New York Skyscrapers and Friends Perform at Williamsbridge Oval Park

NEW YORK SKYSCRAPERS and Friends perform their interpretation of a Ray Charles standard at the Williamsbridge Oval concert (from left to right): Howard Leshaw (saxophonist, co-leader), Don Albano (guitar and vocals), Jay Dryer (saxophonist-band leader), Hallie Smith (vocalist), Dorian Lake (vocalist), Brenda Tattiano (vocalist). Not pictured: Richie Dimino (piano), Marty Confurius (bass), and Jimmie Young (drums).

By VIVIAN CARTER

Rainy skies didn’t halt the free neighborhood concert planned for Williamsbridge Oval Park on August 11—the event just moved inside to the recreation center. New interpretations of favorite soul, R&B, and rock classics rewarded the scores of audience members who gathered to hear New York Skyscrapers and Friends, an accomplished American contemporary musical group.

The selection of songs came from many decades of history–the age of Duke Ellington and Etta James, the heyday of Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles, and Michael Jackson’s 1980s-era hits. The three vocalists and six instrumentalists, all experienced professional musicians, handled it quite ably. Patio doors were opened in the space, so the audience could catch occasional breezes as they sat in rows of folding chairs.

The concert was brought to the park by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, representing Norwood, who greeted the crowd and thanked the performers at intermission.

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.