Author: Elijah Rock

The recent debut of Elijah Rock at the Knitting Factory—a packed benefit for the Greater Idaho Alzheimer’s Foundation, introduced a major talent to the Treasure Valley. Also present at the show was photographer Chris Wethered, whose photos The Boise Beat is pleased to present along with some words about the show by editor Ed Simon. Elijah Rock’s performance at the Knitting Factory with a nine-piece band filled the room with many who enjoyed listening to Elijah, singing his renditions of many of the popular tunes from the Great American Songbook. This was the era of music that included many hits by writers and composers such as the Gershwins, Irving Berlin and many others from the 1920s to the 1960s. The era also included many of the top movie songs from the era, as well as songs from several Broadway musicals. The Great American Songbook also gained popularity from performers such as Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole; and even new singers such as Rod Stewart and Linda Ronstadt. Finally, new and old combined to present many tunes with the duo of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga.

Elijah Rock sang to a diverse audience, from millennials to seniors. All seemed thrilled by Elijah’s smooth-as-silk voice. With the Great American Songbook, the trick is to create your own version of these classic songs, while still paying homage to those who have not only performed them before, but turned them into the Standards we enjoy today. Elijah proved that he understood that, bringing his own touch to these songs without destroying the feeling that others have brought to them. For that alone, he is worth a listen. Like many of the true singers before him, Elijah’s talent includes the ability to pick just the right songs to suit his outstanding voice.

Elijah Rock will bring his band to the Sapphire Room in the Riverside Hotel on December 3^rd. The debut show, an evening entitled Home For The Holidays, should be another excellent performance. Elijah’s popularity has resulted in the Sapphire Room being already sold out, but there are still opportunities to see Elijah Rock online through many YouTube videos as well as through his website. Elijah’s show at the Knitting Factory showed his range of tunes that he performs; and the audience in the packed Knitting Factory concert hall was won over by his tasteful interpretations of many classic tunes. Home For The Holidays should bring many beloved holiday tunes to the upcoming show, and bring many new fans to Elijah Rock’s performances. Elijah Rock has been getting some excellent press, about his new hit single, If I Ruled The World, and articles for the LA Jazz Scene, EJazzNews.com; and author Scott Yanow.

For an upcoming event, Elijah will be Headlining the Boise Epilepsy Foundation Gala on Friday, November 11th, 2022. For info: EFI Annual Gala 2022 | Auction Frogs

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The finer points of romance are a too often overlooked art…but with triple threat singer/dancer/actor Elijah Rock making his Boise debut at the Knitting Factory Boise, they are ever in bloom and on the rebound. Rock will be Headlining his American Songbook show “Our Love Is Here To Stay” on Friday, September 23rd with 100 percent of the proceeds going to Alzheimer’s Association. “When I had to transition my father to assisted living due to his recent diagnosis with dementia last year, I started looking for ways to bring awareness to this condition,” says Rock.

Rock has teamed up with his fiancé and longtime Boise resident, Lesley Jacobson to produce this posh red carpet/black tie event. Jacobson says, “We will be transforming the Knitting Factory Boise into a super club atmosphere reminiscent of The Cotton Club with tapas, drinks, and dessert. We thought this would be a special offering to our guests and seniors where they get to dress to the nines and enjoy an elegant evening of classic entertainment” 

Jacobson has had an illustrious career serving the senior living community as an Executive Director of Morning Star Senior Living. In September she will be taking the helm as Executive Director of Cornerstone Memory Care. “My love and passion for this community of seniors continues to inspire me” says Jacobson “And I realized that the music Elijah performs is the perfect genre of music for the seniors who grew up listening to these timeless songs.”

 Long dedicated to upholding and aligning himself with the first-class carriage and aesthetic of timeless entertainment, American Rock has long made his mission clear of keeping the proud traditions and legacies of The Great American Songbook not just alive…but vibrant. The Legendary Tony Bennett recently exalted Rock by saying, “Keep on singing and keep this beautiful music alive!” Other critics have applauded Rock by saying,

“ROCK’S SWINGING STYLE AND LARGE VOICE RECALL TONY BENNETT, FRANK SINATRA AND NAT KING COLE OF THE 1950’S WITHOUT CLOSELY COPYING ANY OF THEM.” -SCOTT YANOW/ LA JAZZ SCENE

His deep baritone voice was previously featured on his debut album “Gershwin For My Soul”. For his second CD “Matters of The Heart” as a leader, Rock continued his crusade to revive songs from the Great American Songbook while also contributing a pair of originals. Rock’s single release of “All I Need is The Girl” reached #1 on the World Indie Music Charts and #3 on the European Indie Music Charts!

Currently Rock is soon to release a string of Songbook recordings which infuse a country western feel arranged and produced by Hall of Fame Songwriter and Producer Steve Dorff, who has penned over 20 Top 10 hits for pop and country artists around the world, including Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Blake Shelton, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Rogers and more.

100% of the benefit’s proceeds will go to Alzheimer’s Association’s Greater Idaho Chapter. Adrean Cavener, the Executive Director of Alzheimer’s Association- Boise says, “We jumped at the opportunity to join Lesley and Elijah for this extraordinary benefit because of their compassion for seniors with Alzheimer’s and Dementia, along with Elijah’s amazing talent which we welcome as a new resident of Boise.”

While considering local venues, Elijah and Lesley thought Knitting Factory Boise would be the perfect fit. Special Events Manager Andrea Lucas says” This event will have the feel of an intimate private evening coupled with an exclusive public concert. We love the idea of giving back to the community with such entertainer as Elijah Rock, where we get to transform our venue into a swanky supper club. This is going to be super exciting!”

For sponsorship packages, please contact Lesley Jacobson at 208.821.4028. Tickets will be on sale in mid-August.

FOLLOW EVENT INFORMATION HERE!

 Event:  OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAY

When:  Friday, September 25th

Time:   7pm-11pm

Where: Knitting Factory Boise 416 S 9th St, Boise, ID 83702

www.bo.knittingfactory.com 

***Formal Attire Strongly Encouraged***

(April, 2022 / Harlem, NY) The World Famous Cotton Club, Harlem’s legendary nightclub where the well-heeled dined, danced and swung the night away to the likes of Duke Ellington, Lena Horne and Cab Calloway, is returning in grand style on Saturday night, May 14, 2022 for two shows, 8pm and 10pm. 

 Where the original club in its 1920s-1930s heyday was located on 142nd Street & Lenox Ave., the present location sits on 125th Street.  And, when this new launch opens, the headliner will be all-around entertainer Elijah Rock, a singing and dancing firestorm who has long made his mission clear of keeping the proud traditions and legacies of the music not just alive…but vibrant. 

 Duly, Elijah Rock will officially become “A New Face of The Cotton Club.”  

“The opportunity to open and headline at The Cotton Club – the historical space where so many of my greatest inspirations graced the stage – is a dream come true,” Rock states. “It’s also a homecoming. I lived on 127th & Morningside for 10 years, mere blocks way!  I am thrilled to be working with entrepreneur/promoter Charles Piazza to extend the legacy of The Cotton Club and ventures across the globe.”

Assessing his gifts, one major outlet praised Rock thusly, “IT TAKES A CERTAIN KIND OF ARTIST THESE DAYS TO CARRY ON THE TORCH PASSED ON FROM THE LIKES OF NAT “KING” COLE, FREDDIE COLE, BILLY ECKSTINE AND JOE WILLIAMS.” –JAZZ WEEKLY
A torch-bearing interpreter of The Great American Songbook, Elijah Rock has been making his mark as an entertainer based in Las Vegas where he headlines top showrooms, starred as the lead vocalist in Vegas! The Show at Planet Hollywood, and released his acclaimed albums Gershwin For My Soul and the recent, Matters of The Heart.”  “Winner of an NAACP Theater Award for his lead in “Breath and Imagination: The Story of Roland Hayes,” Rock also portrayed Cotton Club legend Cab Calloway in the musical “I Only Have Eyes For You,” earning an Ovation Award nomination. 

“Harlem will love this new grandiose opening of The Cotton Club,” Elijah enthuses. “When I headline the grand opening black tie/red carpet event, I will be backed by a 10-piece band led by Brooklyn’s own highly respected reed man Lou Caputo (Bobby Short, Lou Rawls, The Temptations, Bobby Sanabria) and reflective of my generation – a group of mixed gender and mixed race younger and older players.  I’ll be singing repertoires from my extensive big band book and, of course, I will have a Duke Ellington medley. It’s going to be Uptown New York…with a splash of my spin on Las Vegas.”

John Beatty, long time President and CEO of The Cotton Club, has given his full blessing for this spectacular event and continuance of the hallowed Harlem venue.  On this resurrection of Old WorldNYC Splendor, The Cotton Club’s promoter Charles Piazza shares, “Shows are going to be upscale, formal attire in a New York evening destination spot featuring various styles of live music for dancing – Jazz, show music, vocal stars and top lounge performers.  I originally had shows booked for early2020 – pre-COVID – but, everything was shut down.  We’re finally comfortable enough to take it off hold.  Our premier show will be Elijah Rock.  Poring over his website and YouTube clips, I was knocked out by his talent and the ‘full package’ image he projects.  I knew immediately, Elijah Rock would be “the only one to launch this re-opening of The Cotton Club.”

DESPERATE MEASURES is a ‘Madcap Musical Melodrama’ at North Coast Repertory Theatre

“Rock brings authority and strategy to the Sheriff, with a great voice that makes “Stop There” into a show-stopping number.”

NORTH COAST REP PRESENTS “DESPERATE MEASURES”

“Award winning Elijah Rock plays Sheriff Martin Green and has a booming baritone voice shown in the songs “That’s How It Is” and “Stop There.” The Sheriff even sneaks in a shot at the recent Arizona voter issue problem which has the audience applauding.”

SCOTT YANOW- LA JAZZ SCENE– Waxing Poetic Reviews- ALBUM REVIEW

“Elijah Rock is a stage performer (he played Cab Calloway in the musical revue I Only Have Eyes For You), dancer and actor who is also an excellent singer. His deep baritone voice was previously featured on his debut album Gershwin For My Soul. For his second CD as a leader, Rock continues his crusade to revive songs from the Great American Songbook while also contributing a pair of originals.

Rock’s swinging style and large voice recall Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole of the 1950s without closely copying any of them. He utilizes a few different combos (soprano-saxophonist Charles McNeal on “Around The World,” pianists Uli Geissendoerer and Kevin Toney, and guitarist Jacques Lesure are among the key soloists) and two songs utilize a string section, but the main focus is on the singer. He is at his best on a swinging version of “All I Need Is The Girl,” “Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off,” a bossa-nova flavored “Whisper In The Night” (which has its composer Josh Evans on piano), and “Boulevard Of Broken Dreams” which has the feel of a tango. As a bonus, there is a second version of “Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off” which has Dominique Toney joining Rock for a charming vocal duet that concludes with some fine scatting.

While Elijah Rock is not that much of an improviser, he succeeds at inhabiting each song and making them sound like they were written for him, no easy feat. Matters of The Heart is easily recommended and available from www.elijahrock.com.”

MUSIC CONNECTION – New Music Critique: Elijah Rock – ALBUM REVIEW

“Gifted with a velvety baritone, singer Elijah Rock is a modern-day crooner whose recordings demonstrate what sophisticated singing is all about. On the Sinatra cover “AlI I Need is the Girl,” Mr. Rock delivers a light, romantic, Saturday-nite-on-the-town type of a song whose jazzy, fingersnappin’ vitality is contagious. Rock’s voice goes deep and formal on “Gershwin For My Soul” which really punches into overdrive after the chorus and gets loose and jazzy to the end. Despite lyrical cliche, “Matters of the Heart” treats the listener to a slow, pensive, Debussy-like piano intro that, right down to the song’s climactic cymbal shimmer, shows that Rock is one terrific communicator.”

EURWEB.COM – Acclaimed Vocalist ELIJAH ROCK Drops New CD ‘Matters of The Heart’ Worldwide | VIDEO

O’S PLACE JAZZ MAGAZINE by D. Oscar Groomes

“Elijah Rock is a sophisticated crooner, an entertainer, actor and tap dancer. He attaches his baritone to fresh tunes and classics from The Great American Songbook on Matters of The Heart. Prepare to be romanced with “All I Need Is The Girl”, “The Good Life”, “Around The World” featuring Charles McNeal (s-sax), and “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”, a duet with Dominique Toney. The supporting cast is plentiful but it’s Rock’s poise and enduring confidence that makes Matters… a winner.”