“One Killer Show!” The Doo Wop Project LIVE! at PNC Bank Arts Center
By Spotlight Central. Photos by Love Imagery
It’s a glorious May 22, 2019 afternoon at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ. As such, it’s not surprising to see over 6000 music-loving seniors enjoying the weather as they wait in the venue’s spacious amphitheater, ready to enjoy a live concert performance by The Doo Wop Project.
The Doo Wop Project is a vocal group which traces the evolution of doo wop music from street corner harmonies to today’s current pop hits. The group is comprised of five talented singers/dancers/actors — Dominic Nolfi, Dominic Scaglione, Jr., Charl Brown, Russell Fischer, and Dwayne Cooper. All have appeared on Broadway in shows including Jersey Boys, Motown: The Musical, A Bronx Tale, Sister Act, and Hairspray.
Before the show begins, we step backstage to chat with two of the founding members of The Doo Wop Project — Dominic Scaglione, Jr. and Dominic Nolfi.
Recalls Nolfi, “We started The Doo Wop Project in 2013. Before that, we were all working on Broadway in a variety of shows including Jersey Boys and Motown: The Musical. Once we got together, we hired a band and created this ‘project,’ which has really grown over time. Initially, we performed about eight to sixteen shows per year — in addition to all the other things we do — but we’ve now reached the point where we do over 80 shows per year, not only in the USA and Canada, but we’ll be doing our first performance in China this July.”
When asked what attracts young singers like Scaglione, Jr. and Nolfi to the sounds of classic doo wop, Scaglione, Jr. replies, “I grew up in West Orange, NJ, listening to this music — my dad played it for me. So, as our group developed, we decided to take an approach where we’d not only be able to sing traditional street corner doo wop a cappella but, also, to perform it with a live band.”
Explains Nolfi, “I learned about doo wop through hearing it in the movies,” before noting, “and I also did a lot of harmony singing as a kid.”
“We try to keep the voices and harmonies authentic,” discloses Scaglione, Jr. “When people hear us, we want them to say, ‘Hey! How do those young guys know that song?’”
When asked which classic doo wop artists these young singers like best, Scaglione, Jr. reveals, “We love The Del Vikings, The Crests starring Johnny Maestro, The Capris, and The Jive Five.”
Revealing how the group makes doo wop relevant to today’s audiences, Nolfi explains, “I’m from the West Coast. We were surprised to learn that our group is as popular as it is in California,” before adding, “but the younger kids love this kind of music, especially when we can take a ubiquitous pop song like Jason Mraz’s ‘I’m Yours’ and — as our bass singer, Dwayne Cooper calls it, ‘doowop-ify’ it — by transforming it into a modern day doo wop number.”
Upon learning that three of the Doo Wop Project’s group members hail from New Jersey — Scaglione, Jr. from West Orange, countertenor Russell Fischer from Woodbridge, and bass singer Dwayne Cooper from Jersey City — we ask what it’s like to back here in the Garden State performing for a home-town crowd.
Exclaims Scaglione, Jr., “Playing in New Jersey is incredible! Growing up, I would often come here to the Arts Center — this place has all the great acts. It’s just remarkable to me that I am playing here today. For me, it’s a dream come true.”
Continuing, “Our group really cut its teeth on Jersey audiences, and we’ve grown thanks to the Jersey crowds,” Scaglione, Jr. contends, “We’re Jersey strong — If you can play here, you can play anywhere. Jersey is really the Mecca for this kind of music because so many groups have come out of this area,” before concluding, “You have to be good to play Jersey!”
Today’s Doo Wop Project performance is the second in a series of free 2019 Garden State Arts Foundation concerts for New Jersey residents 55 and older. The 2019 series premiered on May 9 with Tony Orlando, but also featured a concert by Little Anthony and the Imperials on May 29 and a show called Drinkin’ Singin’ & Swingin’ on June 5. Bobby Rydell and Ron Dante will conclude the series when they perform at Holmdel’s PNC Bank Arts Center amphitheater on Sept. 4 at 1:30 pm.
Cookie Santiago, Director of the Garden State Arts Foundation, welcomes the audience to today’s event. She thanks show sponsors PNC Bank and Live Nation Entertainment — along with the audience for their contributions to the GSAF — before reminding the crowd about another upcoming free concert. This show, open to music lovers of all ages, stars Cousin Brucie, Darlene Love, Kenny Vance and the Planotones, and The Ventures, and will take place here at the PNC Bank Arts Center on June 14 at 7:30 pm.
Following the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the five singers of The Doo Wop Project — Dominic Scaglione, Jr., Charl Brown, Russell Fischer, Dominic Nolfi, and Dwayne Cooper — take the stage, along with the members of their back-up band: Dave Mann on sax, Francisco Certanno on bass, Joe Bergamini on drums, Kevin Ramessar on guitar, and keyboardist and musical director, Brent Frederick.
The quintet opens the show with a bouncy rendition of The Earls’ hit, “Remember When.”
Joyously singing, “Re-mem-mem, Re-mem-remember,” each singer gets a turn in the spotlight as the group performs with precision while singing and moving their hands in time to the music.
The audience responds with cheers and applause and the group launches into a upbeat medley of The Capri’s “Morse Code of Love” and Bobby Day’s “Itty Bitty Pretty One” — a pair of songs which feature tenor Dominic Scaglione, Jr.’s falsetto voice.
Strutting a duck walk as they sing, “Baby come home to me,” bass singer Dwayne Cooper energizes the crowd, getting everyone clapping to the music. Segueing into the famous “Oo oo-oo, oo-oo oo-oo’ intro of “Itty Bitty Pretty One,” the group exudes non-stop energy before musical director Brent Frederick takes a piano solo and the medley segues back into “Morse Code of Love.”
After the group members introduce one another, they announce the next number by stating, “This next song is a right of passage for any doo wop group.” Here, the quintet performs a street corner a cappella rendition of The Channels’ “That’s My Desire.” As Russell Fischer conducts the group’s tight vocal harmonies, singer Dwayne Cooper impresses with his low, low voice.
Following an upbeat and energetic rendition of The Fascinators’ “Oh, Rose Marie,” the group performs a “doowop-ified” version of Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel.” Starting slow and sexy, the guys trade lead vocals before speeding up the tempo of the song until they slow it back to a sizzle with rich “oohs” hanging in the air as the song closes, inspiring cheers from the crowd.
Charl Brown takes a moment to chat with the audience, telling them that he first learned about doo wop music from his dad. According to Brown, “I sang at church and listened to gospel, R&B, jazz, and Motown,” before playing the role of Smokey Robinson in Motown: The Musical, a part for which he was nominated for a Tony award.
Here, Brown is featured on a medley of Smokey Robinson’s “Ooh Baby Baby” and “Tracks of My Tears.”
Singing these classic Motown hits with a fresh new energy, Brown’s lead vocal talents shine in front of 6000 admiring fans.
Telling the crowd about the “rapport” he developed with Smokey Robinson while doing the show, Brown reveals that, following several performances of Motown: The Musical, “Smokey Robinson would meet me at my dressing room and say, ‘Hey, Me!’”
At this point, Brown high-steps as he works his magic on Robinson’s “Tears of a Clown.”
Dancing across the stage, his personalty sparkles as the rest of The Doo Wop Project singers expertly back him up while executing their best Motown backup moves.
Dominic Nolfi is the next Doo Wop Project member to be featured today. Explaining that although he hails from the West Coast, Nolfi recalls, “My grandfather was a singer who sang on Swing Street, USA — 52nd Street in New York City,” before adding, “When I made my Broadway debut in Jersey Boys, my grandparents came from California to see me perform on the same street my grandfather did.”
Revealing that he learned about doo wop from movies including Mean Streets, A Bronx Tale, and Goodfellas, Nolfi is featured on The Flamingos’ “I Only Have Eyes for You.”
Opening with an a cappella introduction, Nolfi beautifully handles the lead as his colleagues, “Sh-bop sh-bop” behind him. His voice sounding both dramatic and heartfelt, his warm, expressive tenor melts the hearts of audience members, eliciting cheers for this charming number.
Next, Dwayne Cooper explains how one of the major goals of The Doo Wop Project is to enable doo wop to appeal to both older and younger audiences — an objective which inspires the group to “doowop-ify” current songs.
Here, Cooper and Co. provide an example of this process with their reimagined rendition of Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours.” While enjoying a complex arrangement filled with intricate vocal parts, audience members wave their arms back and forth as the guys dance and do antics including pantomiming swimming on stage.
Revealing that The Del Vikings are one of their favorite groups, The Doo Wop Project concludes Act I with one of the highlights of today’s show — a swinging version of “Come Go With Me.”
The audience sings along, their faces smiling along on this happy arrangement which features crisp harmonies, the singers obviously enjoying the ability to be able to take such a classic “oldies” song and make it new again for this PNC Bank Arts Center audience.
During a short intermission, we chat with several members of today’s crowd who share their reactions to the show thus far.
Exclaims John from East Orange, “The Doo Wop Project is great! They’re better than the original groups who did these songs!”
Adds Nora from Woodbridge, “I have no words to express it — they’re just phenomenal.”
Whereas Frank from Woodbridge remarks, “They’re doing one heck of a show — it makes you remember the old days,” Bob from Woodbridge concludes with a smile, “They are just fabulous!”
Act II opens with Dominic Scaglione, Jr. taking the lead on a lively rendition of Dion and the Belmonts’ “I Wonder Why.” Crooning, “I wonder why/I love you like I do,” Dominic’s stagemates provide tight background harmonies, dancing around and having fun in their varsity jackets while Scaglione, Jr. delights the crowd with his impressive falsetto.
Next up, is a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons tribute medley. First, Scaglione, Jr. and Russell Fischer share the falsetto duties on “Sherry,” before Dwayne Cooper hams it up doing his funky chicken dance on “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” Lastly, Fischer sings the high part on “Walk Like a Man,” impressing the audience with his amazing countertenor voice, as he’s expertly accompanied by his colleagues.
Scaglione, Jr. takes the mic to reveal that his dad is a retired police and FBI officer who initially told him about an audition for Broadway’s Jersey Boys. According to Dominic, once he was approved to appear in the show by none other than Four Seasons’ own songwriter, Bob Gaudio, “I wanted to tell my dad, but Bob Gaudio offered to call and tell him,” exclaiming, “ My dad didn’t believe it was really Bob Gaudio on the phone!”
Here, his solo voice alone in the spotlight, Scaglione Jr. commands the stage with his exceptional rendition of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.”
The audience sings and claps along with Dominic on the “I love you baby/And if it’s quite alright” interlude before the entire group joins in on the “You’re just too good to be true” coda.
Following a medley of two more doo wop classics — The Crests’ “The Angels Listened In” and Curtis Lee’s “Pretty Little Angel Eyes” — Dominic Nolfi tells the crowd, “When we played places like Nashville, Memphis, and East Texas, we decided to ‘doowop-ify’ a country song.” Here, the group performs bass singer Dwayne Cooper’s vocal arrangement of Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places.”
With Cooper and Nolfi trading vocals, the group does a “Cotton Eyed Joe” dance as members of the band are featured.
Following huge applause, Charl Brown reveals, “We just did two shows with 60-piece orchestras — one with the Philly Pops and another with the Indianapolis Orchestra” — before revealing that the group has another upcoming New Jersey performance which will take place at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park on June 28th.
Rich vocal doo wop harmonies ring out on an excellent arrangement of “The Impossible Dream,” from Broadway’s Man of La Mancha, which brings audience members to their feet.
After announcing, “We want to do our best to keep this music alive and pass it on to the younger generation,” Dwayne Cooper exclaims, “Let’s keep it fun — let’s sing about cars and women!”
Opening with a poignant rendition of The Cadillacs’ “Gloria,” the group shifts into a bubbly version of another Cadillacs’ hit — “Speedo.” Crooning, “Now they often call me Speedo/But my real name is Mister Earl,” Cooper jumps right off the stage and into the audience making his way high-fiving, hugging, and kissing audience members until he is all the way to the back of the PNC Bank amphitheater.
The guys on stage trade vocal parts as Cooper continues to make the audience smile, his antics captivating the crowd, even as he takes one senior citizen’s cane and dances around with it, and takes another woman’s handbag before returning it. Eventually, he arrives back to the foot of the stage and stands on an audience member’s seat to wild audience applause.
After introducing the members of the group’s backup band, the boys take off their suit jackets and decorate the stage by hanging them on mic stands as they sing a creative R&B arrangement of Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie.”
Audience members stand for this “doowop-ified” reimagining of the song, and The Doo Wop Project responds by performing their version of Little Caesar and the Romans’ “Those Oldies but Goodies (Remind Me of You),” an arrangement which ends in perfect five-part harmony.
Doing their best Broadway Jersey Boys dance moves, the guys provide a glittering encore version of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons’ “December, 1963 (Oh What a Night).”
The crowd cheers and applauds for this high-energy performance as the singers exit through the audience to a table set up in the middle of the PNC Bank Arts Center amphitheater to meet and greet fans both new and old.
As audience members make their way out of the amphitheater, we chat with several including Gail from East Windsor who exclaims, “The Doo Wop Project is one fabulous group! I liked the contemporary songs they did in the doo wop style — you can’t help but get caught up in it,” before adding, “Even the songs I didn’t know, I enjoyed. I had heard this group was good, and I was not disappointed. They have so much energy — I’d be exhausted doing what they do!”
Her friend, Ellen from East Windsor, agrees adding, “The Doo Wop Project singers are real entertainers. They can hit all the high notes — I don’t know how they do it — but they are true professionals, and they’re very lively, too.”
Continuing, “I love how the singers work so well with the back-up musicians,” Ellen suggests, “They all seemed like they were one big family working together to recreate the heart and soul of this great music.”
Next, we chat with Karen from Sayreville — a long-time Doo Wop Project fan — who recalls, “This is my eighth time seeing The Doo Wop Project, but my first time here at the PNC Bank Arts Center,” acknowledging, “We follow the group, and we just love them — they are the nicest guys — just so wonderful.”
Her friend, Linda, from East Brunswick, agrees revealing, “I have the Doo Wop Projects’ CDs, and I love them. When I play their music, that’s when I go to my happy place.”
Sandy from Manalapan — who only experienced the music of The Doo Wop Project for the very first time this afternoon — reveals, “We didn’t know what to expect, but WOW! — what an incredible show. This group is fantastic and their energy is just contagious!”
Similarly, Juel from Tinton Falls discloses, “We go to tons of shows, and this is one of the best I’ve ever seen. The Doo Wop Project is one fabulous group. When we come to concerts, we want to be able to sing along with the performers, and The Doo Wop Project enabled us to do that,” before noting, “I love how they came right out on stage singing and didn’t stop for the entire show.”
Stefanie from Bloomfield agrees declaring, “I loved this show! I’m here with my parents, and they loved it, too.” Explaining, “I’ve grown up with doo wop music,” Stefanie notes, “The Doo Wop Project makes it so much fun to listen to,” before adding, “and I was really impressed when Dwayne ran all through the stadium.”
Lastly, we chat with two friends from Manalapan, starting with Peter who comments, “The Doo Wop Project is a group that brings the past into the future — they show that real music is still alive today and suggest that it will never die.”
His friend, Sal, concurs adding, “The Doo Wop Project is one of the best groups I’ve seen in while,” before exclaiming, “They put on one killer show!”
To learn more about The Doo Wop Project — including info on their upcoming New Jersey performance at The Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park on June 28th — please go to thedoowopproject.com. For information on future Garden State Arts Foundation concerts at the PNC Bank Arts Center for NJ residents 55 and older including Bobby Rydell and Ron Dante on Sept. 4 — or for more info on the upcoming concert for audiences of all ages starring Cousin Brucie, Darlene Love, Kenny Vance and the Planotones, and The Ventures on June 14 — please go to gsafoundation.org.
