Full Article: Philly takes center stage in Uosikkinen’s ‘Pocket’ project
March 8, 2012
When The Hooters’ drummer David Uosikkinen decided to gather a group of Philly’s top pop and rock musicians to record cover versions of what he describes as “some really fantastic songs to come out of this city,” he never imagined how his project would grow over time. But since the first recording session in fall 2010 for “In The Pocket: Essential Songs of Philadelphia,” five well-known songs written or performed by Philadelphians have already been given new life through Uosikkinen and other area musicians — with more to come.
In addition to the finished recordings — which can be downloaded for 99 cents each at the project’s website, www.songsinthepocket.org — there’s a release concert held whenever another track is completed. The live shows feature an all-star gathering of some of the 10-plus area musicians involved. Documenting everything about the “In The Pocket” project — from the recording sessions to interviews with the musicians and the actual release-party concerts — is Haddon Heights resident Steve Acito, co-owner and founder of South Jersey-based production company Bluewire Media. Along with the songs themselves, each accompanying documentary video, created by Acito, can be found on the “In The Pocket” website (or via YouTube.com).
“My goal as a producer is to come out of this with a great story; a great documentary about the making of these individual songs,” Acito said, adding that his company is happy to donate its time and energy to the project, which raises funds to benefit Philadelphia’s Settlement Music School. Acito and Uosikkinen, an original member of The Hooters who relocated to California in 1990 and returned to Philadelphia 20 years later, have known each other for years. Uosikkinen calls Acito “the perfect fit” to film the “In The Pocket” recording sessions. “Steve’s enthusiastic, he loves music and he’s really passionate about what he’s doing,” Uosikkinen said. “We’ve been having a great time.” The five songs that have been recorded to date for “In The Pocket” include covers of Youth Camp’s “All My Mondays;” “Open My Eyes,” a 1967 song by Todd Rundgren and his then band, The Nazz; The Dovells’ 1963 hit “You Can’t Sit down,” (which features Philly’s well-known DJ Jerry Blavat on the accompanying documentary); The Hooters’ “Soon You’ll Be Gone” and the late Robert Hazard’s “Chain Reaction..” The release party for “Chain Reaction” is set for Tuesday at the World Café Live.