'The Wrecking Crew' Is Coming To Town - Don't Miss It

There is a movie coming to Martinez that you must see, if you care anything about music. This isn’t hyperbole, I’m absolutely serious. One of the most important documentaries ever made about modern music is going to have a screening right here in town, and we’re lucky to be able to see it. Most of the world hasn’t.

It’s called “The Wrecking Crew.” It’s the story of musicians you absolutely love, musicians that, if you had a pulse in the late 1960s and early 70s, you grew up listening to, falling in love with, becoming entranced by.

And the odds are you’ve never heard their names.

The movie will be screened from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27 at the Performing Arts Building on the Alhambra High School Campus.   This exclusive preview showing is a fundraiser to help pay the high costs of music royalties to get the movie released, and the proceeds will be split with 50% of the ticket sales directly benefitting the Alhambra High School Drama and Music Departments.  The ticket cost of $20.00 is tax deductible as a charitable donation.

Tickets can be purchased on line at:

http://wreckingcrewmartinez.eventbrite.com

You can also contact Scott Gordon for tickets directly on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/swgordon007) and Twitter (@S_W_Gordon) as well.

The Wrecking Crew were a group of Los Angeles studio musicians who, for a magical period of time, played together on just about every major radio hit that came out of LA during that amazing window of time for music that was the mid-60s to early 70s.

Did you love the Beach Boys? Well, while the Boys were on the road playing live, the Wrecking Crew were in the studio, cutting the music for their albums. The Mamas and Papas were amazing vocalists, but they didn’t really play any instruments. That would be the Wrecking Crew. You know the rumor that The Monkees didn’t really play their own instruments? Well, kids, I’m sorry to say that it’s true. It was The Crew.

Herb Albert, Sonny and Cher, Frank Sinatra, the Fifth Dimension. . . the list is endless. The Crew were the first call people for major recording artists at the time, and there were more hits during those days featuring these musicians than anyone else. If you’re a fan of Standing In The Shadows of Motown, you absolutely must see The Wrecking Crew.

The Crew’s primary guitarist was Tommy Tedesco, and his son Danny has made this documentary. You can’t see it in theaters, because getting licensing to clear these tunes is more expensive than you can imagine. But attorney Scott Gordon, himself an amazing jazz guitarist, has kindly arranged to bring the movie here for us to see.

Denny Tedesco, the filmmaker and son of legendary Wrecking Crew guitarist Tommy Tedesco, will be on hand to screen the film and do a question and answer session following the showing. Tedesco interviewed hundreds of musicians and studio moguls for the movie and is a living encyclopedia on the Golden Age of the Hollywood studios and the personalities that made what many consider to be the greatest music of all time.

“We are delighted to be at Alhambra High School in Martinez on October 27th for this preview showing”, said Tedesco. “Martinez and the East Bay are a perfect place to screen the film with all of the live music venues and theater opportunities here”, he said. “We also really want to be a partner and help the AHS Drama and Music Programs, which I understand are stellar”.

“This is an incredible film,” Gordon said. “Whether you are just a casual listener or are someone who really enjoys hearing great music and an engaging and colorful story about how it was made, this movie is a must see. You will hear and see the back story of how literally hundreds of hits from the 60s and 70s were made. Few people knew these hits and stars were really made by power of the Wrecking Crew. At the same time, you also help the get the film released and give a big boost the Alhambra Drama and Music Departments.”

Don’t miss out. Go see this movie. You won’t be sorry.