Talk to members of the quartet known as Under the Streetlamp, and invariably the guys will refer to their success as nothing short of a dream coming true. That might be over-simplifying the journey that Michael Ingersoll, Michael Cunio, Christopher Kale Jones and Shonn Wiley took to get to this point in their careers — and their lives. But arrived they have, playing to sold-out crowds, starring in their first national PBS special, and, oh yes, then there’s that first national tour they’re kicking off May 12 at the Park West, in addition to the release of their debut DVD and CD.
And on one level, they have Chicago to thank for all of it.
It would be difficult to overestimate the impact of Frankie Valli on the music career of Christopher Kale Jones. Jones portrayed Valli in the 2006 touring production of “Jersey Boys” — Broadway’s depiction of the rise and fall of 1960s pop group the Four Seasons.
Jones now sings in Under the Streetlamp, a doo-wop/Motown/early-rock revival group made up of Jones and three more former “Jersey Boys” cast members. The quartet will present a Mother’s Day concert May 13 in the Egyptian Room at Old National Centre.
It’s possible that Valli anticipated the formation of Under the Streetlamp even before Jones put the group together with Michael Cunio, Michael Ingersoll and Shonn Wiley.
“The years between World War II and the Kennedy assassination were a special time,” says singer and choreographer Shonn Wiley. “There was an innocence to the music, and radio was the unifying factor. It didn’t matter if you loved the Beatles, or Johnny Cash, or the Four Seasons: everybody knew them all because they heard them on the radio.”
(Reuters) – One Direction, who? The Wanted, what? Their music is kids’ stuff. As a new wave of boy bands floods the market, there is one quartet winning fans with a modern twist on a retro sound they call “Amercan Radio Songbook.”
Under The Streetlamp steers clear of top 40 songs in favor of classic Motown hits, good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll, doo-wop and a Beatles tune or pop number thrown in for fun.
Its members, Michael Cunio, Shonn Wiley, Michael Ingersoll and Christopher Kale Jones, are all veterans of the stage, having starred in various productions of Broadway hit “Jersey Boys,” a musical history of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.
“We’re a ‘man band,’” Cunio told Reuters, with a laugh, drawing a contrast between pop sensations like One Direction and The Wanted with their screaming teenage fans and Under the Streetlamp, which relishes in bringing new life to classic hits.
Releasing a DVD while promoting a new CD and launching a national tour — after taping a TV special in the same nine-month span — probably teaches an entertainer a thing or two. The four members of the young new musical group Under the Streetlamp are proud of their inaugural year of firsts. They also are looking to share some of the wisdom they’ve gained with students and others interested in balancing the challenges of show business.
Thanks for tuning in to Access Hollywood Live! If you love the music of the American Radio Songbook as much as we do, and want more Under the Streetlamp, get your CD and DVD today! Our music is currently available exclusively through PBS. You can make a difference by making a pledge to your PBS Station today, and receive Under the Streetlamp CDs, DVDs, or Live Concert Tickets as your Thank You Gift!
ARTISTdirect.com is psyched to introduce readers to Under the Streetlamp. Who are they? They are an electrifying quartet you need to familiarize yourself with…now! Think of four Michael Bublé-types, contained within one vocal ensemble.
Fans of PBS across the country are in for a special treat in March, as Under the Streetlamp, comprised of four dreamy voices who bring the early rock ‘n’ roll, doo-wop and Motown classics to an entirely new generation along with reminding the original fans why great music is timeless!
We’ve split into pairs and hit the road, visiting cities all across this great nation of ours. As our television special premieres in various regions, we’re paying visits to PBS studios to participate live in their local pledge drives. It’s a truly thrilling time for us, and we’d love to share our travels with you.
We admit it. The gig we played this month in Hawaii was not entirely all work and no play. We managed to find time to relax and enjoy the beaches in the afternoon. Our own native Hawaiian Chris Kale Jones was able to spend a little time with his family and share with us the natural splendor of his homeland. Here’s our view at peaceful Kapalua Bay. Looks like a postcard, but honestly Shonn took this picture:
