Easter Joy: Gwen Matthews and Robert Robinson
Date & Time
Sun Apr 09 2023 at 06:00 pm to 07:30 pm
Location
Crooners MainStage | Minneapolis, MN
Details
Newly remodeled classic nightclub featuring raised ceilings, luxury booths, tiered seating, and state-of-the-art sound and lights.About this Event
Dinner and cocktail seating and service begins 1 hour before showtimes.
Gospel, Jazz, R&B
Easter Joy will feature both traditional and contemporary gospel songs along with some show tunes and music made popular by various gospel and R&B artists from Bebe and Cece Winans, The Isley Brothers, Kevin Levar, Carrie Underwood, The Clark Sisters, Mahalia Jackson, James Taylor, Bill Withers, the Temptations and many others. Come and celebrate Easter night with us and take home a basket filled with Easter Joy.
Featuring:
Gwen Matthews, vocals
Robert Robinson, vocals
Martial Besombes, piano
Tony Axtell, bass
Jose James, drums
Robert Robinson's father was a pastor and his mother, a church soloist, led the musical ministry on the North side of Minneapolis. At the tender age of 6, Robert (known as Eddie so as not to confuse the young vocalist with his father of the same name) began singing with his family as part of the Robinson Children, and by 15, Robert was directing the church choir. But it was not until around the age of 24 that Robert began to experiment with his prodigious musical gifts outside of the cocoon of church community. At the prodding of friends, family and outsiders, Robert took the modest steps of singing at weddings and small corporate functions, eventually starting a gospel choir at Minneapolis Community College in 1990. Soon, he quit his job as a data processing expert to lead the 100 strong Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir, today heralded by Minnesota Monthly Magazine as “the state’s most decorated group.” 1991 brought Robert a featured role in “Nightingale” at the world-renowned Theatre de la Jeune Lune. In 1992, Robert took part for the first time in Lorie Line’s Christmas tour and remained for 15 years with subsequent appearances on PBS and in Target stores nationwide.
“A volcanic talent.” --Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Gwen Matthews was named “One of 30 Essential Black Musicians who defined Minnesota’s sound” by the Minneapolis Star Tribune's Jon Bream. She will become the first Black, African American female solo artist to be inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall Of Fame in April of 2023. In the 1970s, the Chicago native sung and traveled with the MN group “CROW” and rocked Twin Cities clubs with the group Passage, recording jingles for big time clients such as Northwest airlines, Target and General Mills. Ever versatile, Mathews did a five year stint in Rupert’s Orchestra, performed in a jazz trio with Debbie Duncan and Bruce Henry and spent 11 years in Los Angeles where she sung with Stevie Wonder, recorded with members of Earth, Wind and Fire, Ronnie Laws, Larry Dunn, Stanley Turrentine, Skip Scarborough, Norman Connors, and Kenny Rogers. Her résumé includes performing at jazz festivals in Europe, teaching voice lessons, and hosting vocal workshops. She currently sings in the group Synergy as well as designing various music shows that pay tribute to the music of great performers and writers from Aretha Franklin, Burt Bacharach, to Skip Scarborough.
“[Her] voice is Rich and funky. Her music is full of lilting melodies, soulful rhythms, and often is interjected with some jovial scatting. She moves your spirit. And at some point in her set, you are bound to hear someone in the crowd shout out: ‘You’d better sing, Gwen!’” — Ginger Commodore, singer with Moore by Four and solo artist
Event Location
Crooners MainStage, 6161 Hwy 65 NE, Minneapolis, United StatesTickets & Booking Details
USD 35.00 to USD 45.00