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When You Have Eliminated the Impossible . . .

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As Sherlock Holmes, in his 2009 eponymous film, said to Inspector Lestrade, “we now have a firm grasp of the obvious.” Or so I think. I am referring, of course, to the most important decision facing humanity since Eve pondered the risk versus reward of taking a bite from that apple, that is, the selection of the next Jeopardy! host.

Eliciting memories of the way the examination of judicial nominations changed forever when Ronald Reagan put forth Robert Bork for the United States Supreme Court in 1987, we have seen, and continue to see, articles about one reason or another that has been, or should be, used to eliminate one candidate or another from consideration for the most important job on earth.

But I have not seen anyone, other than someone on Reddit, whatever that is, even mention the most obvious choice, the one that combines the greatest player with the cleanest background. Yes, Holmes, I mean the undefeated, irreproachable Watson, conqueror of Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter in their highly anticipated 2011 match.

Let the games begin.

Music by the Fountain – Libby York – Fourth Presbyterian Church – August 27, 2021

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York must not have gotten the memo that Andy Brown accompanies everyone I see perform lately. Instead she had Jeremy Kahn on keyboard.

Starting next week, the concerts are scheduled to move indoors. Shockingly, no one asked me, but I would suggest, given the current state of things, and good weather, that they stay outside for at least another month, especially if they want my continued attendance.

I admit that might throw a monkey wrench (or more appropriately a hand plane, metal plane, or doming tool) into the plans for next month, as moving the largest organ in the Midwest, complete with its 143 ranks and 8,343 pipes, into the garden might prove problematic, but I, for one, wouldn’t be disappointed if they postponed the organ concerts (indefinitely).

I might describe York’s voice as almost husky, but that might imply sultry, which it isn’t. By the way, speaking lower than your natural register for a prolonged period can cause one to develop a tension-fatigue syndrome called Muscle Tension Dysphonia, commonly referred to as Bogart-Bacall Syndrome, no kidding.

York was okay, but not my cup of tea. I wonder if she knows how to whistle.

Sundays on State – Chicago Loop Alliance – August 22, 2021

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My immediate reaction to the three-block, block party, was that it was a more organized, more sanitized, more diverse, less crowded, no Blues Brothers to be seen, cannabis vendors now legally present, new age Maxwell Street Market (which led me to learn that the new, real one apparently has reopened this summer on DesPlaines Street).

I made no attempt to see everything, and though I’m sorry I missed the Global Booty Dance, I did see some of the Hula Hoop fitness class.

I treated myself to a free copy of Fahrenheit 451, being handed out in front of a fire engine by the American Writers Museum.

And I couldn’t resist the allure of The Walnut Room’s walking pot pie, but was disappointed when, despite my urgings, it just sat there when I placed it on the curb next to me. So I ate it, which seemed like a pedestrian result.

The Ballet Folklorico de Chicago drew the biggest and most enthusiastic crowd I saw, with people (not me) jammed together to watch and snap photos of the dancers and their colorful costumes.

When a pigeon landed on my hand, I decided it was time to leave.

Salazar/Ranieri Project -The Oz Park Sessions – August 20, 2021

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I purposely arrived a half hour after the marketed starting time, because, after all, it was jazz, but still there were no musicians to be seen. I had been outfoxed, so I went to plan B, head for the Dairy Queen across the street. On the way I saw a young man, who turned out to be the group’s leader, Alejandro Salazar, unloading a drum set from his car – a clue!

Upon direct examination, he allowed that they were getting a late start because they were coming from another gig. But they made up for that by leaving early, playing for a little over an hour, rather than their usual two and a half hours, as they also were playing later at Andy’s Jazz Club as the oh-so-cleverly-named The Quartet.

While at the park, they had a guest vocalist, John Dokes, who will be featured at Winter’s Jazz Club next Thursday night, drop by to sing two songs, including the mandatory Nature Boy.

These weren’t your typical DePaul music students, or maybe they were. In a couple weeks they’re bringing along another dozen friends for a big band night at the park. Based on tonight’s excellent performance, I plan to get there either early or late.

Elaine Dame – Music by the Fountain – Fourth Presbyterian Church – August 20, 2021

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It almost, but not quite, goes without saying that Andy Brown was once again present to provide accompaniment, this time for Ms. Dame’s jazz vocals. And, as usual, Brown let his guitar do his talking, although Dame occasionally would tell us what “Andy says” after conferring with him. I felt like I was watching Penn and Teller, especially given the magic of Brown’s playing.

Dame was no slouch either, as long as she was singing (especially her scatting), and not practicing her stand-up routine. After informing us that she would sing any request from the Great American Songbook, except Fever or Summertime (unless you had $300 to spare in your pocket), she nonetheless rejected a couple suggestions, both times adding “thanks for playing”, as if she were trying out for the once again, newly vacant position of Jeopardy host.

All in all it was a nice performance, though I wouldn’t go so far as to say that there is nothing like Ms. Dame.

Night out in the Parks – Project Inclusion String Quartet – Lake Shore Park – August 19, 2021

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The last time I wrote about Project Inclusion’s concert in the park was July, 2018. Things have changed, and stayed the same. That time there was a musician from Havana, this time from Venezuela. Both times there were string players from a place much less interesting, Texas.

One of them, violinist Audrey Lee, told us that she had never been to Chicago before, and, though she loved it, would soon be returning to her current home in Durant, Oklahoma, where she teaches music. I’ve never heard of Durant, and I’m sure there are several good reasons for that.

I thought I also had never heard of Southeastern Oklahoma State University, where she teaches, but it turns out that Dennis Rodman went to school there, as the Savage Storm (still known as the Savages when Rodman was there) participate in half a dozen men’s and women’s varsity sports, including, for both, rodeo (one of the 73 schools that do!), which makes me wish that the quartet had played some Copeland, rather than the so-so selections they chose.

The program listed one of the songs as The Walzing Cat. I’m pretty sure they meant The Waltzing Cat, unless the song was about a German feline that went on a road trip.

During another piece, they told us it was okay to get up and dance. No one did. During the encore pop mash-up, they said it was okay to sing along. No one did. But the weather was nice.

Meet Me on the Mile – Magnificent Mile – August 15, 2021

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This new event mostly failed to meet my very low expectations. But at least it wasn’t crazy crowded, not filled with those people who go to street fairs just so they can jostle others for no particular reason. A tribute to an underwhelming Magnificent Mile marketing machine.

I was too late for Silent Disco Yoga (though word-of-mouth was that it was well-attended and well-done), but I probably wouldn’t have qualified anyway, as participants were required to bring “good vibes.”

Much more disappointing was that the vendor selling potato donuts had already run out of Dutch chocolate ones with organic callebaut-chocolate ganache before I got there. I’ll set my alarm earlier next time.

I heard a little bit of the Chicago Bears Drumline (not bad), which was performing before a throng of 35 people seated in an ad hoc grandstand. The crowd for Tubad & the Kings of Nola was even smaller (but enthusiastic) for music I would reluctantly describe as tuba fusion.

People stood in line to get their caricatures done in lieu of wearing their “I’m a Tourist” t-shirts.

The highlight, for me, was the Motors on the Mile display, where I was able to snap the attached picture of my next car, though there was a moment of drama when the security guard almost imperceptibly twitched when I moved a little closer to the roped-in roadster.

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Classic Broadway – Grant Park Music Festival – Millennium Park – August 13, 2021

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In past years, an overflowing crowd, limited by barriers, would come on a Monday evening, so chosen, I suppose, because Broadway is generally dark on Mondays and the performers could fly in from New York in the morning, rehearse, do the show, and be back at their jobs on Tuesday, which, in some cases, who knows, might have been as singing waitstaff at Ellen’s Stardust Diner (love that place).

But, unless your name is Bruce Springsteen, your Broadway (or even off-off-Broadway) show hasn’t opened yet, so you can play the Pritzker Pavilion on Friday and Saturday night and not miss any time from work.

This also means that you can concentrate more on the Chicago performance, unless you’re still trying to memorize the menu from Ellen’s. It seemed to me that the performers, always in fine voice, were more engaged with their characters than in past years. Even the guest conductor, Lawrence Loh, pulled down his mask to chip in a few lines in one of the songs, to the great amusement of the crowd.

As readers may recall, my history of seeing (or not seeing) Betty Buckley is somewhat checkered, but Mamie Parris played Grizabella in the revival of Cats, so seeing and hearing her sing Memory last night can finally put that chapter to rest, unless Buckley breaks a dinner date with me.

Courtyard Concert – Fourth Presbyterian Church – August 13, 2021

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Saxophonist Eric Schneider had top billing, well actually the only billing, for the lunch-hour, jazz concert. But he was accompanied by the ever-present, supremely talented, but apparently not talkative, Andy Brown, on guitar, whom I also saw as a featured musician in Michael Feinstein’s recent show at Ravinia, where he didn’t speak either. (I’m waiting for his “Greta Garbo talks” in Anna Christie moment.)

Schneider did the song introductions, showing off at one point the reason why you should not have him on your Broadway trivia (or even essential information) team, as he misrepresented the song Put on a Happy Face as being from Pajama Game, rather than, as the audience members who contorted their faces at the error knew, Bye Bye Birdie.

But I hadn’t come for Schneider’s sober version of drunk jazz history, including his tidbit about the original pronunciation of Mel Torme’s last name (before he gallicized it by adding the aigu accent), but rather for the music, which was excellent.

Grant Park Music Festival – Millennium Park – August 7, 2021

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The orchestra’s rendition of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 1 in G Minor coordinated beautifully with the gentle breeze that was blowing through the pavilion. And renowned violinist Augustin Hadelich’s presentation of Sibelius’s Concerto for Violin in D Minor was an extra special treat. So much for the music itself.

Sibelius had synesthesia, a neurological condition whereby information meant to stimulate one of your senses instead stimulates several of your senses, in his case, sound to color synesthesia.

According to the program, Sibelius experienced the tonal center for this concerto as yellow, although it didn’t sound yellow to me. I tried to envision Hadelich standing on the stage and, instead of making his 1744 Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesu purr like a cat getting its belly scratched, splashing plumbonacrite-infused yellow earth from a Northern Italy quarry on a large canvas with an animal-hair paint brush constructed by a Rembrandt apprentice. Still didn’t sound yellow to me.

If Sibelius were in outer space, and couldn’t hear the music, would he still see yellow? You might not hear the screams from the cast of Alien, but there is enough interstellar gas and dust that sound waves can move through space. We just aren’t able to listen to them because the particles are so spread out, and the resulting sound waves are of such a low frequency, that they’re beyond the capabilities of human hearing. But does that also make them beyond the capabilities of human sight, like ultraviolet light, for those with synesthesia? Should someone with synesthesia wear sunscreen, even at night, when listening to music?

I was troubled, but still able to enjoy the concert.