The raucous and saucy funk-revue holiday show, Holidelic, created by percussionist and singer/songwriter, Grammy-nominated Everett Bradley, plays this weekend at Kaatsbaan Cultural Center. Last weekend’s sold-out shows featured funk-influenced holiday songs written or adapted by Bradley, performed by a band of 12 notable band members, including a horn section, guitar and bass players, percussionist, keyboardist, charismatic singers and dancers, plus Bradley as lead singer and primary strutter.
Holidelic, launched in 2002 after Bradley released a holiday album, Toy, is a holiday staple for decked-out followers in the Hudson Valley and New York City. Holidelic-ians can expect 90 minutes of nonstop entertainment, gleeful swagger, grooving and dancing. "Holidelic is old school 70s funk, but with the warmth and sweetness of Christmas all at the same time. And the spirit - the spirit of the holiday is not lost. In fact, it's enhanced by the groove," explains Bradley (The Poughkeepsie Journal). The show revolves around Bradley in the part of Papadelic, funk’s Father Christmas, a brew of Santa Claus and George Clinton, who is famously the leader of The Parliaments, Funkadelic, and the P-Funk All Stars. Says Clinton, "put a glide in your stride and a dip in your hip.” (Tiny Desk, NPR). Or as Bradley responds, “put funk in your rump no matter what!”.
Dressed in a white Christmas-lit Afro, sunglasses, sparkly boots, and gold hot pants, (his shapely bare legs strutting across the stage), the tight band plays two sets (members sport gleaming white costumes in the second set, as Bradley swings his 24” long Elvis fringe.) “This is the most exclusive, all-inclusive holiday party in the universe. We celebrate all shapes, sizes, colors, beliefs. We promise you a shake, shake, shake,” extolls Bradley.
Bradley’s introduction of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer begins, “I couldn’t wait to watch the Christmas shows: Charlie Brown, The Grinch who Stole Christmas, Santa Clause is Coming to Town, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. And, you know, I call that bullying the way the reindeers treated Rudolph, and his father, Donner saying, “I don’t know about that nose.” There’s no difference between a red light up nose and a white lite up ‘fro!” Bradley attaches a red nose to his nose and prances about the stage.
An Unknown Legend according to Rolling Stone, Bradley has played and toured with Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Carly Simon, David Bowie, U2, Cyndi Lauper, Bobby McFerrin, John Eddie, among others. His Broadway chops include Swing! Off-Broadway in Stomp! and a Cotton Club revue, After Midnight. He played Hall and Oats’ Christmas show and stayed in the band as percussionist for six years. Originally a pianist, he joined the marching band as a percussionist in high school, sang jazz in college (he was on a music scholarship at the University of Indiana), and launched professionally from there.
Art Chandler, longtime Holidelic-goer comments, “Everett Bradley is the embodiment of love and joy. Everyone here (at Kaatsbaan) has caught the holiday spirit.”
Catherine Tharin danced with the Erick Hawkins Dance Company. She teaches dance studies and technique, is an independent dance and performance curator, choreographs, writes about dance for Side of Culture, and is a reviewer and editor for The Dance Enthusiast. She also writes for The Boston Globe. Catherine lives in Pine Plains, New York and New York City.
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