SUMMERSTAGE RETURNS TO CENTRAL PARK THIS PRIDE WITH CLUB CLASSICS LIVE!, A SENSATIONAL SUMMER DANCE PARTY FEATURING LIVE DISCO, FUNK, SOUL AND HO– USE CLASSICS. TAKING PLACE SATURDAY, JUNE 28, AT 3 P.M. AT RUMSEY PLAYFIELD IN CENTRAL PARK, THE SPECTACULAR EVENT WILL RECREATE THE MAGIC OF LEGENDARY NYC DANCE CLUBS STUDIO 54 AND THE PARADISE GARAGE WITH PERFORMANCES BY POP SENSATION SAM SPARRO, HO– USE LEGENDS ULTRA NATÉ AND KEVIN AVIANCE, THE FORMER LADIES OF CHIC (NORMA JEAN WRIGHT, ALFA ANDERSON AND LUCI MARTIN) AND THE DISCO COLLECTIVE COMPANY FREAK. SPECIAL GUEST DJ ANDRÉ COLLINS WILL PROVIDE THE BEATS.
“We have assembled some of the most brilliant singers and musicians to pay tribute to the classic funk, house and disco of the last thirty years,” says Jason King, the director and curator of the free concert. His orchestral disco funk band, Company Freak, will perform backgrounds for all headliners as well as a short set of their own. “People should come prepared to be moved by the spirit and energy of the music and dance their behinds off.”
Founded in 1986, SummerStage presents performances of outstanding artistic quality, free of charge, to serve the diverse communities of New York City. The mission is to develop audiences’ deepening appreciation of music.
Previous concerts have included performances by Chaka Khan, Duncan Shiek, Celia Cruz and The Indigo Girls. Due to the event’s dance music theme, and because it
is taking place over New York City’s Pride Festival weekend festivities, CLUB CLASSICS LIVE! at SummerStage is expected to draw a large gay audience.
“I was adamant about making sure CLUB CLASSICS LIVE! took place over Pride Weekend,” King says. “We intentionally brought artists on board who had ties to the
LGBT community. We also chose songs – like Loose Joints’ ‘Is It All Over my Face’ – that have special meaning to LGBT audiences.”
Artists will perform classic hits by disco icons including Sylvester, Donna Summer and Dan Hartman, as well as reinterpretations of ‘80s and ‘90s house music tracks.
This year’s performance line-up:
SAM SPARRO
“Black & Gold” earned Sparro his first Grammy nomination in 2008. Since then, he has released two albums, collaborated with Basement Jaxx, DMC and Mark Ronson
and toured with Adele and Robyn.
ULTRA NATÉ
She released her platinumselling single “Free” in 1998. Shortly after, her smash rework of “If You Could Read My Mind” with Jocelyn Enriquez and Amber was included on the soundtrack of the major motion picture, “Studio 54.” Last year, Ultra released her eighth studio album, “Hero Worship.”
ultranate.com
KEVIN AVIANCE
The drag icon became an underground sensation in the late-‘90s gay dance scene, releasing # 1 Billboard dance hits including “Cunty,” “Din Da Da,” “Rhythm Is My Bitch” and “Alive.”
facebook.com/kevinaviance
ALFA ANDERSON, LUCI MARTIN AND NORMA JEAN WRIGHT
To the delight of their fans, the former ladies of CHIC have reunited as Anderson, Martin & Wright.
normaandluci.com
COMPANY FREAK
The dance music super group fronted by lead singer Jason King features a rotating group of legendary singers and musicians. This spring, the band released its debut EP,
“Le Disco Social,” a throwback to 1970s orchestral disco soul that is being compared to Daft Punk.
companyfreak.com
DJ ANDRÉ COLLINS
Bronx native DJ Andre Collins takes his universal love of house music to the radio waves every Friday on WHCR/90.3 FM, The Voice of Harlem.
CLUB CLASSICS LIVE!
takes place Saturday, June 28, at 3 p.m. at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park.
