Music in a time machine

Postmodern Jukebox sets Top 10 hits to rhythms of yesteryear

You never know who’s going to show up for a Postmodern Jukebox gig — and that’s among the entertainers, not audience.

In the seven years since founder Scott Bradlee began shooting music videos with four friends in his basement apartment in Queens, N.Y., Postmodern Jukebox’s roster of singers and instrumentalists has grown to 135 musicians. Among them are “American Idol” alumni Casey Abrams, Haley Reinhart, Melinda Doolittle, Blake Lewis, Thia Megia and Clark Beckham.

But audiences never know if they’ll see one of those TV celebs perform because no two shows are ever alike. Bradlee subs singers and instrumentalists in and out of every performance so you never know who’s going to be onstage or which songs they’ll perform.

“Our tour is a little unconventional,” says Matt Telford, Jukebox road manager. “Instead of touring like a normal band, we tour like a huge collective. We have different people in and out at each tour. Scott hand- picks who he thinks will be good for that show and that venue. It’s a nice surprise because it’s always a different show than audiences have seen before.”

The other allure of Postmodern Jukebox is that it’s not just who’s singing, but what they’re singing.

Bradlee’s format is to take current pop songs and “re- imagine them” as if they were written in decades past. It’s a mashup of modern hits put to the musical styles of the Roaring ’20s, the ’60s, ’70s, jazz or swing.

For example, the Jukebox’s first hit was a vaudevillian spin on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Thrift Shop,” which reached more than a million YouTube views within a week of being posted. They’ve done a doo-wop version of Miley Cyrus’ “We Can’t Stop” and a ’70s soul take on Maroon 5’s “Maps.”

It is, as Bradlee describes it, “pop music in a time machine.”

Telford says Bradlee writes all the arrangements and selects all singers and instrumentalists.

“We work out of our studio. We have all the people come in and he decides who he wants to send out on tour or for videos. We are always integrating new talent with those we already have. Our shows are doing well and getting a massive audience response,” says Telford.

He concedes having an “Idol” alum unexpectedly pop up in a show is a draw, “but once the audience immerses themselves in the show, they see the talent we have onstage. There is no auto-tune. It is raw talent and it is a very high caliber of talent.”

The show at Track 29 is open to ages 13 and older. Telford says it’s not uncommon to see three- generation families in their audiences.

“The grandparents and parents recognize the style of music, while the younger ones recognize the current song.”

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Scott Bradlee, center, and Postmodern Jukebox perform at Track 29 on Saturday night.