STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The lights will shine again in Lorenzo’s Cabaret, the popular entertainment venue at Hilton Garden Inn, Friday evening. Louis Prima Jr. and The Witnesses, a team of multi-talented, dynamic vocalists and musicians, will take stage center and return in what translates into a back-by-popular demand performance.
Prima, who travels the world bringing his famous dad’s music to life, is the only son of the “King of Swing” himself, Louie Prima, and song stylist Gia Mione, who taught him to play the drums at just 5 years of age.
Along with a slew of high energy performances, Prima makes it a point to deliver poignant retrospectives on his life as the son of a music icon.
“There’s nothing like a live band and nothing like the music of my dad,” Prima has always maintained. “And it’s always my pleasure to perform for great audiences.”
However, when it comes to performing, Prima said they change up the music so each show brings something fresh and new.
“You will get some surprises at Lorenzo’s,” he said. “We’ll perform my dad’s music. That’s what audiences want. But there will be lots more fun. We’ll have a big party and we invite all of you to join us.”
The joint’s always jumpin’ when Prima and the Witnesses perform standouts like his dad’s signature song, “Sing, Sing, Sing,” the big-band standard written by the elder Prima in 1936 at age 25 — and a tune played countless times in films, TV commercials and even on “Dancing With the Stars.” Then there’s “Jump Jivin,” “Black Magic,” “Just a Gigolo,” “Way Marie,” the all-time popular jazz standard “Harlem Nocturne,” performed on sax and “Proud Mary,” to mention only a few.
And Prima has mentioned often his love of intimate venues.
“I love smaller venues,” he said. “I prefer them because they are more intimate and it becomes personal with the crowd. The Italian community, as well as others, love Louis Prima’s music. And we know what they want to hear. And while the crowd is a little more raucous at times, than the normal fare, that’s really the fun of it. The crowds enjoy it and we certainly appreciate it as well as the friendship.”
“We are so excited to relaunch our Cabaret at Lorenzo’s after a long pause, and welcoming Louis Prima Jr. and the Witnesses to our spacious Lorenzo’s venue is a beautiful moment for our Hilton Garden Inn and for our Staten Island community,” said Hilton hotelier Lois Nicotra. “To us, live music is a celebration of life, and our cabaret this Friday is a beautiful opportunity to shake the doldrums and celebrate living,”
Richard Nicotra added, “Our November show with Joe Piscopo and our December show with Michael Amante are hot sellers – it’s almost like a show AND a reunion, too, as we welcome these favorites back to the stage.”
JOE PISCOPO - FRIDAY, NOV. 12
Joe Piscopo, the all-around entertainer is perhaps best known for his “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) skits, where he played a variety of recurring characters, including Frank Sinatra.
In fact, “Ole’ Blue Eyes” himself dubbed Piscopo, “Vice-Chairman of the Board.”
After leaving SNL, Piscopo — who once considered a race for New Jersey governor — appeared in a few successful films such as “Johnny Dangerously,” and starred in multiple episodes of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and had his own HBO comedy special.
He’s currently host of the morning drive radio program. “The Joe Piscopo Morning Show” on AM970 THE ANSWER, from 6 to 10 a.m.
The multi-talented entertainer will perform along with an original eight-piece big band in a retro-style live Vegas show, with a tribute to Frank Sinatra, sprinkled with a multimedia comedy show and storytelling in between sets.
During a recent interview, Piscopo referred to Lorenzo’s as “one of the finest clubs in the country,” feeding off its intimacy and the ability for him to interact with the crowd.
”I love Staten Island,” said New Jersey-born Piscopo, before explaining his grandparents were married at St. Mary’s R.C. Church in Rosebank and as a child he spent a lot of time in the borough.
Piscopo added: “Richard and Lois Nicotra (owners of the Hilton Garden Inn) are the best and the room is probably the best dinner club in all of the country. “And it’s so great to be with Richard and Lois. It’s like going back to the family.”
CHRISTMAS WITH MICHAEL AMANTE, FRIDAY DEC. 3
A Broadway and concert performer, who sings in English, Italian, Spanish, French, German and Latin, and in many styles including classical, opera, Broadway, Gospel, standards, and pop hits, Amante has played opera leading men in Puccini’s “La bohéme,” Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly,” and in Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana.”
Suave and sophisticated, Amante, who’s been dubbed “The People’s Tenor,” says he is especially excited to be playing to audiences on Staten Island.
Growing up as one of five children in an Italian-American family in Syracuse, Amante knew from early childhood he wanted to be a singer. His first performances ranged from the choirs at his church and Catholic school to local rock bands where his tenor voice helped him sing covers of Kansas, Foreigner, and Journey songs.
After years of training, that diverse background still shows through in his light, clear voice which is suitable both for operatic roles and for the leads that he has played in shows like “West Side Story,” “Grease,” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
A consummate entertainer — whose approach to opera is light and easy and who’s been on the show biz circuit since age 6 — was once dubbed the next Mario Lanza by legendary Tony Bennett.
To purchase tickets to all performances, phone 718 477-2400, extension 5 or visit partyeatstay.com
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