2 classic artists together in concert

MANILA, Philippines - Yes, it’s true.        

John Claude Gummoe’s Cascades and the Classics IV will join forces for one night in Manila and perform all their certified Platinum and Golden hits at the grand ballroom of Solaire Resorts & Casino on May 14.

It’s now common knowledge that the rumored plane crash where all members of the Cascades perished in the late ’60s was false as discovered by yours truly in 2004. In 2005, history was written when John and the Cascades performed their first concert tour, after a hiatus of four decades, in the Philippines in 2005. Needless to say, the concert tour broke all previous concert sell-out records of the Araneta Coliseum, Manila Hotel’s Fiesta Pavilion, etc. plus a special show for then Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“Who is John Claude Gummoe and what is his connection to the Cascades?” one promoter asked a few days ago.

John was the founder, songwriter (Rhythm of the Rain, There’s A Reason, etc.) and lead vocalist. Back in 1962, the first Cascades album Rhythm of the Rain, which up to now is still a staple on radio playlists, karaoke bars and homes, was recorded solo by John. Instrumentation was by a studio group called the Wrecking Crew which included country superstar and former Beach Boys member Glen Campbell.

In the 2005 tour, John brought second-generation Cascades members Gabe Lapano and Tony Grasso plus musical director Chuck Crews as band members plus reinforcement by the local Beatles tribute band Area One. The tour didn’t only cover major cities in the Philippines but Japan, Malaysia and the US as well.

From 2007, some band members came and left but the sound stayed the same because John was always the main vocalist. The 2014 band line-up includes members who have been with John since 2005 like musical director/keyboardist Carlo Gaa plus some newer ones who joined in 2010 and 2011. The concert on May 14 is important to John because it features two milestones. First is the inclusion of the Classics IV (Traces, Stormy, Spooky, Everyday With You Girl) as special guest.

The Classics IV is performing in the Philippines for the first time and second is a tribute to the Everly Brothers where every member of the band will duet and harmonize an Everly Brother’s hit with John. The concert repertoire includes all the major hits of the Cascades like Rhythm of Rain (certified by ASCAP as the ninth most performed song of the century exceeding eight million performances and recordings in the US alone), The Last Leaf, Shy Girl, Angel On My Shoulder, My First Day Alone, There’s A Reason, Dreamin’, Let Me Be, Punch & Judy, Was I Dreamin’, etc. Also appearing in the concert is Hollywood singing sensation Kyle Vincent who is returning to the Philippines for the third time.

Tickets to the Cascades/Classics IV concert on May 14 at the grand ballroom of Solaire Resort & Casino are available at all TicketWorld, TicketNet and SM Ticket outlets plus the concierge at Solaire Resort & Casino. Presented by Steve O’ Neal Productions and Solaire Resort & Casino in collaboration with Duty Free Philippines, Business Mirror, HDI, Telenovela Channel, IBC 13, Hard Rock Café, Circles Entertainment, Widus Resort & Casino, Thunderbird Resorts and the official concert station RJ100FM.