Music

DePaul Jazz Orchestra – Holtschneider Performance Center – March 13, 2022

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Having taken my usual aisle seat, I was appalled by the usher’s request that I move over one to allow room for a latecomer to sneak in. I just said no. (I’m good at that.) After all, I paid for the aisle. Not really, of course, as tickets were free and seats unreserved.

So, instead of sitting to my right, the only person in the room who sat down and then lowered his mandatory mask, sat to my left. After I gently poked him, he lifted the mask back up and left it there, so that, thereafter, I only had to put up with his occasional unsolicited commentary and attention-seeking slow clapping.

As for the excellent performance from the 17-piece band, the freshman trumpet player set the tone by wearing sunglasses during his big solo; the only musician wearing a mask was, unpredictably, the baritone saxophonist, whose solo belied any notion that the barrier would be an impediment; and, during his solo, the piano player made swing look easy, just like golf pros do during their swings, which I also can’t emulate.

A vocalist magically, and unfortunately, appeared for two songs. If I could have turned off his mic, I would have. But he couldn’t detract from an otherwise enjoyable concert, including the director’s background stories about the Duke Ellington and Count Basie bands, and all that jazz.

Robert Chen – Fourth Presbyterian Church Noonday Concert – January 21, 2022

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The last time I saw Chicago Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Robert Chen perform solo was in January 2019. And the last time I was this awestruck was when I saw how good my multiflex, cordless, stick vacuum cleaner was at picking up all the dust on the floor under my bed.

Chen played some Bach and Paganini, but the one piece I want to mention is Ysäye’s Danse Rustique, Allegro giocoso molto moderato, which I believe is translated as a barn dance, played while quickly eating a chocolate lava cake in a library containing virtual files.

Chen’s interpretation was clearly different than mine, and admittedly better, but the most notable part of the performance was his ability to maintain his concentration when an unmasked man (clearly not The Lone Ranger) walked through the sanctuary shouting (probably about nothing, but possibly about the recent decision to keep the Doomsday Clock at 100 seconds to midnight rather than advance it forward).

Chen, looked up, but never missed a beat, unlike me, as when I think I may have heard someone in Nepal sneeze and am then forced to stop in the middle of the piece I’m playing and start over.

Erwin Helfer w/ Devil in a Woodpile – The Hideout (Patio Show) – September 2, 2021

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Halfway through the band’s first set, Rick “Cookin” Sherry, the leader of Devil in a Woodpile, lamented about the omnipresence of the internet, computers, and the binary number system, informing us, as if we hadn’t already figured it out, that their music was from the analog era.

Sherry’s vocal intonations also were decidedly old, unique, and lots of fun. And his fondness of simpler times is reflected by the fact that all the instruments he plays – clarinet, harmonica, kazoo, washboard – are acoustic.

I double-checked, and even the washboard has an electric version. I need to look further into that. It would take up a lot less room than my washing machine, and have fewer moving parts to break down, except my own parts might be more likely to break down from overuse.

Sherry kept mentioning that Helfer was on his way, and, just when we thought it might be a scam, despite the sight of the piano sitting untouched on the patio stage, Erwin appeared, walked past us, and then disappeared inside for another 20 minutes, eventually emerging, and, without a single word, sitting down and leaping, or rather easing, given his 85 years, into a soothing solo.

At an outdoor show where proof of vaccination was required and seating spaced out and limited, the only thing that was contagious was the revelry, the analog version of whoop-de-do.

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.

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.