Tonight’s music on the pier is supposed to be the “show of the season.”
Richie Havens is said to have one of the most recognizable voices in popular music. His fiery, poignant and soulful singing style has remained unique and ageless since he first emerged from the Greenwich Village folk scene in the early 1960s.
Born in Brooklyn, Havens grew up in a musical family and organized doo-wop and gospel performances through his teens and early 20s. After moving to Greenwich Village and experiencing the Beatnik culture there in the late 1950s, his music took a more folk and poetic turn. He first hit the Billboard charts in 1968 with his album “Something Else Again.” In 1969, he would garner worldwide recognition following his spellbinding three-hour performance at the Woodstock festival. Havens continues to perform and act, appearing over the years on many television shows, in the stage presentation of the Who’s operatic achievement “Tommy,” and the Troubadours of Folk Festival which he described as a “Greenwich Village class reunion.”
And as for tonight’s other performance, Rolling Stone once proclaimed, “Before there was Jewel, there was Janis Ian.”
It is an apt portrayal of an artist known for her ethereal vocals, poetic wordplay and sublime melodies. Raised by music lovers in New Jersey, Ian began playing the piano at 2 years old and the guitar at 10. At 15, her career exploded with the release of her controversial tale of teenage interracial love “Society’s Child.”
The following year, 1967, Ian saw nine Grammy nominations. She wrote international disco hits like “Fly Too High” in the 1980s and reemerged with a folk album,” Breaking Silence” in 1993. In 2003, Ian added “author/editor” to her resume with the publication of “Stars: Stories based on the lyrics of Janis Ian.”
Ian is currently on a world tour and has recently released a double-live CD, “Working Without a Net” and a folk album, “Billie’s Bones.” Through more than three decades, Ian has managed to keep her music fresh and inspiring, always winning praise for her remarkable songwriting and tender voice.
Twilight Dance Series concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. every Thursday through Sept. 2 with a special finale, KCRW’s showcase of independent artists on Saturday, Sept. 18. Admission is free. Officials strongly recommend walking, biking or riding the Big Blue Bus to the concerts, as parking on the pier is limited. A free shuttle is available from the 2030 Barnard Way lot south of the pier starting at 6 p.m. each Thursday.
For more information about the concerts, call the Santa Monica Pier information line at (310) 458-8900 or visit www.twilightdance.org and www.santamonicapi-er.org For bus information, please visit www.bigbluebus.com or call (310) 441- 5444, or visit www.mta.net.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 5, 2004. Read the original PDF.