Crimson and Gold Connection; Erin Shields

Welcome to Crimson and Gold Connection, keeping you connected with the people and current events at Pittsburgh State University. Welcome to the Crimson and Gold Connection on 89KRPS, I'm your host, Fred Fletcher-Fierro. Joining me this week on the connection is Aaron Shields of the Ocelay Trio, which is performing this Saturday night at the Big Null Family Center for the Arts on the campus of Pittsburgh State University. The show starts at 7.30 pm. Earlier this week, I spoke with Aaron over a Google voice from her home in New York. First I asked how the trio, which was formed only six years ago, came to be. David and I are actually married for, I'm sure most people don't know that. So we had known each other for a while now. And David and I wrote a musical called Anna the Storyteller, it had a lot of kids in it. And we needed somebody to help us bring the kids in, teach them their parts. And our producer said, I've got the perfect guy for you, his name is Giuseppe, he's amazing, you're going to love him. And we just became fast friends. We really took to each other and then we thought, you know what, we have so much fun together.

Let's do a few shows together and see what happens. And we did, and the first show we did together was at the Triad Theatre in New York City and it went off like wildfire. People loved it. They just had a great time and then we decided to try getting an agent and try to look with that. And we've been touring ever since. Now this is the first time that each one of you has been part of a group like this? This is the first time. We formed this all together, the three of us together, which was really fun. And it was really unexpected. We thought, oh, we'll do, you know, we'll do just a show and see what happens. And like I said, the show went off so well that we just, we loved working with each other. We're really good friends. And then it just, it just really took off from there. And the funny thing is now that Giuseppe is our neighbor, he lives across the street from us. How many shows did it take for you to fully realize, I guess, we could make this a full time thing. The three of us. Well, I mean, like I said, that was our first show that we did. We had done some little few little things in restaurants, just kind of fun, little Italian things.

But it was the first show that really kind of took off really well. And then from that point, we were doing small shows in theaters here in New York City. And then once we got an agent, we started getting shows all over the country. So that's kind of where we started to realize, oh, we can actually make money off of this. And, you know, and actually have a career with this trio. Yeah, this here alone, the trio is traveled from coast to coast in the United States from writing California down to Redlands, California. And just this past weekend in Morrisville, North Carolina, you know, what are some of the most perform, memorable performances or experiences that maybe you've had to pinch yourself, you know, to say, wow, you know, this came together only six years ago. And here we are. Yeah, I mean, I guess our first one would have to be Carnegie Halls. We did that in 2014 to a sold out audience. And it was, I mean, there's nothing like it. You can't describe it. It's a dream come true. So it was probably the most exciting concert we've ever done. And until we did the Redlands Bowl a few months later, for about 7,000 people.

And then you pinch yourself, because you're like, how was it possible that we're seeing performing in front of that many people and they're cheering and they're loving it? And, you know, they're just excited about it. Those are pretty amazing moments there. And also, we also did a show out in London at a place called Ronnie Scott. And just to do international concerts is a pretty exciting thing as well, because it's a very different audience, but we really had a great time in London too. They really took to us. And I think we're going to try to get back there pretty soon. What would you say the magic spark is that people like so much about the trio that you do attract thousands of people to your performances? I think the music, David does all the arrangements. They're incredible. They're really brilliant and they're incredibly unique. But I think more than anything is our friendship. We're all friends. We love each other so much. And we love being on stage together. We have so much fun.

Except he is hysterical, he's very witty, he's very charming, David is also very charming. He's got a proper British accent, which doesn't hurt. And we just all have a really good time together and we laugh and we joke and we bring the audience into it, which I think they appreciate because they're part of the party. You guys are produced four albums together along with each of you recording one solo album of peace. The trio performs a handful of theme shows, but this Saturday night at the Big Null, the group will be performing from poverty to pop. And let's listen to a preview of that show right now on the Crimson and Gold connection. Welcome back, I'm speaking with Aaron Shields of the Ocelake Trio, they'll be performing

this Saturday night, September 29th at the Big Null family center for the Yards. Now that we've got a little taste of Fom Pavarotti to pop, how would you describe it, Aaron? And what are the origins behind that show specifically? That's a great show. It's the history of Italian and Italian American music that influenced pop culture in America. So it starts out with Luc Russo Ocelemio, all the new Paladin songs that came over from Italy. It turns into Louis Prima jazz and then goes into the rap pack with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, then goes to Connie Francis, then even goes all the way to Madonna and Andrea Bocelli.

So it really is, it tells the history of the influence that Italians and Italian American had on our popular culture in music. And the origin, we actually, I wrote the show specifically because it was commissioned by Lincoln Center, they wanted something educational. And we ended up doing it in 2012 for Lincoln Center for the Performing Art to assemble that audience as well. I think it's great because you really do get a great history of all these incredible musicians that you've known, you know, you've heard their music for years, but you kind of get a little backdrop into their lives and what influenced them. That was the Ocelet Trio's Aaron Shields, speaking about Fom Pavarotti to pop, which the Trio is performing this Saturday at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts. Ticket information is available at BicknellCenter.com. I'm Fred Fletcher-Fierro and tune in next week for another episode of the Crimson and Golds Connection on Four States Public Radio, K-R-P-S. Join us for Crimson and Gold Connection Wednesdays at 8.50 and Fridays at 350.

And Wednesdays at 8.50 and Fridays at 350.