By Audrey Anderson
Hometown Weekly Reporter
On Thursday, August 1, as part of the MEMO Summer Concert Series, the Elderly Brothers introduced a large audience to fun, romantic 1950s rock ‘n’ roll and pop music. The lyrics of the tunes they played and the stories the band told revolved around the themes of the high school prom, first kiss, love letters, and happy and doomed crushes.
The members of the band include Medfield resident Jerry Kazanjian on bass, John Toresco on guitar, Larry Michetti on drums, and Mitch Golumb on keys. All four band members have enjoyed a long tenure in music, with Jerry and Mitch studying at the Berklee College of Music, and with all the members having played in many bands throughout the years. Of late, the band has been busy entertaining at senior centers and assisted living homes in the Metrowest area for appreciative audiences who often request that they return.
The Elderly Brothers started out the evening with a rousing rendition of “Rock Around the Clock” (1954) by Bill Haley and His Comets. As the evening progressed, they offered earlier pop songs, such as “Sentimental Journey” (1945) performed by Doris Day with Les Brown and His Band of Renown, “Satin Doll” (1952) by Duke Ellington, “Vaya Con Dios” (1953) by Les Paul and Mary Ford, and classic rock ‘n’ roll songs, such as “Sh-Boom” (1954) by The Chords, “I Found My Thrill on Blueberry Hill” (1956) by Fats Domino, “Splish Splash” (1958) by Bobby Darren, and “Return to Sender” (1962) by Elvis Pressley.
The talented Elderly Brothers joyfully and faithfully played their favorite songs from the teen-focused, post-World War II,1950s era and a few from the 60s and 70s. Toresco’s guitar solos were cool and busy and Golumb added great sound effects and rocking solos on the keys. Mitchetti lent his smooth voice to several songs and the group’s harmony was effective.
Young children with no memory of the evening’s repertoire, but mesmerized by the beat and melody, walked right up to the bandstand to dance. Others of a more advanced age proved that they remained proficient with the twist.
At the MEMO booth, audience members received free raffle tickets for free concert series t-shirts. The Middlesex Savings Bank booth offered promotional gifts and information, as well as very popular balloon animals by Joe Tombarello.
Though the night was hot and humid, people took time to relax, enjoy the music and the outdoors, and have fun with their kids, friends, and neighbors.
