Columnist Jerry Fink: Longtime singing act still stirs movement

Friday, Nov. 26, 2004 | 8:27 a.m.

Vocalists Samuel Thomas Jr., 44, and Carnell Haywood, 43, have performed together for 32 years -- since 1972.

It's a relationship that has lasted longer than a lot of marriages.

Theirs is a marriage made in Motown -- the kind of music that has earned them a living since before they were in their teens.

"We grew up together," Thomas said. "But we lived in different neighborhoods."

It was the Jackson Five era, and quintets featuring young male vocalists were popular.

Thomas and Haywood, with their respective groups, were among the most popular.

"Our managers knew each other and they brought us together," Thomas said.

And they've been together ever since, forming the group Magical Connection, which became Next Movement two years later -- the name they still use.

During their early years they performed in a lot of Chicago lounges, and appeared once on "Soul Train."

"Singing took over our lives," Haywood said.

It was a friendly takeover. Neither can imagine any other career.

"This has been our dream since we were kids," Thomas said.

Thomas said that since joining forces in 1972 they have cut a lot of records.

"But none of them have been hits," he said.

Although it has been elusive, they are still trying for that breakout hit.

Next Movement's first trip to Vegas was in 1976, when they opened for Redd Foxx at the now-defunct Thunderbird. Thomas was 18, Haywood was 17.

"It was great," Thomas said. "We had always dreamed of coming to Vegas."

They had a two-week gig and then returned to Chicago. Thomas had already graduated from high school, but Haywood returned to get his diploma and then both went to college and continued to perform Motown standards.

"We opened for a lot of big acts," Thomas said. "Like Gladys Knight and Barbara McNair."

They became fairly well-known in some areas of the Midwest.

"We were just a group without a hit record," Thomas said.

For the past 14 years Next Movement has been managed by Winfred Hatch, a former vocalist who also grew up singing in and around Chicago. One of the groups he performed with was Midnight Sensation.

Members of his group and members of Next Movement became friends.

Hatch has a knack for managing.

"Whoever I was with, I usually ended up handling all of their business and finding the gigs," he said.

Next Movement went through a drought.

"They weren't working that much," Hatch said. "So they contacted me and wanted to know if I would work with them."

One of the first things he did was to bring Next Movement to Las Vegas in 1990.

"I felt they were good enough," Hatch said.

Even though they didn't know anyone, they came to town for a weekend and before they left had a two-week contract at the old Aladdin in the Sinbad Lounge.

Hatch said the business at the lounge tripled on weekends when they were there and doubled on weeknights.

"When that first two-week contract was over, the entertainment director gave us an eight-month contract," Hatch said. "Eight months led to 14 years, and the group is still going strong."

Next Movement includes Thomas and Haywood and vocalists E.C. Adams and Donald Albert. They are backed by a band that includes drummer Robert Dickens, bassist Michael Lockhart, guitarist Tyrone Cowans and keyboardist Ronald Price.

Hatch says the group has fairly consistently worked 47 weeks a year or more since coming to Vegas, performing at most of the major venues and touring the country from time-to-time.

This month they had an engagement at the Stratosphere's Image lounge and at Sam's Town's Roxy's lounge. In December they head to Connecticut for a gig at a casino on reservation land.

Hatch attributes the enviable success of Next Movement to their talent and their versatility.

"They do songs from the '50s to current," Hatch said. "There is a broad spectrum of what they can do, musically -- the Drifters, Platters, Coasters, the Commodores."

When their income was hit by 9/11, they began performing out of town more than they used to.

"After Sept. 11, a lot of casinos here cut their budgets," Hatch said. "A lot of rooms closed, so we decided to go out of town more."

He said he has a good rapport with entertainment directors at Indian casinos around the country.

"The Indian casinos control their own money," Hatch said. "They were not affected by 9/11."

Although Next Movement continues to stay busy in Las Vegas, more than half of their time is spent performing in Indian casinos.

"We've been blessed to make a living doing what we're doing," Haywood said. "We just have to work harder to get that hit."

Lounging around

Blues Storm will perform from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. Dec. 3 at the Saloon at Neonopolis and from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. Dec. 4 at Scoundrel's Pub I (near the corner of South Decatur Avenue and Flamingo Road). For more information visit the groups web site at www.bluesstorm.com.

Susan McDonald, one of the more popular lounge entertainers in Vegas, is at the Orleans' Bourbon Street Cabaret through Sunday. Performances are 9 p.m. until 3 a.m.

For the past 17 years the Kinda Dixie Jazz Band (the Jimmy Fitzgerald Band) has been a mainstay at the Gold Coast Lounge. Check out the Vegas phenomenon noon to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

Also worth a peek is the timeless Cook E. Jarr, performing at 11 p.m. Tusdays and Wednesdays at Harrah's Carnaval Court lounge.

Or there is Fast Company at Napoleon's at Paris Las Vegas now through Monday. Shows are from 8 p.m. until 2 a.m. tonight through Sunday and 9:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. Monday.