TONIGHT: First Congregational Church hosts musical legend Vaneese Thomas Friday, May 20

May 20, 2011
by Pam Wright

This past November, a group of us from the First Congregational Church were fortunate to hear Westchester’s own Vaneese Thomas perform the mezzo-soprano role in “Too Hot to Handel” at Carnegie Hall. Her singing was mesmerizing. Most recently, Ms. Thomas performed to a packed house during a torrential rainstorm at the Town Crier in Pawling.

We are delighted to announce that she has found time between touring with Aretha Franklin and heading off for appearances in London to perform for the community this Friday, May 20 at the First Congregational Church as part of the church’s Third Friday events. We hope you can join us starting at 6:30 p.m. for pizza and soft drinks to enjoy Vaneese Thomas’s unique program of music, personal stories and video. Tickets are $10 per person and $25 for a family. All ages are welcome.

Passing on musical traditions born of the Civil Rights Movement

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Vaneese is the daughter of Rufus Thomas, whose legendary career as a musician and entertainer began in Vaudeville and spanned more than half a century in rhythm-and-blues recording and radio. Her older siblings are the hit recording artist “Memphis Queen” Carla Thomas and the highly respected keyboardist Marvell Thomas. Carla’s song “Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes)” was a chart topper and her song “Tramp” with Otis Redding continues to get substantial airplay.

Vaneese is committed to preserving and passing on the musical traditions she inherited. As a former teacher she also understands that nothing happens in a vacuum, that the Southern sound is both bound up in and reflective of the struggles of mid-century Black American life. Vaneese has developed an entertaining educational program that offers communities a clear understanding of African-American culture through the prism of Memphis and its position as a focal point of music and the Civil Rights Movement. Her program recognizes the societal significance of soul and rhythm-and-blues, and place the music’s origins and growth within a historical context.

Vaneese’s broad musical style

In her performances, Vaneese carries forward the rich heritage of Memphis soul and R&B, a music that has touched several generations and crossed many divides. At the same time she has combined all the influences of her background and experience – R&B, gospel, blues, and jazz – to cultivate a soul-stirring style that’s all her own. Vaneese’s experiences growing up in Memphis during the Civil Rights Era and being an activist with her mom provided the groundwork for “Freedom Songs: A Thematic Exploration of the Civil Rights Movement.” During Friday’s program, Vaneese will teach us the significance of the popular songs of this era and give us a new appreciation of where the songs and music came from and what they represent.

Vaneese’s talents as a singer, songwriter, producer and actor have made her a sought-after solo performer as well as a first-call vocalist for projects by other top-name artists. She has worked with the renowned recording producer Phil Ramone and has sung with an astonishing array of internationally known performers including Luciano Pavarotti, Sting, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion and Eric Clapton. The Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin, rarely performs without Vaneese.

Geffen Records released Vaneese’s first major recording in 1987. The self-titled album included the Top Ten R&B hit “Let’s Talk it Over.” In 1999 Vaneese released, on her own Peaceful Waters Music label, “When My Back’s Against The Wall,” a gospel crossover hailed by Billboard Magazine as “a small-label masterpiece that begs for attention from savvy majors.”

She followed that success a few years later with “A Woman’s Love,” which combined R&B and silky, smooth-jazz vocals. Vaneese’s newest album project is “Soul Sister Vol. One,” a collection of seminal soul classics. The CD, and the live show Vaneese has created from it, both pay tribute to some of the original soul sisters and honor the historical value of this irrepressible music.

Come join us this Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. to hear this extraordinary performer.

Pam Wright is chair of the Play Care board, which is an advisory group to the preschool run by the First Congregational Church. She arranged for Vanesse Thomas to perform at this month’s Third Friday event. Third Friday events at FCC are an opportunity for the congregation to relax before the weekend with some informal fellowship as well as reach out to the community at large.

FCC is located at the corner of Orchard Ridge Road and Route 117/Bedford Road.  For more information, call 238-4411 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)