan’s article does much more than refresh an era replete with fond memories. It highlights the hard work and well-deserved recognition of the girls and boys in the NAPLS Orchestra who invested countless hours to bring Leiber and Stoller’s songs in Smokey Joe’s Cafe to the forefront of a musical era that people of all ages can appreciate.
The production of Smokey Joe’s Cafe also introduced another perspective to the community. I call this perspective diversity. In thinking about cultural diversity, it’s important to understand the role those different genres of music such as the hits in Smokey Joe’s Cafe by groups such as the Drifters can play in highlighting commonalities all of us can appreciate. There is much to be gleaned through music and for that, I am thankful to the NAPLS Orchestra.
It brought music to my ears.
Healthfully,
Phil Heit
Executive Director Emeritus Healthy New Albany
