A modern Brooklyn-based R&B group is recreating the classics. The Revelations, featuring Tre Williams, offer classic soul and R&B sounds with a modern musical mindset. The group will perform at the free Summer Concerts on the Hudson series presented by the Hudson Riverfront Performing Arts Center (HRPAC) on July 22 at 7 p.m. in Weehawken. The series is sponsored in part by The Hudson Reporter newspapers.
The upcoming performance features celebrated vocalist Tre Williams, who has been compared to greats like Otis Redding and Johnnie Taylor for his classically rich and anguished vocal tones. After being signed to the Ill Will record label owned by popular hip hop artist Nas, Williams was featured on Nas’s “Let There Be Light” single from the Hip Hop is Dead album.
While working on a solo project, Williams recorded the single “I Don’t Want to Know” with The Revelations and said the musical chemistry was undeniable.
“The vibe of the band was so strong,” Williams said, “that we had to put something together – do a little thing together.”
The group now revives ’60s and ’70s soul in a modern and relevant way. Mixing soul, funk and hip-hop, The Revelations create a fusion of modern music combined with tried-and-true standards. The group has attracted widespread attention on National Public Radio, among other media outlets.
The concert is free.
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A special guest will also perform for the audience – none other than R&B legend Latimore, whose hit “Let’s Straighten It Out” was covered by the Revelations on their recent album Deep Soul. Latimore has been recording since the late ’60s and has had numerous singles reach top 10 on the R&B charts.
According to Bruce Sherman, executive director of HRPAC, who helped bring the two artists together, the performance will mark the very first time Latimore has played with Williams and The Revelations.
“This is a historical moment for me,” Williams said. “It’s not every day you get to perform with someone you’ve listened to and tried to emulate it.”
All performances for Summer Concerts on the Hudson begin at 7 p.m. in Lincoln Harbor in Weehawken. The public is requested to bring a lawn chair or blanket and encouraged to pack a picnic and enjoy the great music and magnificent view of Manhattan. In the event of rain or inclement weather, the concert will be rescheduled for the following evening at the same time. For more information, please visit the HRPAC website www.hrpac.org or call the concert hotline at (201) 716-4540.
Sean Allocca can be reached at editorial@hudsonreporter.com.