Author: Elijah Rock

“Well, gang, I was one of the Standing Room only crowd, to see and listen to a new voice in our little village of Las Vegas at the Italian American Club last Friday night. Yep, the man known as “The Singer,” Elijah Rock sang his butt off, and clearly defined why he was given that title. This youthful, classically trained baritone covered the gamut of music, from Pop, to crooner, to Opera with all the stops in between.

Rock opened the show with a wonderful rendition of “Our Love is Here to Stay,” quickly followed by “Fascinating Rhythm,” and “I Can’t Get Started.” Elijah’s voice was big and powerful, and he immediately established that he was on that stage for one purpose and one purpose only—to entertain his audience with his talent. Everyone at our table knew we were headed for a great night of music, especially with the live band, under the direction of  Uli Geissendoerfer on piano, and consisting of Bob Sachs on Bass, Jakubu Griffin on Drums, and Jake Langley on Guitar.” [more]

“Rock came out on stage in a sparkly jacket, tuxedo pants and tap shoes. His beaming smile and energetic moves delighted his audience. His full, rich voice filled the room, and his smooth and suave demeanor was fabulous.” “At the end of his program, Rock showed off his classical training with “Nessun Dorma,” one of the most famous male arias in opera, earning himself a standing ovation.”  [more] Record Gazette

FEINSTEIN’S/54 BELOW, Broadway’s Supper Club, presents Elijah Rock in “Gershwin For My Soul” on Thursday, June 7th at 9:30pm.
Elijah Rock is emerging as the new generation’s next great Crooner. From Gershwin to Sinatra and back again, Rock’s voice, charisma, and dazzling tap dance give each tune a special place in his powerful repertoire. Elijah will be featuring his East Coast trio with Musical Director Robert Garcia (Drums), Addison Frei (Piano), and Peter Brendler (Bass). This is a show you don’t want to miss! For tickets, https://54below.com

“When they asked me to be a part of it I was elated because I used to have family in Virginia,” Rock said. “I’ve never been to Gloucester, but Virginia’s just a special place and they’re special people and I love what they’re doing with this festival. And then the opportunity to perform with the Virginia Symphony big band was just something that I’ve really been wanting to do, is really perform with big bands across the country.” [more] LA Times

“Mr. Rock is exactly that kind of vocalist: a velvet tenor-to-baritone voice almost ideally suited to a Wagnerian role as he is to the role of Porgy or anything (Gershwin or otherwise) on Broadway. And that is in addition to singing hymns in church or perhaps even dirty, low-down blues in a club that smells like the legendary Slugs once did. Mr. Rock is that prodigiously gifted – and chameleonic – and if you dial in for a magnificent, soulful performance of Gershwin then you have the correct number.” [more] JazzdaGama.com

North Coast Rep’s “Around the World in 80 Days”-themed Spotlight Gala will be held Sunday, April 22, from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Del Mar Country Club. The memorable evening begins with a cocktail reception and silent auction accompanied by jazz stylings of guitarist Bob Boss. A seated, plated dinner will be served in the ballroom, with Around the World theme décor. After the dinner, auctioneer Clint Bell will conduct the live auction and fund a need segments. Then, Elijah Rock, crooner extraordinaire and sensational tap dancer, will entertain with classic hits from the Great American Songbook and more. Chairperson is Holly Smith Jones and Co-Chairs are Debra and Jim Lampley and Dori and Jeff Patterson. For more information and tickets, visit northcoastrep.org

On Thursday November 9th, a scintillating new vehicle, “A Night of Romance: The Show” – one unlike any other on or near Las Vegas Strip – makes its monumental debut at The Space (3460 Cavaretta Court, Las Vegas). Billed as “a spell-binding evening full of enchantment, mystery and elegance,” this transfixing new program brings to life “The Greatest Love Songs and Stories from the Golden Era of Old Las Vegas to today.” Audiences will revel in heart-tugging, timeless melodies from The Great American Songbook as well as some of the most beloved love songs in popular music – from “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” to “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and “Just the Way You Are.” The selections have been sequenced into a song cycle that chronicles all the stages of romance and the search for new love again.

Starring in this top shelf, date night sensation is multi-dimensional entertainer and recording artist Elijah Rock. This electrifying award-winning performer has portrayed legends such as Cab Calloway in “I Only Have Eyes For You: The Life and Lyrics of Al Dubin,” “Crooner” in “Words By Gershwin,” and “Coalhouse Walker, Jr.” in “Ragtime” – plus a recurring role in the spicy Showtime Television series “Masters of Sex.” Those experiences and more have led to Elijah’s arrival in America’s Entertainment Capital, Las Vegas, with the custom-crafted “A Night of Romance: The Show.” This taps exquisitely into his skills as a singer, dancer and all-around leading ladies man superbly befitting his character’s moniker, “Mr. Romance.”

Musical Supervisor for “A Night of Romance: The Show” is Grammy Award-winner David Loeb, who holds the distinction of being Ben Vereen’s MD for over 30 years. He is also an acclaimed jazz pianist who has worked with Nancy Wilson, Joe Williams, Arturo Sandoval, and has orchestrated for George Benson and more. Hand-picking musicians from the Jazz Studies Program at University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he is Director of the Jazz Studies Program, Loeb is cushioning and propelling Elijah’s performance with the city’s very best.

So, bring your sweetheart out to “A Night of Romance: The Show,” a crystal jukebox come-to-life that promises to make every night Valentine’s Day!

Rock brings both chops and emotion to his masculine yet sensitive delivery. [more]: Jazziz Magazine pg. 39

Elijah Rock gives Porgy enough jauntiness to keep him going, but is most riveting when he sings the unforgettable songs Gershwin has provided: “I Got Plenty of Nothing” “Bess, You Is My Woman Now” and, in a final restoration of faith, or at the very least an earnest try at bravado, “O Lord, I’m On My Way.” Rock’s Porgy is not a powerful figure, though he regains some agility when life is going his way and metal braces help him stand up for himself. But it’s Rock’s magical singing that makes him stand out, with extended lines and graceful nuance delivered by a voice that can be forceful or gentle as the moment demands. [more]: Ventura Star

Elijah Rock: Gershwin has been a part of my life since the beginning of my formal training as a vocalist. In 2015, I did a show called “Words by Ira Gershwin,” with the musical director Kevin Toney. That was a jazz interpretation as well, and those arrangements were swinging, so when I found out that Toney was going to be working on this adaptation, I had to. I’ve been wanting to play Porgy for a long time. [more]: KCRW 

For Rock, who will be making a radical transition from the role of madcap dancer Cab Calloway, which won him an Ovation Award Nomination in 2016, to the physically disabled yet emotionally strong Porgy, the challenge of the show involves the way that its “mixture of musical styles” requires a “merging of all the disciplines” of acting, movement, and song. Rock cites the close relationship he enjoys with musical director Toney as one of the key elements to achieving this, as the jazz band is in many ways as important to the production as any of the actors. [more]: Santa Barbara Independent