Post a CommentRecommend (1)Print this page E-mail this article 
Share this article: Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine What’s this? 
Thanks to a neat quirk in scheduling, the Atlantic City Hilton this week is hosting two engagements starring the offspring of New Jersey-born pop-culture icons paying tribute to their illustrious fathers.
 

 Friday and Saturday, Frank Sinatra Jr. plays the Hilton. Until he arrives, early-1990s’ popsters Gunnar and Matthew Nelson are presenting “Ricky Nelson Remembered,” a smartly executed, multi-media program that superbly documents the life and times of one of rock’s early movers and shakers, and the person for whom the term, “teen idol“ was coined.

“Ricky Nelson Remembered,” which runs through Thursday, is no mere “greatest hits” recital. It is, for lack of a better description, a stage version of the kind of documentary you might see on cable‘s Biography channel. 

The Nelson Twins‘ performances of virtually every one of their dad’s most familiar songs are, of course, the show‘s focus. But the tunes--including “I’m Walking,” “Poor Little Fool” and “I Got A Feeling”--are interspersed with a series of brief video clips (displayed on three large screens) that offer fascinating glimpses into the person behind the 1950s and ‘60s recording and TV star who died in a New Year‘s Eve 1985 plane crash, while providing a large and interesting dose of show business history.

Leading the three-piece Stone Canyon Band, the Nelson Brothers--Matthew on bass and Gunnar on rhythm guitar--certainly do justice to their fathers’ musical legacy. Matthew takes the lion’s share of lead vocals and acquits himself with aplomb, even though his voice is a little higher and not quite as silky as his dad’s.

A good deal of credit goes to the three backup musicians, including veteran session man Dave Morgan on keyboards, who provide unerringly solid support. Whether ripping around the track on such rockabilly rave-ups as “Stood Up,” and “Waitin’ In School,” or skating along the pop rink on “Travelin’ Man” and “Teen Age Idol,” the trio’s work, combined with Matthew’s supple bass lines and Gunnar’s facile chordings, is always on the money.

Among the show’s standouts are Matthew’s heartfelt turn on the dark ballad, “Lonely Town,” and a moving reading of the elder Nelson’s 1972 country-rock hit, “Garden Party.”

Interestingly, two other highlights are what can safely be called the evening’s most obscure offerings. One is an original composition by the brothers, the sweet “Just Once More,” which floats on a Jim Croce-meets-The Hooters musical blueprint. The other is Ricky’s 1967 number, “Easy to Be Free,” an airy piece of late-’60s California pop.

If there is a fault with “Ricky Nelson Remembered,” it’s the inconsistency in the identification of the individuals featured in the video clips. It makes no sense that Sir Paul McCartney, one of the most famous people of the past 50 years is identified by name, but the groundbreaking, but generally unknown, rockabilly guitarist, James Burton, is not.

But that’s just picking nits. In one of the final video clips, legendary record producer Sam Phillips says, “As much credit as (Ricky Nelson) got, it ain’t nearly enough.” “Ricky Nelson Remembered” does an excellent job of proving Phillips’ point.