Ragtime Singer Leon Redbone Blends Turn-of-the-Century Tunes and Early Jazz
(Mahwah) -- Leon Redbone, known for contemporary pop and early jazz, as well as his white suits, fedoras and dark sunglasses, will perform at the Sharp Theater at Ramapo College of New Jersey Saturday, November 22 at 8 p.m. Ragtime performer Redbone is also known for commercial jingles including This Bud’s for You, and has been featured on the PBS children’s show, Between the Lions.
“The man in the white-straw boater and shades emphasizes the era when Bing Crosby was considered a jazz singer and Fats Waller was a pop act,” notes a review in The Washington Post. “Not many artists who play Ragtime-era music can say they have sold 500,000 albums, appeared on Saturday Night Live numerous times and popularized the Pepsi and Budweiser jingles.”
The entertainer performs to the accompaniment of brass, violin, piano or clarinet but is also comfortable performing solo. He shifts between vaudeville and performance art. Nonetheless, there is a common theme to his entertainment — his mastery of the accompanying acoustic guitar.
“I’m definitely old-fashioned,” confesses Redbone. “I have a persona when I perform, but to me it’s all about the songs. Music is like a pallet of color and the instruments become different tones.”
Redbone emerged in the mid-’70s with a repertoire of forgotten Tin Pan Alley tunes. His career took off after he was discovered by Bob Dylan at the Mariposa Folk Festival. He became widely known with his appearance on Saturday Night Live, which was followed by other shows including the Tonight Show.
Redbone has recorded 11 albums including Up A Lazy River (Blue Thumb Records), No Regrets (Blue Thumb Records) and On The Track (Warner Brothers). The artist is featured in the film Candy Mountain as well as in a collection of ballads and lullabies, Sleepytime: Songs Daddies Sing Goodnight.
Tickets for the Leon Redbone concert at Ramapo College are $23 for adults, $20 for seniors and $12 for students. The Sharp Theater is located at the Angelica and Russ Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts on the Ramapo College campus. For more information call (201) 684-7844.
This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
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