Velvety-black vocal power

“The Voice of Barry White” Eric Conley has just the kind of soul in his voice that is commonly accredited to only black musicians. The man with the incomparable deep-velvety voice hails from the American city of Arlington and sang in several successful gospel ensembles in his childhood. For many years, he was active on the Atlanta music scene and went on a US tour with the soul singer and Grammy winner Peabo Bryson. The military service brought him to Germany in the 80s where he has made a name for himself as an excellent soul singer in the years to come.

The sonorous bass and chilling soft timbre of his organ vibrates directly in the pit of your stomach and captures audiences from the first note. Although Barry White was known and famous as an incomparable soul singer with a unique voice, Eric Conley is able to do the seemingly impossible: Close your eyes, lean back and indulge in this voice… The “Maestro” is alive!

As an admirer of the “King of Soft Soul” Eric Conley is taking his great idol back on stage for you – a very personal “Tribute to Barry White”.

The groove is in the blood

Barry White’s music is described to be “sexy, groovy, funky, slick”, and this is exactly the element of the rhythm section: it forms the musical foundation of the “Tribute to Barry White” Orchestra – it provides the stirring groove and injects the distinctive beat of the disco era directly into your dancing muscles.

Drums:
Patti Ballinas (VICTOR WOOTEN & STEVE BAILEY, NATHAN EAST, JEFFREY DANIEL, SIBERIA, Andrei Quint, Sandra Russo, Jimmy Gallagher and many others

Percussion:
Marc Essien (Herbert Grönemeyer, Rolf Stahlhofen, Söhne Mannheims and many others)

Bass:
Alvin Mills (Mary J. Blige, Stiltskin, Ronan Keating and many others)

Guitar:
Emmett North Jr. "ORIGINAL MEMBER OF LOVE UNLIMITED ORCHESTRA, Barry white very own Lead guitarist (Isaac Hayes, Chuck Berry & Wolf man Jack)

Keyboard:
Markus Schölch (Frank Diez, Chris Farlowe, Udo Lindenberg, Pete York and many others), Kevin Drummond (Chaka Khan, Harlem Gospel Singers, Golden Gospel Singers and many others)

Our Musical Director and epitome of an entertainer Greg McKoy has assembled a truly premium selection of dedicated musicians – whoever has seen this combo live, now knows the new definitions of “passion” and “dedication”!

A heaven full of violins

Barry White loved the symphonic sound of violins – his compositions are characterized by opulent string arrangements; they provide his music with the resonant depth and substantiate its orchestral character.

“Tribute to Barry White” take this characteristic element for the music of the “King of Soft Soul” live on stage with their eight- to sixteen-piece string ensemble, and therefore completely do justice to the original Love Unlimited Orchestra. Be it quick runs such as in the unforgettable “Love Theme” or powerfully intense arrangements such as in “Let The Music Play” – the presence of the strings and their noticeable joy in playing will leave you in awe!

Under the direction of Christian Herzberger, Melanie Wolf’s Melidonie Orchestra will put you under their spell. Amongst others, they have accompanied Söhne Mannheims, Sasha, Mann'em Soul, Sidney Youngblood and Xavier Naidoo at live performances – an acoustical experience of special quality! Herzberger himself counts among the most in-demand violinists of the live and studio scene with around 200 gigs per year in electric and acoustic violin, and is at home in almost any genre.

Salt for the soup

Although Barry White’s work is often associated primarily with full string arrangements and the sweeping beat of the disco era, the full horn elements reminiscent of a big band have certainly not escaped the attentive listener. His music is not to be thought of without the indispensable link between the rather harsh dynamics of the rhythm section and the soft string lines. Trumpet, trombone and saxophone are playing distinctive and sharp accents, thus adding the required spice and making the sound whole.

Lead trumpeter and director of the horn section André Carol has had many years of studio and live experience with his three- to six-piece ensemble selection and draws from a comprehensive pool of renowned top musicians from all over the world. The André Carol Orchestra has shared the stage with numerous international show stars and participated in countless studio productions. Gloria Gaynor, Tony Christie, Ute Lemper, Hugo Strasser, Caterina Valente, Lou Bega, various big-band formations and radio orchestras are only a small selection of those who have already been able to count on the know-how of our horn ensemble.

André Carol himself is also in international demand as an instructor, producer, conductor and arranger, and is a true allround talent when it comes to music.

As a flautist and solo saxophonist, Harold Todd – for over 10 years a permanent band member with Lenny Kravitz – is also on stage with “Tribute to Barry White”.