Spring Break
ECU hosts 'Tribute to Motown'
Brittani McNeill
Issue date: 2/17/09 Section: News
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The concert featured vocalist, Aishah, who sang well known hits such as, "Dr. Feelgood," "Georgia On My Mind" and "Dancin' in the Street."
Although the heart of the show is the same each year--"old-school" Motown hits, full band, and background singers--there are always different surprises. Dashiell includes a few songs from the 80s, 90s and the new millennium and lets his background singers have the spotlight, with each getting the opportunity to sing a solo.
Evan Roberson, senior music major, said he looks forward to the Motown show every year.
"I've been a member of the jazz program for four years and I've been going to Motown ever since 2005. I've been in the show once, so I kind of knew what to expect," said Roberson. "It's the kind of music I was brought up on, my parents listened to this music."
Roberson said he came to support many of his friends who were playing in the show, and to support the effort to bring this type of music to ECU and Greenville.
"I wanted to support [my friends] and support the music," he said. "The things I enjoyed most were listening to the music and seeing how the music affects people in our community."
Dashiell also brought together a full band that learned the whole show in just two days of rigorous rehearsal. The band included ECU students as well as professional musicians.
"Queen Aishah" entertained the crowd the entire night, as she performed hit after hit with the help of five background singers.
"I love that kind of music," said Brittany Johnson, junior chemistry major. "I went because I went two ears ago and absolutely loved it. And it was on Valentine's Day this year so [my fiance] and I could go together, so that was definitely a bonus."
Dashiell brought in a host of talented musicians including ECU students, faculty, professional musicians, including ECU alumni, and his own children.
The band included Bill Ford on Piano, Jon Ozment on Organ, ECU alum Joe Phillips, Guitar, ECU jazz Professor Jeff Bair and ECU alumnus Vaughn Ambrose, solo saxophones; ECU students James Old, Clifton Smith and Chase Given, trumpet; ECU alum Dr. Mitch Butler and ECU students Karen Peele and Melissa Orr, trombone; ECU students Brian Rodesch and Stephen Peckous, tenor saxophone; ECU student Quintin Mallette on percussion; Dashiell's son, Carroll Dashiell III on drums and Dashiell and his youngest son Christian Dashiell on bass.
Background singers included ECU students Alden Quick, Katy Avery and EJ Thorne and Dashiell's daughters, Christie and Cameron Dashiell.
Dashiell and "Queen Aishah" engaged the crowd in the music the entire night, and near the end of the show, brought audience members on stage for a dance contest pitting "old school" against "new school."
The show ended with "Queen Aishah" leading the crowd in the Kool And The Gang hit, "Celebration."
"I hope it comes back next year, because it's something I look forward to," said Johnson. It's a lot of fun and it's something different at ECU. It's very unique to ECU."
This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.
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