Sean Altman and Jack Skuller don’t claim to be Everly Brothers impersonators. They are not siblings, nor are they remotely close in age.
(Altman told Friday’s Troubadour audience he has a four-colonoscopy edge over the 26-year-old Skuller.)
Rather, these two aptly call themselves “approximators.” They gave exhilarating approximations of Phil and Don Everly, and of the legendary duo’s legendary disciples, Simon and Garfunkel, at the Folk Project acoustic series in Morris Township.
Opening as Forever Simon & Garfunkel and closing as The Everly Set, this “December-January” Odd Couple delivered the sweet harmonies, catchy guitar licks and crowd-pleasing energy of both acts.
Seldom-heard gems included S&G’s The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine and the Everlys’ Poor Jenny, about a date that spirals out of control.
Along the way, Altman and Skuller injected doses of humor — whimsical song charts, biographical asides, gags about their age gap–not typically associated with the performers they were approximating.
Which all made for an immensely entertaining evening that reminded spectators what they were missing through the long months of pandemic lockdowns.
Here is video of The Everly Set performing the Everly’s first No. 1 hit, Wake Up Little Susie — deemed so risqué in 1957 that it was banned in Boston:
Video: The Everly Set sings in Morris Township:
Rockapella founder Altman’s credits include the Carmen Sandiego theme and a jingle for the allergy med Astelin. Skuller, winner of the Buddy Holly Prize, is a former Disney recording artist who made Seventeen Magazine’s “Hot Guy Panel” in 2015.
Their bromance dates to 2010, when they were paired at a Simon & Garfunkel tribute at The Loser’s Lounge in New York. Skuller was just 14. Altman remembers protesting that he never signed up for babysitting duty. He changed his tune after discovering their striking vocal blend.
They expanded their repertoire in 2017 to include the Everlys, inaugural inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame whose close harmonies inspired the Beatles, the Beach Boys and many others. (On Friday, Altman and Skuller took a gleeful stab at the BeeGees singing Dream.)
While The Everly Set’s artful approximations are fun, they’re also a public service. Don Everly passed away last summer at age 84; Phil died in 2014. Their contributions to popular music should not be forgotten. This tandem is well equipped to keep the brothers’ legacy alive.
The Friday night Troubadour series continues on April 22, 2022, with Joe Jencks and The Levins as openers. Showtime is 7:30 pm, at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship. Admission: $10; children 12 and under, free. Livestream: $4.99. At 21 Normandy Heights Road, Morris Township.
