WANT TO GO?
What: New Year's Eve Celebration featuring Brass Tracks
Where: The Marriott, 1414 S. Patterson Blvd., Dayton
When: Thursday, Dec. 31. Doors open at 7 p.m. Dinner at 7:30 p.m. Live music at 8:30 p.m.
Cost: $299 includes room, dinner for two, open bar and the party
More info: 937-223-1000 or www.marriott.com/dayoh
Artist info: www.brasstracksband.com
Nothing gets a crowd jumping like horn-driven rock ‘n’ roll and R&B, which makes Brass Tracks the perfect band for a party like the New Year’s Eve Celebration at the Marriott in Dayton on Thursday, Dec. 31. Think Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire and similar acts of the 1960s and ’70s.
Jevon Kennedy (vocals) and Kevin McCloskey (drums) recently shared their thoughts on Brass Tracks, which also features Kevin Clark (guitar), Tim Jennens (keyboards), Don Overberg (bass), Hal Melia (saxophone), Sean Fitzpatric (trumpet) and Andrew Duncan (trombone).
BAND HIGHLIGHTS
McCloskey: "Becoming the first band in Ohio to be sponsored by Yuengling Light Beer was certainly a highlight (of 2015). The second highlight was bittersweet. Our keyboardist and longtime friend Farrell 'Bennie' Goodman moved to San Francisco, but we were blessed to have well-known Dayton keyboardist Tim Jennens (Green Lyte Sunday, Giant) take his spot."
Kennedy: "We played a lot of great shows in 2015 but the standing-room-only shows at Gilly's and Mason Pub really stand out. As soon as the band hit the stage, the crowd was with us every step of the way."
CROWD RESPONSE
McCloskey: "The concept of the band from the beginning was to pay tribute to the great rock, R&B and funk horn bands of the '60s, '70s and '80s, and this really seems to resonate with the crowd. The sound and power of our horn section just knocks people out. We're having a blast playing these songs and it's great to see the crowd enjoy them as much as we do."
NEW YEAR’S EVE
McCloskey: "We're honored to be asked to play at the Dayton Marriott this year. They're well known for having one of the best New Year's Eve parties in the area and have had only the top local and regional bands perform there. We'll definitely make sure our show lives up to these high standards."
Kennedy: "We'll definitely have a few surprises, and we'll be gussied up, too! We're excited about entertaining a new crowd of people who may not have seen us before, along with being able to celebrate New Year's Eve with our current fans."
PLANS FOR 2016
McCloskey: "We're looking forward to a return engagement at Gilly's on Friday, Feb. 12, and also are excited about being asked to perform at the Columbus Jazz and Rib Fest in July."
Kennedy: "We've recently been contacted by some booking agencies about helping us expand the areas we perform in — so we're excited about the chance to play at new venues and before new crowds."
About the Author