They stand among the greats, even if they're covered by a few shadows.
The word "legend" aptly applies to Lydia Pense and Cold Blood. Unfortunately, many noteworthy talents are often unappreciated until enough time has passed.
Then, it’s as if someone rediscovers them and says, “Can you believe we’ve missed out on this for so long?”
Pense, lead singer of the soul-rock-jazz collective Cold Blood, has the kind of voice that stops you in your tracks. It’s her vocals that first garnered attention to the band and ultimately a mildly successful career throughout the ’60s and ’70s.
What’s unusual isn’t the cheering and dancing and cult-like following that has grown around the Cold Blood scene since its heyday, but rather the timeless sound quality the group has maintained over decades.
Pense’s voice has matured, sure, but in the way you’d hope from a good bottle of wine. It’s still full-bodied, sultry, and seductive. She croons and moans in ways that bring her lyrics to an emotional catharsis.
Check it out for yourself on Sunday, when she and the Cold Blood crew take the stage at the New Hope Winery — the band’s debut in New Hope.
Backing up Pense’s chops is a pack of stellar musicians in their own right, and the cohesion is obvious, as they’ve been jamming together for years. The band includes Steve Dunne on guitar, Steve Salinas on keyboards Rich Armstrong and Rob Zuckerman on horns, Evan Palmerston on bass and Donny Baldwin on drums.
Attendees can expect to hear classics such as "I Just Want to Make Love to You," "I'm a Good Woman" and "Down to the Bone," as well as more recent numbers. You can check them out at youtube.com or log onto their official page at myspace.com/coldbloodmusic.
Tickets can be purchased online by logging onto newhopewinery.com. Note: A $5 handling fee is added to every sale made online. Refreshments are available for purchase. Doors open at 5 p.m.
There’s no other way to say it: He’s got the spirit of Little Richard and the soul of Solomon Burke.
Barrence Whitfield has an enthusiasm that transcends from his lips to the listener’s ear. His soul-screaming approach hits you where it hurts, and in a good way — the way that makes one say, “This guy gets it.”
Tomorrow night, you can be part of the experience.
Whitfield and his crew, the Savages, will be performing at the Bordentown Record Collector, where you can almost guarantee the energy will be high, the spirit will be restless, and his lung capacity will be limitless.
Check them out online at barrencewhitfield.com or sample a bit of their live shows at youtube.com.
Doors open at 7:30, and the show begins at 8. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. The band will give a meet-and-greet after the performance.
The Record Collector is located at 358 Farnsworth Ave. For more information or to purchase tickets, log onto the-record-collector.com or call (609) 324-0880.
If you’re looking for a night of chillin’ out to some loud, jam-inspired music, head over to John & Peter’s.
Longtime local favorite Wineskin is taking stage at the New Hope venue. It's the kind of music parents say reminds them of the early '70s, and for those who weren't born yet, it sounds just as you'd imagined it: psychedelic riffs, funky electric, body-shaking drums and a steady strong female vocalist to round it all out.
Check them out live at youtube.com.
John & Peter’s is located at 96 S. Main St. in New Hope. For more information, log onto johnandpeters.com or call (215) 862-5981.
You must be 21 to enter. John & Peter’s is a smoking venue.
When
: 6 p.m. Sunday
Where
: New Hope Winery, 6123 Lower York Road, New Hope, Pa.
Admission
: VIP $40, general seating $30;