SHA NA NA COLUMBIA GRADS RETURN FOR CONCERT AFTER 47 YEARS, 10 OF THE WOODSTOCK PERFORMERS REUNITE

  NEW YORK, NY - 05/19/2016 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

As part of the Columbia University Alumni weekend celebration, SHA NA NA returns for a performance on campus forty –seven years after their debut there in 1969.

Sha Na Na, a spin-off of the Columbia Kingsmen singing group, went on to worldwide acclaim performing at the original WOODSTOCK FESTIVAL, in the mega hit film: GREASE, and their own TV series: THE SHA NA NA SHOW.

On June 3^rd, the current show brings Ivy League doo-woppers back to where it all began: Donny York (class of  ’71), Jocko Marcellino (class of ’72) and Screamin’ Scott Simon (class of ’70).

NEWS FLASH: Ten of the original 1969 Sha Na Na WOODSTOCK line–up (who are now doctors, lawyers and university department heads) will be back on stage together for the first time in over four decades.

NEWS FLASH:  Original WOODSTOCK FESTIVAL promoter Michael Lang and former Sha Na Na bass singer Jon “Bowser” Bauman will join the festivities.

       Contact: jocko@levelview.com     www.shanana.com 

SHA NA NA ALUMNI- WHAT THEY DID AFTER LEAVING SNN

Robert A. Leonard Ph. D., is Professor of Linguistics, Director of the Graduate Program in Forensic Linguistics, and Director of the Institute for Forensic Linguistics, Threat Assessment and Strategic Analysis at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.

Scott Powell (aka “Santini”) is a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon, and founded Stetson Powell Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in Los Angeles. Powell is Team Physician for the United States Soccer Federation Women’s National Team, and is on the medical staffs of both the U.S. Soccer National Team.

Elliot Cahn was the group’s original rhythm guitar player and musical arranger. Later he became the first manager of GREEN DAY. He is an entertainment attorney in Berkeley, CA.

Alan Cooper, SNN’s original bass singer, is now the provost of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTS), an academic institution that teaches Jewish Studies and one of the centers for Conservative Judaism.

Dave Garrett - Original Sha Na Na vocalist owned  Bendix Mouldings for 35 years and has recently retired splitting his time between New York and Florida.

Joe Witkin was the original keyboard player and singer of “Teenager in Love” on their first album. Dr. Witkin was an ER physician (now retired) who did his internship and residency at UCSD. He worked at Scripps Hospital East County and at Sharp Grossmont Hospital in the San Diego area.

Bruce "Bruno" Clarke is Paul Whitfield Horn Professor of Literature and Science and Chair of the Department of English at Texas Tech University.

Henry Gross, lead guitar, moved to Nashville. Wrote, sang and had a hit: “Shannon”

CURRENT SHA NA NA MEMBERS WHO ARE COLUMBIA GRADS

Jocko Marcellino, founding member, appeared with the group at the WOODSTOCK FESTIVAL, in the movie GREASE and the SHA NA NA TV SHOW. Jocko earned both a B.A. from Columbia and a Masters in Drama from New York University.
His acting credits include television’s “Veronica Mars”, “NYPD Blue”, “Alley McBeal”, “The Tiger Woods Story”, “Herman’s Head”, “Good Advice”, ”18 Wheels of Justice”, “The Invisible Man”, “Amazing Stories” and the “Gary Shandling Show”. His film credits include: "Rainman", "National Security" and "Hot To Trot". Jocko has also written and performed songs for the films "Rainman", "That's Life" and "The Night Of The Comet"; and television shows “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”, "The Office", "Terriers", "Castle", "Kath & Kim", "Parks and Recreation” Jocko has produced Sha Na Na's last five CDs.

Screamin’ Scott Simon has been an integral part of Sha Na Na’s popularity since 1970 as a multi-instrumentalist musician (from keyboards to guitar and bass) and prolific songwriter. His best-known composition, “Sandy” was sung by John Travolta in the hit movie Grease. Two other songs of his have made the billboard Hot 100, “Top Forty” and “Only One Song” both on the group’s “ Sha Na Na” (Gold Boots) album. Scott composed “Wrestling Tonight” performed by Sha Na Na for the 1985 film Grunt The Wrestling Movie, and recorded a solo album on Rolling Rock Records, “Transmissions from Space.”  He also self-produced the original “Boomer Humor” CD by his side-band, Hong Kong Tailor and the Prom Kings.

Raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Scott lives in Los Angeles, He is married and has two fabulous daughters.

Donny York is a native of Idaho and a 1971 graduate of Columbia, where he co-founded Sha Na Na. He is a veteran of Woodstock, the movie Grease and The Sha Na Na TV Show. Donny penned a song on an early road tour, urging establishment of a “Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.” He later performed the song on Sha Na Na’s hit TV series. Finally, his prophecy came true with the opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in 1995. He also worked with Pat Boone on the latter’s memoir Pat Boone’s America, 50 Years.  Says Donny, "Rock 'n' roll has nothing to do with a generation gap any more. Today, it's really a generation bridge.