Ocean's RAT PACK
TONY OCEAN
Host and sings songs of
Dean Martin
Born in a small village town in the Tuscan Region of Northern Italy where Giovanni and Graziella lived for all of their lives. As newlyweds, they decided to leave Lucca and make a new life for themselves in America and upon arrival, settled in Cicero, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.
It was on December 28th, 1962 that their son, Maurizio, was born. Raised in a traditional Italian household, Maurizio learned both English and Italian simultaneously. As a youth, Maurizio joined a touring youth choir and traveled to Italy where he sang before the Pope in Rome. At age 15 he got his first paying job singing in a bar in Stone Park, Illinois.
In 1984 at age 22 he started a rock band called Broken Heart and was the lead singer for the group. While changing their names several times, “1313?, “The Dream Police” a tribute band to Cheap Trick and “The Big Band Rodeo”, they toured the Country working the college circuit.
In 1992 Maurizio was discovered when he won the runner up prize on the popular TV show Star Search and began his professional career. It was then that he decided to change his singing style from Rock to Pop and his name to TONY OCEAN (from Frank Sinatra’s portrayal of Danny Ocean in the movie Ocean’s 11).
His career took a change when he did a Dean Martin impersonation at one of his shows. The owner was so impressed that he paired him with two other artists who impersonated Frank and Sammy Davis, Jr. and a show called “The Pack Is Back” was born. They appeared to sellout crowds for eight months and earned the respect of critics and music lovers while performing at Piper’s Alley, a well known Chicago nightclub.
Ocean's Rat Pack became the premier Rat Pack show with the addition of two new cohosts and they perform nationally to sold out crowds.
BILL SERRITELLA
Sings the songs of
Frank Sinatra
The love affair that the world had with Frank can be heard through the recreation that is the hallmark of a Bill Serritella performance. Having brought the music from the “Chairman of the Board” to life, Serritella has toured from state to state bringing the stylings of Sinatra to a national audience. His interpretations of those magical hits are almost note for note. Bill concentrates on the sound. If you close your eyes you can see Frank singing those songs directly to you. When you open your eyes you see a working class guy from the “Nort’west side” of Chicago. He grew up listening to these tunes over and over as they were played in his childhood home.
Bill joined the Ocean's Rat Pack as he was discovered by the infamous Tony Shark at a church spaghetti dinner where Bill performed. Since then, Ocean's Rat Pack has been on tour in a variety of venues nationwide and wowing audiences everywhere they perform.
ELLIOT WIMBUSH
Sings the songs of
Sammy Davis Jr
Elliot grew up listening to LPs and 78s in his parents’ record collection, which contained many of their favorite singers; this fueled Elliot’s love of music from this era and genre. His mom's favorite Gospel music, including the likes of Mahalia Jackson, the Staple Singers, Shirley Caesar, and even Tennessee Ernie Ford, combined with the Jazz his father adored, such as Billy Eckstine, Mel Tormé, Arthur Prysock, Nat King Cole, Sarah Vaughn, Ella, and Sinatra, provided strong roots in his musical favorites. But then, there was Sammy...who quickly became Elliot's dominant inspiration. When he watched Sammy...he could feel, to his core, that Sammy's style of entertaining meant giving each performance everything he had and “leaving it all on the stage”. Elliot believes in Davis' philosophy: "You can't please everybody…but I want them to leave saying, ’He performed for me, Man!’" But, he DID please them! Elliot reminds audiences of Sammy’s magic every time he takes the stage; touching crowds everywhere with his genuine love for entertaining people, his amazing vocals, and dance moves. Elliot attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and is an award-winning actor and designer. Wimbush's vocal ability also served him well in service to the Church; singing at the funeral of Chicago's Cardinal Joseph Bernadin, in 1996, and two years later, for the Cardinal's mother, Maria. Wimbush served as the pastor of the former historic First Congregational Church in Maywood, Illinois. Wimbush has recorded three albums, including a 2001 solo praise and worship project, "Here's One".
For Elliot, the most satisfying aspect of singing Sammy is reminding audiences of the superstar’s performances from “the Age of Cool", with its swing, swagger, and fun. Yet, he is humbled when people compare him to the great entertainer. "Being compared to your lifelong idol, and having the opportunity to actually bring his music to people, is a gas!" Wimbush states. Elliot's passion for the essence of the Rat Pack era is clearly felt and adored by audiences around the country.