bergenPAC Announces Upcoming Events: Robin Thicke, Chris Botti and More

NEW bergenPAC shows on sale: Robin Thicke, (August 23^rd),The Ivy League of Comedy (September 7^th) and Chris Botti (November 9^th) on sale Friday, June 29^nd at 11:00am.  Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com or bergenPAC.org or by calling the box office at 201 227 1030.

Robin Thicke
As the son of vocalist Gloria Loring and Growing Pains' Alan Thicke, Robin Thicke grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles during the '80s and '90s. Thicke credits his dad for motivating him to immerse himself in all kinds of pop music. The elder Thicke is popular for writing the theme songs for The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes, so naturally Robin had his head in music. He was an average student; by 13, he was writing songs. Three years later, he befriended the president of Bad Boy Entertainment, André Harrell, and struck a deal with Interscope.Thicke began writing hits for the likes of Christina Aguilera, Mya, Brandy,Marc Anthony, and Jordan Knight. Still, this artist in the making was dying for his own chance. By 2000, Thicke, who was in his mid-twenties, made his dream come true. Thicke issued his debut album,Cherry Blue Skies, in fall 2002. It was later retitled Beautiful World and prepped for a massive media push the following spring. Two years later, Pharrell Williams joined Thicke for the recording of "Wanna Love You Girl." Their collaboration also led Thicke to a contract withWilliams' own imprint, Star Trak. Thicke's sophomore album, The Evolution of Robin Thicke, arrived on the label in late 2006. Certified platinum by the RIAA in March 2007, the album made to number five on the Billboard 200 while topping their Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The more focused and refined Something Else, a 2008 release, peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. Sex Therapy, led by its Polow da Don-produced title track, was issued during the tail end of 2009 and narrowly missed the top of the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Love After War, Thicke's fifth studio album, followed in late 2011.

The Ivy League of Comedy
This is a four comedian show from the folks that brought you the LATE NIGHT COMEDIAN SHOW.  See the stars of tomorrow today! We work with only a select group of hand-picked professional comedians. From the three most recent Tonight Show hosts (Johnny, Jay, Conan & Jay) to patients & their families at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center to embassies and even the U.S. Army War College— they've all loved our comedians! Our comics pride themselves on their creativity, originality and professionalism, not on making fun of the audience. Ivy Stand-up, "The Ivy League of Comedy" is run by a Wharton-educated, award-winning economist. Call or write for information on how Ivy Stand-up can help you build team spirit, enhance your special events and use entertainment to add more fun to your organization.

Chris Botti

Chris Botti is one of the pre-eminent jazz musicians of the modern era.  His music and musicianship are unequalled amongst today's contemporary jazz artisans. Performing worldwide, selling more than three million albums, he has found a form of creative expression that begins in jazz and expands beyond the limits of any single genre. Chris Botti has thoroughly established himself as one of the important, innovative figures of the contemporary music world.

Botti seemed destined to become a musician -- and even to become the kind of musician he is today -- almost from the very beginning. Born in Portland, Oregon, he was encouraged to pursue music by his mother, a concert pianist. He also had an early taste of the international world that would become his primary territory as a successful performing artist. His father, who is Italian, taught English and Italian languages, and he took the family to live in Italy for several years, beginning when Botti was in the first grade.

“I was speaking fluent Italian before we came back,” he recalls. “But, sadly, I’ve forgotten most of it.” That he still feels a firm connection with his Italian roots, however, was fully manifest in the title song he composed, with David Foster, for the album, Italia.

A different, but equally significant connection took place when Botti was twelve, and he heard MiLes Davis play “My Funny Valentine.” The impact it had not only persuaded him to make a life time commitment to the trumpet, it also launched the affection for melody, space and balance that have been intrinsic aspects of Botti’s musical vision.