By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Andy Summers is most known for his work as the guitarist of the British band The Police. Summers’ innovative guitar playing created a new paradigm for guitarists in this period and has been widely imitated ever since.
Prior to the Police, he played with various bands in the London scene including the Soft Machine, Kevin Coyne, and also Kevin Ayers. As the lead guitarist for The Police, Summers played a crucial role in defining the band’s sound with his unique blend of rock, reggae, and jazz influences.
Post Police, Summers has made 14 solo records, collaborated with many other musicians and toured the world as a solo artist. In addition, he has composed film scores, written books, had photo gallery exhibitions of his photography, spent time as a lecturer and published books of his incredible photography.
This summer, Summers embarked on a project that features his work as an author, photographer. He is touring the U.S. with his show, “The Cracked Lens + A Missing String.” The show is billed as, “A fantastic evening with a brilliant practitioner of the guitar, camera and written words.”
On July 6, Summers will bring his show to the Colonial Theatre (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, thecolonialtheatre.com)
“There was a definite inspiration for the tour,” said Summers, during a recent phone interview from his home in Los Angeles. “The main thing – I finally brought my music and my photography together. With my photography, I’ve done five books and more than 50 exhibitions.”
Summers has been a favorite of music fans for his unique talent since entering the music scene in the late 1960s. Since picking up a guitar at the age of 13, Summers has made his mark as an essential component of The Police, as a solo artist, and as a writer, photographer, composer, and producer.
During his Police years, Summers’ guitar was heard and imitated worldwide, making an indelible impression on guitar and guitarists everywhere. The group dominated the 80s music scene with several number one singles including “Every Breath You Take,” “Roxanne,” “Don’t Stand So Close to Me,” “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” “Invisible Sun” and “Message in a Bottle.”
Apart from the band’s multi-million selling records Summers received two Grammys for Best Rock Instrumental Performance and was also voted the number one guitarist for five years by Guitar Player Magazine, and then entered the Guitar Player Hall of Fame. The Police were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.
Many years ago, Summers also established himself as a writer and photographer with a number of books, essays and several photography collections. His works include “Throb,” “Light Strings,” “Desirer Walks the Street,” “I’ll Be Watching You: Inside the Police” and “A Certain Strangeness.”
Along with these published editions, he has held acclaimed exhibitions across the world. In 2019, the Pavilion Populaire Montpellier France staged a three-month retrospective, “A Certain Strangeness,” which broke all attendance records and was later transferred to the Bonnafanten Museum Maastricht in The Netherlands for a further six months. Summers completed this run with his multi-media solo concert at the Metropolitan Museum of Art In New York June 2019.
“About three or four years ago, prior to the pandemic, I was experimenting in my studio,” said Summers, whose first band experience was with Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band in London in the mid-1960s.
“That sort of kicked into this. In 2019, I did a show dedicated to popular photographers – ‘A Certain Strangeness,’ which had 20 minutes of improv instrumental music.
“That led to this project. It’s a continuation of my solo project. I project a lot of sequences of photographs on a big screen.
“I had to pull a full set of photos – having them move and morph into each other. The music is solo – just me. I have sequencers that I play. They are beautiful electronic pieces – very seductive.
“I have all kinds of music worked out to play with the sequences. I do a whole Brazilian section. There is also some hardcore Police material.”
Summers was quick to note that this is nothing new – that in the 1920s, a live organist performed in theaters along with silent movie.
“I first got into photography when I was young,” said Summers, who celebrated his 80th birthday on last New Year’s Eve.
“Like anyone who had a camera, I was just taking pictures of things that caught my eye. The real seed came when I was 15 or 16 when I saw an art house film.
“My black-and-white photos were very influential to my teenage mindset with guitar playing. I got a really good camera – a Nikon SE. Then, I moved up to a Leica.”
Now, Summers’ American audience will get to see and hear what he has been up to recently.
“The show is pretty much all improv,” said Summers. “We do a new video of ‘Roxanne.’ The show is totally immersive – a whole other atmosphere.”
Video link for Andy Summers — https://youtu.be/phhGMLgLuiI.
The show at the Colonial Theatre on July 26 will start at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $29.50, $39.50, $49.50 and $75.
A trio of country music legends will be in the area on July 20 when the Bristol Riverside Theatre (120 Radcliffe Street
Bristol, www.brtstage.org) presents another edition of its “William Penn Bank Summer Music Fest.”
The show on July 20 will be the “Roots & Boots Tour” featuring Aaron Tippin, Collin Raye and Sammy Kershaw at Bristol Township’s outdoor amphitheater (2501 Bath Road, Bristol).
Tippin, Raye and Kershaw are teaming up to present an evening filled with stories and songs as they get back to the roots of their music. The three musicians have amassed almost 70 combined Top 40 hit singles. Some of Tippin’s songs are “You’ve Got to Stand for Something,” “There Ain’t Nothin’ Wrong with the Radio,” and “Kiss This.” Raye is known for “Love Me,” “In This Life,” and “That’s My Story.” Kershaw’s hits include “Queen of My Double Wide Trailer,” “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful,” and “Third Rate Romance.”
When Aaron Tippin is around, there a good chance that there is something in the air. It could be the sweet sounds of Tippin’s voice singing his classic country songs or it could be Tippin piloting an aircraft in the sky above.
As a musician, Tippin has released more than a dozen albums along with three Number One singles (U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs) – “There Ain’t Nothin’ Wrong with the Radio” (1992), “That’s as Close as I’ll Get to Loving You” (1995) and “Kiss This” (2000).
As a pilot, Tippin is an instrument rated commercial pilot with single and multi-engine ratings. He also has private pilot privileges for rotorcraft-helicopter.
“I was a corporate pilot,” said Tippin, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from his home in Greenville, South Carolina. “With music, I was a hobby player – pickin’ and grinnin.’
“Then, the energy crunch ran me out of aviation. I quit flying. I moved home and drove bulldozers and dump trucks.
“I was a banjo player and I played a little guitar – enough to be bad at it.
“I realized I wasn’t going to be an airline pilot and started doing shows on the weekends. I started a country band. Music became lucrative – about half my salary.
“I was playing country shows locally. I never thought it would go any further.”
Then came a catalyst.
“My first wife threw me out – rightfully so,” said Tippin. “I got divorced in 1982. I worked around town for a while and then decided to move to Nashville to see if I was any good.”
While trying to get noticed in Nashville, Tippin had to look elsewhere to support himself.
“I was living in Russellville, which is about an hour outside Nashville,” said Tippin. “I worked as a mill mechanic on the third shift – 11 p.m. until 6 a.m.
“I’d drive back to Nashville for my writing job. I’d write songs until 1 p.m., go home, take a nap, have a few sandwiches and then head back to my job at the mill.”
Tippin eventually became a staff writer at Acuff-Rose. He competed on “You Can Be a Star,” a televised talent show on the former TNN (The Nashville Network). This led to him earning a song publishing contract in 1987. During this time, he wrote songs for The Kingsmen, David Ball, Mark Collie, and Charley Pride.
“Working at Acuff-Rose was a real breakthrough for me,” said Tippin. “I got to be rubbing shoulders with really great songwriters like Donny Keys and Buddy Brock.
“When I first came to town, I thought I’d be a singer. It took a while. I was already 31 when I got signed to a record deal.”
Tippin first signed with RCA Records in 1990. With RCA, he recorded five studio albums and a Greatest Hits package. Tippin switched to Lyric Street Records in 1998, where he recorded four more studio albums, including a compilation of Christmas music.
After leaving Lyric Street in 2006, he founded a personal label known as Nippit Records, on which he issued the compilation album “Now & Then.” A concept album, “In Overdrive,” was released in 2009. Then, Tippin signed to Country Crossing Records in 2008.
Other than family and religion, music and aviation are the two big “loves” in Tippin’s life.
Tippin’s association with aviation goes back way more than his time with musical instruments.
“I did my first solo when I was 16,” said Tippin. “I have a lot of multi-instrument ratings and I’m qualified as a flight instructor.
“The first time I flew a plane was with my dad in a DC-3. He stacked up logbooks on the seat until it was high enough that I could reach the wheel. I was four years old at the time.”
Now, Tippin is more selective with his live performances and more laid back with recorded output.
“There is no new album in the future,” said Tippin. “And I’m not doing 200 shows a year anymore. I want to get back to aviation.”
Video link for Aaron Tippin — https://youtu.be/Z_s-Qk07KxA.
The concert in Bristol on July 20 will start at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $60 and there is free parking.
This weekend, David Wilcox will be heading north from North Carolina to perform for another year at the Bryn Mawr Twilight Concerts (9 South Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr, brynmawrtwilightconcerts.com) with a show on July 22.
He is no stranger to the event.
“I’ve played there many times – at least 20,” said Wilcox, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from his home in Asheville, North Carolina. “I’ve been playing the event since the early 1990s.”
Wilcox’ show will have something new at Saturday’s show – new songs from a soon-to-be-released album.
“My Good Friends” is set for an August 18 release on his own label, Fresh Baked Records. Wilcox will then follow with a Spotify-exclusive release on September 1. The extended edition – “My Good Friends — The Guided Tour” – will commentary tracks for each new song.”
Wilcox actually has just recorded a lot of new tracks.
When “The View From the Edge” was released in 2018, it was his first album release since “blaze” in 2014.
“I have now two new albums that are done,” said Wilcox. “One is coming out soon and the other will be out early next year. Both were recorded at the same time, but it’s been sporadic. In the past, when you recorded in a studio, it was a matter of you gotta get it done. It could get very expensive with studio time.
“Now, it’s easier with home studios – but I sort of miss that urgency. In my home studio, I use ProTools. And I have really good microphones. Some are 30 or 40 years old.
“I looked at my songs that I’d written since the last album and had more than 60 – and I kept writing. The pandemic has been a great time to write songs. I have about 50 songs recorded – because I had so much time.
“‘My Good Friends’ has 10 songs and singles are already being released. There will be 12 on the later one, which doesn’t have a title yet.
“With ‘My Good Friends,’ the title comes from a song about how lucky I’ve been with knowing when to get out of a bad situation.
“The new album is focused on how songs fit together – what they do to each other. It’s like putting a painting in a frame.
“Songs contradict each other. Some songs that I wrote about the way I’m making peace with the fact that my road days are numbered. I look at how a forest works – a big oak falls, a canopy opens and there is an acorn waiting. My music will come to an end one day – maybe 5-10 years and I’ll be done. But for now, the new songs are thriving.
“Another new song is ‘This Is How It Ends’ — a lover gets betrayed. The two songs are right next to each other on the record. Five or 10 years from now, I’ll still do the sweet gigs but slogging through the Midwest on a five-week tour isn’t going to happen.”
Wilcox’ songs are more than autobiographical.
“The songs I write are about what I want to happen to me,” said Wilcox. “With the new songs, there are things I hadn’t said. There is an apology to my estranged brother. That’s a fascinating song – very heartfelt and very simple.”
More than three decades into his career, Wilcox continues to push himself, just as he always has. Wilcox, by so many measures, is a quintessential folk singer, telling stories full of heart, humor, and hope, substance, searching, and style. His innate sense of adventure and authenticity is why critics and colleagues, alike, have always praised not just his artistry, but his humanity, as well.
It’s the result of a man giving himself over in gratitude and service to something bigger than himself. After an early 80s move to Warren Wilson College in North Carolina, Wilcox started playing guitar and writing songs, processing his own inner workings and accessing his own inner wisdom.
In 1987, within a couple of years of graduating, Wilcox had released his first independent album, “The Nightshift Watchman.” A year later, he won the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Award and, in 1989, he signed with A&M Records, selling more than 100,000 copies of his A&M debut, “How Did You Find Me Here.”
From Wilcox’ view, life is a great adventure, instead of a series of tragedies.
“I always knew that music had access to my heart,” said Wilcox. “I figured that if I had access to my heart, it would help me in my life. I’m using music just as a way to know my heart.”
Video link for David Wilcox — https://youtu.be/-Y7ng-Uz1qg.
The show on July 22, which has The Nields as the opening act, will start at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $15.
Other upcoming Bryn Mawr Twilight Concerts are Trout Fishing in America on July 23, John Gorka on July 29, Livingston Taylor on August 5, Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience on August 12, Susan Werner on August 19, Dar Williams on August 26, Carsie Blanton & Marielle Kraft on September and Jon McLaughlin on September 8.
King Of Prussia’s live outdoor music series Concerts Under the Stars (Upper Merion Township Building Park, West Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, concertsunderthestarskop.com) returned to Upper Merion Township Building Park for its 37th season back in May. The summer-long concerts will include live music for all ages, a beer garden featuring local craft brews and cocktails and local food truck options. Events will take place from 7-10 p.m. on select weeknights and 6-9 p.m. on select Sundays.
Concerts Under the Stars will be co-presented by Upper Merion Township and Rising Sun Presents – the event producers at venues including Ardmore Music Hall, Underground Arts, MilkBoy Philly and 118 North.
Upcoming shows in the 2023 Concerts Under the Stars series are Lisa Loeb on July 22, Tommy Conwell & The House Rockers with Soraia on July 28, Don McCloskey and Hoots & Hellmouth on August 5, Donna the Buffalo on August 12, Start Making Sense (Talking Heads tribute), Al Stewart & The Empty Pockets on August 26, Splintered Sunlight (Grateful Dead Tribute) on September 2, and Easy Star All‐Stars on September 16.
On July 21, American alt-pop singer-songwriter Yueku will be the opening act for Wldlfe on the “The Wldlfe – Live On Tour Pt. Ii” at The Foundry at Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal Street, Philadelphia,www.thefillmorephilly.com).
Christian Koo – aka artist, songwriter, and producer Yueku – burst on the scene in 2021 with his debut EP “Catch Me If You Can.”
Recently, Yueku announced that his sophomore EP, “Little Less Noise,” will be released on July 28, 2023.
Yueku shared on social media, “It’s been a long time since my last release, and I am grateful for anyone who’s been listening. Very excited for you to hear these songs that I had a hell of a time making with good people.”
From the EP, he released the second single, “One Sided,” as a follow-up to “Paradise,” which was released earlier this year.
On “One Sided,” Yueku teamed up with Nashville-based singer-songwriter Abby Holliday on the track which was co-written by the pair.
According to Yueku, “‘One Sided’ is about being in a relationship where you’re putting in all the effort to make it work. Yet with your efforts, you still have the disappointing realization the other person simply doesn’t care the same way you do.
“Abby and I had the idea of comparing it to the writing of a novel — specifically around the idea of “cliffhanger” endings or stories that make you want more even when you know there’s nothing more coming.”
“Paradise” was written by Koo and Jake LeMond. It was produced by Hunter West and Yueku.
Yueku said of the song, “It’s a simple love song for someone who makes my time here much easier. When life is overwhelming, daunting and bleak, this person makes things feel like a taste of paradise. The track expresses some uncertainty about the afterlife and the religious ideas that can surround it, but with the core message that the time spent together here in the present is enough ‘heaven’ for me.”
Recently, Yueku wrote an essay, “Where Do I Look?,” as a part of Atwood Magazine’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. It is a reflection on AAPI representation (and lack thereof) in the entertainment industry, and how that has impacted his musical journey and personal life.
Here is Yueku’s essay.
“My name’s Christian Koo. I’m an Asian American making music under the moniker Yueku, a play off my middle name and my last name. My father is from Hong Kong, and my mother is from Bangkok, Thailand. My parents came to the U.S. to start a family, and that’s where I was born.
“When I was growing up in school, I got on well with a lot of my classmates. I enjoyed a lot of my classes and formed lasting friendships. However, from the start it was hard not to notice that I had very few classmates that looked like I did. Straight hair, almond-shaped eyes and tan skin were qualities I noticed about myself that I rarely saw in others at my school.
“As I got older, I experienced some racially driven bullying from older students. Nothing violent or wildly abhorrent but comments that were definitely racially charged that made walking down the halls feel less secure than I’d like.
“Jump to 2020 when Covid-19 was at its peak. I faced multiple racist encounters simply walking down the street, or at my workplace from customers. People would tell me I looked like Bruce Lee, or ask me to teach them karate, or ask if I’d accept American currency, or tell me to go back where I “came from.” It sucked.
“All my life, I’ve had a lot of issues with how Asian people are portrayed in Western media, or not portrayed at all. I would say up until fairly recently, Hollywood has portrayed us as weak, nerdy, cheap, easy to pick on. Just generally disrespectful. People think they can get away with saying or doing awful things to us because we’ll look away or are unable to defend ourselves. Forget fiction for a second. Even when awful, violent crime is committed on an Asian person in the U.S., most of the time you have to do some digging to even hear about it.
“Growing up and seeing how Asian people were portrayed in film and TV was troubling. As a child, I quickly gravitated to music because the Asian stereotypes weren’t as widespread in that space. But it wasn’t that things were better in the music industry. There simply weren’t that many famous Asian artists in the U.S. In a messed-up way, the lack of representation actually meant there was less racism to encounter.
“Everything is much more accessible nowadays and it’s much easier to find more and more artists who are Asian, or Asian American. Keshi, Beabadoobe, Speed, RUSSEL! and Elise Go are a few examples that I love. It’s cool to be able to list that many, whereas 10 to 15 years ago, I don’t think I’d have been able to. I wouldn’t say being Asian American fuels why I make music. It is forever a part of who I am and something that can never leave me.
“If I quit making music tomorrow, I would still be Asian American. What I will say is that making music as an Asian American has always felt important to me because representation is imperative, especially for younger audiences. It’s always been an adjacent goal of mine as a musician to challenge the stereotype that Western culture has portrayed for some time.
“Growing up, I wish I had more artists that looked like me to look up to. If I can be that for someone out there, that’s huge.”
Video link for Yueku – https://youtu.be/dwNO4o6qh50.
The all-ages show on July 21, which features Yueku, Wldlfe and Poolboy, will start at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $18.
This weekend is your final opportunity to see “Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” which is being presented by Kimmel Cultural Campus (250 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, www.kimmelculturalcampus.org) and The Shubert Organization.
The show, which is making its Philadelphia debut, is running now through July 23 at the Academy of Music.
The lively musical takes place in a world of splendor and romance, of eye-popping excess, of glitz, grandeur, and glory. It is a world where Bohemians and aristocrats rub elbows and revel in electrifying enchantment.
Part of the 2022-23 Broadway series, this larger-than-life musical tells the story of star-crossed lovers who fall in love at the Moulin Rouge, a place where Bohemians and aristocrats rub elbows while relishing the electrifying entertainment.
The Moulin Rouge of Paris is a dazzling and spectacular universe, the symbol of the Parisian way of celebrating since 1889. Starting life as a popular cabaret and dance hall, the venue became an iconic music hall in the Roaring Twenties and then a theatre where numerous famous French and international artists stepped out into the limelight.
Audience members can dive into the world of celebrating truth, beauty, freedom, and most importantly, love, as this musical-remix extravaganza comes to life in front of their eyes. “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” is more than just a musical, it’s a state of mind.
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” is set in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris, France, during the Belle Epoque at the turn of the 20th century. The musical relates the story of Christian, a young composer, who falls in love with cabaret actress Satine, who is the star of the Moulin Rouge. Similar to the film, the musical’s score weaves together original songs with popular music, including songs that have been written in the 17 years since the film’s premier.
Christian is hailed as one of the greatest songwriters ever. This is his journey from beginning to end and there is a lot of music. The original movie used music of the times. This show uses music of our times.
Some of the songs featured in this version are “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” “We Belong,” “Sympathy for the Devil,” “I Wanna Dance (with Somebody Who Loves Me),” “Every Breath You Take” and “I Will Always Love You.”
Video link for “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” — https://youtu.be/kRYamIZWK-M.
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” is running now through July 23 at the Academy of Music.
Ticket prices start at $20.
This month’s edition of the Candlelight Comedy Club is scheduled for July 20 at 7:30 p.m. Billy Garan will headline tonight’s show. Joe Pontillo and Tony Parlante will be the opening acts.
Garan has been seen doing comedy on NBC, ABC, Showtime, and A&E. His career as an actor has covered a wide range of appearances from ABC’s “Phenom” and “America’s Funniest People,” NBC’s “Saved by the Bell” and “California Dreams,” as well as Showtime’s “Sherman Oaks.”
In 2017, “In Honor of Jack,” written and starring both Garan and Bill Rutkoski was an official selection in the Manhattan Film Festival as well as the NYC Indie Film Festival.
Garan began his career performing stand-up at Catch a Rising Star in NYC. He expanded his career by joining a comedy troupe called Funny Business which toured hundreds of colleges throughout the country. Garan’s huge list of impressions is demonstrated in his Hollywood High routine where he plays all the characters in a classroom of celebrity students, ranging from Truman Capote to Sylvester Stallone. He not only does the voices with superb accuracy, but also the mannerisms.
Garan’s high energy and machine gun style delivery have defined him as a unique talent, having made him a valuable opening act for Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, and even Michael Bublé as well as many other musical acts. He has produced, written, and performed numerous radio commercials and has been seen doing comedy on NBC, Showtime, and A&E.
Pontillo has been seen on AXS TV’s “Gotham Comedy Live” and MTV’s “In the Middle of the Night” – and he has been heard on Sirius XM.
In 2018, Pontillo released his first special on Amazon “Delete Your Account” and his second special, “No One Asked For This,” will be released soon.
Parlante has a unique take on being a “baby boomer.” He shares his life with audiences all over the Philadelphia/South Jersey area. He has appeared in comedy clubs in the U.S. and Europe as well as fundraisers in all types of venues. He works strictly clean and is a member of the Christian Comedy Association.
Tickets are $30 for the 7:30 p.m. show.
On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays now through August 27, the Candlelight Dinner Theater will be presenting its latest offering of the 2022-2023 – The Sound of Music.”
The show stars Sophie Jones as Maria Rainer and Paul McElwee as Captain Georg von Trapp.
Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org) will present “Broadway on High Street” on July 20, Six One Five Collective on July 21 and The Johnny Folsom 4 on July 22.
Jamey’s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985, www.jameyshouseofmusic.com) is a prime destination to hear folk, jazz and blues music every Thursday through Sunday.
The “Thursday Night Jazz Jam” and the “Sunday Blues Brunch & Jam” are regular features on Jamey’s calendar while Friday and Saturday night shows feature national and regional acts.
The “Sunday Blues Brunch & Jam” is scheduled for every Sunday from noon-3 p.m. with the host band’s set from noon-1 p.m. followed by an open mic from 1-3 p.m.
The first, third, fourth and fifth Sunday sessions are hosted by the Philly Blues Kings while the hosts for second Sunday sessions are the Girke-Davis Project.
The main events will be Billy the Kid and the Regulators on July 21 and The Porkroll Project on July 22.
Billy the Kid and the Regulators earned a spot in the 2008 International Blues Competition in Memphis by winning the Appalachian Blues Challenge for the West Virginia Blues Society.
Billy has appeared with and opened for acts such as Koko Taylor, Ana Popovic, James Cotton, Jimmie Vaughan, Rory Block, Savoy Brown, Blind Boys of Alabama, Tommy Castro and Shemeka Copeland.
The Porkroll Project is hard rocking, five-piece blues band from the Delaware Valley that plays a high energy blend of fresh covers and originals. The music is blues, but it’s done “Porkroll” style — little bit of grease, good dose of funk, whole lotta drive and grind. Add some dangerous lead guitar and harmonica, powerful organ, and rippin’ piano, and you have a recipe for a night where anything can happen.
The band has a collective experience that runs deep and wide, having played together in various other projects for over ten years. They are well seasoned veterans of events such as the Philadelphia Jam on the River, the Annual Chameleon Club Blues Festival, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Riverfront Blues Festival, the Billtown Blues Festival, the Paoli Blues Festival and the International Blues Challenge in Memphis.
The Porkroll Project includes Neil “Porkroll” Taylor, Paul Matecki, Ed Young, Andy Haley and Buddy Cleveland.