LIer's Doo Wop Project puts a modern spin on a classic sound 

Santino Paladino was pretty much born into his love of doo-wop, aided by the success of his uncle, Martin D’Amico, with Johnny Maestro & The Brooklyn Bridge.

But the Ronkonkoma native — who has built most of his career on Broadway, most recently serving as the music supervisor for “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812” and as music director for the revival of “Smokey Joe’s Café” — also wanted to put his own spin on the classic vocal style.

And that’s what he does with his group, The Doo Wop  Project, which makes its first appearance  at The Paramount in Huntington on Sunday, Jan. 13. They say they love to “doo-wopify” a song.

“That’s what we call taking a contemporary song and giving it a doo-wop twist,” Paladino says. “We’ve done it with songs from Amy Winehouse, Adel, and Sam Smith.”

Paladino says he enjoys finding the links between doo-wop style and current songs. “Take ‘Perfect’ by Ed Sheeran — it’s got that 12/8 [time signature]    early rock and roll groove,” he says. “When you hear that pulse, it really lends itself to giving the song more of that doo-wop feel.”

 The group – which includes, Paladino, “Jersey Boys” veterans Charl Brown, Russell Fischer, Dominic Nolfi and Dominic Scaglione Jr.,  as well as Dwayne Cooper of “Hairspray”  -- are focusing on new work this year — teaming with orchestras in Philadelphia and Indianapolis.