CerritosInk

Jack Jones November 16, 2008

2008-11-17T14:13:00.000-08:00

The Singer’s Singer:

Jack Jones at Cerritos

By Glen Creason

Unfortunately, many of us who came of age during the dawning of the Rock and Roll era missed out on some really great popular music from traditions predating the Shaking, Rattling and Rolling. I can remember seeing these dinosaurs on variety shows like Ed Sullivan, Johnny Carson, Dean Martin and even Jack Parr crooning the classics of the Great American songbook while I yawned away, waiting for Elvis or the Beatles to raise my youthful blood pressure. Now, in the early September of my years I have rediscovered the glory of these great entertainers and am saddened that I missed them the first time around. Greats like Mel Torme, Sammy Davis Jr., Joe Williams, Matt Monroe, Robert Goulet, Peggy Lee and Rosemary Clooney come to mind when I cast back into TV-land for guest-singers on such shows. Happily, some of these great ones still make appearance and can still belt out the classics like they did when Hector was a pup.
On Sunday afternoon, one of the real prime examples of such fountain of youth singers was on display at the Performing Arts Center and his show was a revelation for we wet behind the ears rock and rollers. Jack Jones, guest reveler on untold shows in the 60’s and 70’s put on a clinic of the vocal arts and left an entire hall in awed adulation of his limitless, ageless set of pipes. For close to two hours Jones told a charming story or twenty, moved out into the crowd of avid fans pressing the flesh and just put gilt edges on some really great songs.
The show offered a delightful variety in the material, ranging from Cole Porter’s “Our Love Is Here to Stay” to Leon Russell’s “A Song for You” that stretched the melodies and emotional impact to the limits. There were certain classics like Johnny Mercer’s hard edged “I Want to Be Around,” the utterly romantic “What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life,” a crisp “It Was Just One of Those Things” and a decidedly regal “Stranger in Paradise.” There were also surprises from more contemporary sources like a beautiful “God Only Knows” from the Beach Boys songbook, “Just In Time” done as a bossa nova, an R&B soaked “Kansas City” that did Wilbert Harrison proud, and a swinging “All of Nothing at All” that Jones boomed nonchalantly while striding around the orchestra seats thrilling his fans. Of course, the dapper one could not escape the hall without singing his vinyl record hits of “Lollipops and Roses,” “Theme from the Love Boat,” and the dangerously chauvinistic “Wives and Lovers” much to the delight of the mostly female audience. Backed by a very good quartet centered on pianist Jeff Colella, Jones time and time again sent notes to the top row of the hall with range to spare and turned ballads to pure silk in the lower registers. His best work on a full and satisfying afternoon’s “work” was the exquisite singing of a minor classic called “Our Song” and a magnificent reading of “Somewhere” from “West Side Story.” After hearing this absolute master class in vocal appreciation I kind of wished I had listened a little more closely back in 1967 instead of leaving the tone arm up on that “Meet the Beatles” album. I wonder whatever happened to them?

Loudon Wainwright III and Leo Kottke November 5, 2008

2008-11-08T15:49:00.000-08:00

Words and Music by Loudon Wainwright III and Leo Kottke

By Glen Creason

The only surprising thing about the superb evening of music coming from two authentic greats: Loudon Wainwright III and Leo Kottke was that there were some empty seats in the Performing Arts Center. I don’t have to exaggerate when I say you won’t find better in the genre than this duo and the privilege to hear them both on one night is rare indeed. Wainwright is the master songwriter, most certainly the ultimate in describing the volatility of family relationships and Leo Kottke is just an otherworldly guitar player, using the twelve and six string ax to take audiences to awed places of musical epiphany. This combo in one night at Cerritos is a jackpot of musical riches and a coup for the big hall. Both men are exceedingly humble and casual about their performances but that is part of the overall charm and makes their serious moments stand out all the more. While Wainwright writes mostly about himself and his peccadilloes, Kottke plays mostly in the abstract emotions of his experiences. There is a certain ambiguity there, certainly in the song titles that he never divulges for the ease of the beleaguered reviewer.
The show was opened by Wainwright who kept it light in the beginning with “Here Comes the Choppers,” “Leap of Faith” and “Heaven” blithely covering modern paranoia, elections and the afterlife, all accompanied by his trademark wit and unique performance style. “Thanksgiving” was one of three powerhouse family-themed songs that struck a chord of sweet memory for me. His tribute to his Mom, “White Winos” is nothing short of a masterpiece and the restoration of “Be Careful There’s a Baby in the House” was both delightful and true. Loudon complained about being described as self-deprecating, then launched into the very sad “Kick in the Head” and deeply emotional “Another Song in C” that demonstrated his great talent for describing angst in poetic terms. Still there were the whimsical tunes like “Drinking Song,” “Lucky You” and “I Don’t Think Your Wife Likes Me” that made him look undeniably self-deprecating. It’s ok for him to kid himself when he has given so much wisdom to music in his forty years on stage.

Leo Kottke finished the feast with a delicious dessert of guitar mastery containing more notes than a symphony could produce and lots of emotion packed into this almost totally instrumental set. He did flash his trademark droll wit and gave expository remarks before each song, only neglecting to identify any of the song titles. So I can say that his playing was superb on this night, full of energy, style and emotion but the titles of the works and on what CD you might find them is just my best guess. I have listened to Kottke since 1971 and recognized many but can only say for sure that he played “Ice Miner, “ “Vaseline Machine Gun,” “Julie’s House” and “Rings” along with the possibility of “Watermelon,” “June,” “Mockingbird Hill,” “Even His Feet Looked Sad” and others. I don’t really care what they were called they were utterly amazing.

Teatro Lirico d'Europa November 3, 2008

2008-11-03T09:21:00.001-08:00

A Night at the Opera in Cerritos

By Glen Creason

The Teatro Lirico d’Europa visited the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts over the weekend and gave local operaphiles a chance to luxuriate in some classic Italian performances of two nineteenth century short operas. “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliaccci” were the pair, sung in one and two acts that did not lack in drama or memorable arias. The Teatro is in its eighth year of bringing culture outside the big opera halls of Europe and the Cerritos faithful seemed hungry for the opportunity to hear these old favorites live. Teatro Lirico brought a twenty-member cast that was very good throughout the evening. It is a really international group with singers coming from all over the globe including Turkey, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria and Mexico. Of course, Opera is the high art form with the plots that seem straight out of a Mexican telenovela but when the focus is on the majestic singing you tend to accept the bloody conclusions to these twisted tales along with the rest of the merriment. Both operas feature tragedy brought on by infidelity and the wages of that sin paid in terrible destruction.
In “Cavalleria Rusticana” it is the straying Turiddu who leaves his loyal Santuzza for the charms of the restless and rather irresistible Lola. The object of these affections is unfaithful to the feckless husband Alfio and it turns out badly despite some rather grand singing and drinking of wine. Olga Chernisheva carries the piece in her role as Santuzza, singing the heart-wrenching “Voi lo sapete” and “Tu qui, Santuzza?” The smitten Turiddu refuses to be swayed and the powerful tenor Viorel Saplacan was outstanding in “Mama , quel vino” which is both a drinking song and farewell. Alfio played by the most active singer on the night, baritone Theodore Lambrinos was both sympathetic and deserving of admiration. However, it is opera and the conclusion does not turn out well for the womanizer who pays for his transgressions in blood.
The familiar “Pagliacci” was more on the sad lessons of the breaking of vows and ensuing breaking of hearts leading to the spilling of blood. Theodore Lambrinos was back, this time as the evil Tonio, the disfigured clown who when rebuffed by the beautiful Nedda exposes her affair with another to her husband Canio. Nedda, played here by Christina Molnar was perfect in the role and her singing of “Stridono Lassu” was as sweet as the birds she described on the wing. There is the terrible moment in the show when the cuckholded husband faces the truth that his wife is unfaithful and his agony pours out in the aria “Vesti La Giubba” sung by Gabriel Gonzalez on this night with a conviction and passion that brought tears to many in the audience. To flush out the lover of his Nedda, Canio puts on a comedy based on true life. In his clown makeup he tries to get her to reveal the name of Silvio who rushes to her side too late after the spurned husband has stabbed her. If nothing else, this evening was a great example of the value of marriage counseling in such situations.

Boulder Acoustic Society October 22, 2008

2008-10-24T20:34:00.000-07:00

Boulder Acoustic Society Makes a Sierra Night Unique

By Glen Creason

Some of the very best music you will hear in Cerritos occurs at the terrific
Sierra Nights series which is the alter-ego of the big, demanding shows in the hall across the theater. The Sierra setting is intimate and inducive to smaller groups and more daring attempts at music veering from the center line of genres. This week the peripatetic Colorado quartet called the “Boulder Acoustic Society” filled the space with some wild and wooly action that crossed many a musical line and bounced from folk to blues to old-timey roots music to R&B ballads to gypsy czardas and back again. Sometimes it all came together nicely in one song! The Boulder boys are charmingly disorganized on stage but decidedly serious about eclectic song choices and lively blends of standup bass, accordion, banjo, ukulele, percussion and fired up electric fiddle. What they lacked in billboard sized speaker volume or smoke machines they made up for in truly unique material. This is a thoroughly affable, casual and instrumentally talented band.
The first set established the sound that was one part Gid Tanner and the Skillet-lickers, one part Incredible String Band and several parts hard to describe. Vocals are shared mostly by bassist Aaron Keim and accordionist Scott McCormack who looked very much like dwellers in the people’s republic of Boulder. Yet those who apparently have spent more time exploring American music’s back roads than hanging out on the champagne powder slopes. Keim’s baritone gives texture to much of the music but McCormick is the man for the high notes. Young Scott Aller is the busy percussionist, not just drummer since he adds a lot of color to the soundscapes sometimes created by the band. However, the violin of the rather elegantly dressed Kailin Yong is essential here diving in and out of melodies and truly vaulting over the normal barriers between musical styles. While the band may not be serious in their patter they really do travel the path not taken and the one here gave us up-tempo folksy stuff like “Jake Leg Blues” or “Slip Baby Slip” or “the high octane “Give It Away” that had the full crowd actually nodding their heads in time. There were surprising choices tweaked to the hybrid sound including a caffeinated “Maggie’s Farm,” the strangely compelling “Cruel Monkey” and a very nice “Aint No Sunshine” that wasn’t all that sad for a farewell ballad.
There were also some well done traditionals like “the Light and the Dust,” “Gospel Plow,” and “Trying to Get Home” including the long and rewarding fiddle solo by Yong that was truly amazing. However, within the evening of merriment and old time story telling Scott McCormick’s pair of ballads “Until Then” and “Take My Hand” were beautifully done and could well have saved the bacon of a lesser show. The Boulder Acoustic Society says they drove through a Colorado blizzard to get to Cerritos and those of us in the Sierra Room were damn glad they did.

The Music of Led Zeppelin October 18, 2008

2008-10-19T16:20:00.000-07:00

This Zeppelin Soars at Cerritos

By Glen Creason

It sounded like an interesting concept, this full orchestra playing classic rock hits by the now legendary super group Led Zeppelin at the Performing Arts Center. Many of the biggest hits of the band used orchestral backing in the studio and the arena-rock sounds could be distilled in the hall to make for a very big rock sound. Such was the plan set out by the Windborne Symphony with Brent Havens at the baton and Randy Jackson wailing the trademark Robert Plant vocals. The caveat comes with the fact that the last such experiment at Cerritos fell rather flat and sent many audience members running out of the hall like they were being chased by mean dogs. Add to this the fact that I was not on board this Zeppelin when they were young and have only become a convert by of all people my daughter who digs Led and thinks of them as the godfathers of her own generation’s sound. According to her I am a folk-rocker (shudder.)
With all that said I have to say that Windborne and Havens and Jackson made a believer out of me, producing a really electrifying two hours of music that would have made fans out of classical concertgoers along with the raggedy jeaned rockers who bobbed their boomer heads out in this audience. Instead of providing an odd combination of two ends of the spectrum of music the orchestra just pumped up the huge Led Zeppelin sound to awesome proportions. It was refreshing to see the 50 member Windborne Symphony, most of whom are in that same generation Y demographic as my kid, enjoying themselves as they played their violins, cellos, French horns and bass fiddles while performing chair boogies in a scene of joyful musical celebration. If nothing else, the Windborne is most certainly the best looking orchestra I have ever seen in any venue. All over the hall you heard whoops of amazement when the strings climbed and brass blasted in tunes like “the Immigrant Song,” “Kashmir” and “Heartbreaker” that haven’t sounded so good since they boomed from stereos in crash pads across the rock and roll world way back in the day.
There was certainly other aspects that gave rise to the success of this show, primarily the elastic voiced Randy Jackson and the flying fingers of guitarist George Cintron who tried, pretty successfully, to fill the canyon-like shoes of Jimmy Page. An added attraction was the fiery fiddle solos by a young lady named Allegra, particularly on a duet with Cintron on “Moby Dick” which led into a huge drum voyage by young Paul Randolph. While I was not a true scholar of the Led sound there were plenty in the crowd who were, including a man behind me with lyrics imprinted on his brain, a voice like Lurch and eau d’ Jose Cuervo gold on his person. When the really old chestnuts like “Whole Lotta Love,” or “Song Remains the Same” or “Stairway to Heaven” boomed forth there was hall hysteria heard rarely in these parts. There is obviously much thought and love that has gone into the show, particularly from Jackson who at one time or another described each member of Led Zeppelin as the greatest of all time. The show takes some big chances to reproduce this somewhat sacred rock iconography but does Led justice with this fully realized production.

Boz Skaggs October 11, 2008

2008-10-12T13:31:00.000-07:00

Boz Skaggs Straight On
Good Stuff at Cerritos

By Glen Creason

Boz Skaggs was enthusiastically greeted by a full house at the Performing Arts Center on Saturday evening with well-oiled shouts for his hits from the 70’s. A rather effusive audience this one, insisted on hearing the gold records from his classic albums like “Silk Degrees,” “Lowdown” or “Middle Man.” Of course, the old pro gave them what they wanted but he also made it fun for himself and his solid eight member band by improvising a bit and handing over the solos to this fine group of musicians. The arrangements were tight, the guitars and keyboards were actually sensational and the singing was mostly good but occasionally challenged by the huge wall of sound filled with percussion and bass.
The show was a solid block of good stuff with no breaks and no breathers save a ballad or two like “Desire” or “Harbor Lights” that worked well despite Skaggs vocals that sometimes stayed on the runway a bit before takeoff. Of course, that is the Boz Skaggs style to start slow and build into a passionate full-scale R&B torch song. The rabid and vocal fans in house did not seem to care about details and hooted and hollered ecstatically for the platinum ones like “Lowdown,” “JoJo,” “Slow Dancer” and the bull goose trophy winning “Lido” that set forth an avalanche of appreciation and got the entire joint up on their middle aged feet to shake the collective booty. “Georgia” was typical for the old pro as he started it like a ballad, then tossed the arrangement into second, third and forth gear, ramping it into a real pulse-quickening jam. Amongst that sea of sons and daughters of the 70’s sound I saw plenty of loose limbed dancing.
Skaggs cleverly placed some more esoteric material in the mix and his reading of the old Fats Domino R&B gem “Sick and Tired” was made quite juicy by the brilliant keyboard work of guest David Paich. Skaggs also played just one more fine Allen Toussaint tune, this one “Hercules” that sparkled pretty well some thirty years on and demonstrated Skaggs solid New Orleans influences over the years. David Paich contributed much more in the show, staying on and pumping up the sound, especially on one more of his compositions that was turned into a show-stopper by backup singer Ms. Mone’t. Skaggs generously sat back and watched his band steal his own show for while here when the Ms. also lit up the hall with “Streetlife” and guitar wonder Steve Lukather busted off lightening bolts of lead on “Lido.” Lukather, Skaggs and superb lead guitarist Jon Herington traded licks on the ensuing encores of “Runnin’ Blues” and “Look What You’ve Done to Me” for a lengthy and most enjoyable conclusion to a very good show at the Center.

Simply Ballroom Sunday October 4, 2008

2008-10-06T12:12:00.001-07:00

Miss Debbie and Dancing with Real Stars: “Simply Ballroom” at the Center

By Glen Creason

Sending yours truly to review a ballroom dancing show might be like asking a vegan to write about a steak joint but my taste for such cavorting was certainly increased tenfold by this afternoon of terpsichorean merriment. I may have failed at cotillion but I have watched an episode or two of “Dancing With the Stars” alongside my Mom and I can tell you that this version is vastly superior to most of what you see on television. Each of the pairs of “Simply Ballroom” are champions in their own right. The speed, dexterity and unreal stamina of these young dancers is quite incredible. I should not fail to mention the beauty of the young ladies, the dazzle of the spectacular costumes and the athleticism of the choreography that sometimes defied gravity. “Simply Ballroom” has its roots in Great Britain and they do not spare the pounds sterling in the production. There are seven pairs of dancers, two very talented singing and dancing hosts and the grand living legend lady Debbie Reynolds holding the whole thing together.
The original purpose of this show was the give exposure to these elegant dancers and the art form of the many shades of ballroom dancing. All of this falls under a rather large umbrella that includes everything from Strauss waltzes to the Latin Hustle. The stage is filled with color and movement that keeps your head spinning and your toes tapping. The afternoon was ably hosted by English crooner Sam Kane and Nicole Funicello who broke up the dance numbers with pretty good versions of dance-related standards like “Shall We Dance,” Who’s Got the Last Laugh Now,” “The Continental,” Singing In the Rain” and “The Time of My Life.” The music flowed as the young dancers performed the meringue, quickstep, cha cha cha, swing, black bottom, Charleston, quick trot, fox trot, tango, salsa, samba, rumba, jitterbug and more. With each turn on the stage the dancers and hosts showed up in new, colorful costumes and never seemed to have a hair or sequin out of place. More contemporary stuff followed, even “She Bangs,” “Time After Time,” and a ring a ding ding “One More for the Road.” Of course, many in the large crowd came to hear their old pal Miss Debbie and she did not disappoint with copious ribaldry and stories from her colorful past. Some of her material was as old as her 1952 debut in “Singing In the Rain” but it worked well enough to get huge laughs from the crowd that may have remembered her as the sweet faced girl who sang “Tammy” back when gas was twenty-five cents a gallon and bailouts were something fighter pilots did in the big war. While the ballroom artistry filled the stage it was the old pro who held the show together like her own flawless makeup.

Ronan Tynan September 26, 2008

2008-09-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

Amazing With Grace: Ronan Tynan at Cerritos

By Glen Creason

Ronan Tynan is such an extraordinary man it doesn’t seem all that surprising that his concert of tenor singing at the Performing Arts Center was a smash from start to finish. After all, Tynan overcame the loss of his lower legs in his twenties, and then went on to win piles of gold medals in the Paralympics. The treatments he received brought him to Medical School where he earned his M.D. to help others with his fate. Then to complete his triumph he decided to try professional singing in his 30’s and has not looked back since winning a BBC talent show in his first crack at real show business. He was a founding member of the marvelous “Three Irish Tenors,” has had a fine career in music and medicine plus being a highly sought after motivational speaker all over the world. Outside of that he hasn’t done much. The show he performed on Friday evening was long and wonderful, done by the artist who had been up all day and night after flying across an ocean and continent from Ireland to fulfill his engagement. He made it look fun and easy throughout.
At Cerritos Tynan defied the stereotype of the formal operatic tenor as he joked and cajoled and charmed the big crowd from the opening dulcet tones of “Ride On” to the final thundering “God Bless America” that had the hall filled with Republicans and Democrats standing in awe at the honest to goodness emotion he powered into the old patriotic chestnut. Truthfully, the show was so good it could have been a winner divided by four. One part would be the fine old Irish tunes he treats so lovingly like “the Wild Geese,” “When You Were Sweet Sixteen,” “Sing Me an Irish Song,” “Red as the Rose,” “Irish Molly” the exquisite “Fields of Athenry” and “Will You Go Lassie Go” sometimes known as “the Wild Mountain Thyme.” Tynan's tenor is huge and expressive, capable of going into every cockle of the human heart. He can caress a ballad and reach the upper balcony with power to spare, using his powerful frame to gain a little more rise on those high C’s.
He was also contemporary and carried off modern songs including “All I Want Is You” from U2 and the salute to the brave firemen of 9/11 called “Into the Fire” that set a few goose bumps rising in the hall. Along the way he joked and praised his own handsomeness with tongue firmly in cheek while adding texture to the songs with stories on how they came to enter into the repertoire. Lastly he was generous enough to hand the spotlight over to his accompanist Billy Lewis who was more than up to the task. Lewis is a superb pianist and a skilled singer and musicologist. He dashed off some really fun music hall stuff like “Donegan’s Daughter,” and “Frim Fram Sauce” but when he turned his attention to the little known jewel “Blackberry Winter” he gave the audience one of the most pleasant surprises of the season. Ronan Tynan was absolutely marvelous and William Lewis was right with him in talent on this night.

ABT II September 19, 2008

2008-09-20T13:23:00.001-07:00

Meaghan Hinkis

ABT II: The Young and Talented Visit Cerritos

By Glen Creason

ABT II is the fantastic idea dreamed up by the late and great Michael Bjerknes that takes up-and-coming young dancers from all over the world, grooms them and gives them the opportunity to gain professional experience and perform in the big time. Mr. Bjerknes and his wife were the founders of the American Dance Institute and this fine nine member group of young dancers are out on the road learning and entertaining as they go. This isn’t a minor league for dancers, it is more a select group, a crème de la crème of the art form.
Ballet and dance lovers who crowded into the Center for the Performing Arts on the weekend must be filled with hope for the future of dance after seeing this wonderfully enthusiastic and talented group give Cerritos a taste of this bright tomorrow. These young dancers, mostly in their late teens or early twenties are gaining the needed maturity but in no way did they seem to be apprentices to the trade. Some of them look very ready to jump up to the American Ballet Theater very soon.
This was a show about dance and not props or bells and whistles. In the beginning the stage was simple and spare, just faint blue lights bathed the group who needed little else when they began to move. It was a decidedly quirky performance set with two intermissions, supposedly for costume changes but the three portions were all interesting in their own right. The first a classical piece “Allegro Brilliante” by George Ballanchine with music by Tchaikovsky introduced the entire ensemble while allowing soloists Sae-Eun Park and partner to shine in this technically demanding piece. Park was elegant and flawless throughout the evening. The second set was more modern dance than ballet, a delightful piece by choreographer Aszure Barton with music by the French pop singer Monique Serf, known in France as Barbara. The Nine dancers moved in a percolating yet synchronized rhythm, perfectly suited to the soundscape. Part of the great appeal of ABT II is the egalitarian approach and in this work all of the dancers got a chance to strut their stuff so to speak.
The last third of the evening featured two classical pieces including the “Pas de deux” from “Don Quixote” and “Raymonda” that was spiced by additional choreography by artistic director Wes Chapman. The “Raymonda” with Kaia Annika and Joseph Gorak was pretty straightforward and rather grand in execution with the young dancers meeting the demands with pluck and more than enough talent. Yet, the pas de deux from “Don Quixote” was most certainly marked by the enchanting and charismatic Meaghan Hinkis who literally filled up the stage with confidence and joy in the movement of the demanding piece. Joseph Gorak danced both male roles here and was excellent, certainly a young man heading for the next step very soon. Yet, ABT II is terrific throughout and several dancers shone in their moments in the spotlight including Calvin Royal III, Mara Thompson, Courtney Lavine and Jose Sebastian.

Judy Collins and the Smothers Brothers Sept. 14, 2008

2008-09-14T19:58:00.000-07:00

Celebrating the Journey with Judy Collins and the Smothers Brothers

By Glen Creason

It was a great relief to visit the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday afternoon for a concert that made peace with being a beleaguered baby boomer in a sea of the same on hand. Having to endure unending TV commercials on balky bodily functions and receiving countless numbers of e-spam promising the buttressing of the crumbling middle-aged edifice it was indeed refreshing to see three of our own standing up on their hind legs and making it all seem like great fun. First, the grand lady singing beautifully with passion and intelligence then the old bros. making the hall shake with laughter, using a shtick they honed fifty years ago. The message was simple: we may look grayer, fatter, balder, and less like the folks on movie screens but we can still cut the mustard.
There could be no greater inspiration than the wonderful Judy Collins who has done a lot of living, survived the worst kinds of tragedies, recorded countless classic albums and performed steadily since the early sixties. And yet she still makes each song fresh and full of meaning. Her set was mostly the real gems of her repertoire including “Clouds,” “Someday Soon,” “Chelsea Morning,” a silken “Suzanne” and her personal song possession “Send in the Clowns” that saw the packed hall stunned into reverential silence for the memorable few sweet measures of time. She also put a sheen on “When I’m 64,” “Blackbird” and “Norwegian Wood” from the deep Lennnon and McCartney treasure chest and sang straight from the heart “Born to the Breed” about her late son. This lady is no beginner and choosing songwriters like Harry Chapin, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Steven Sondheim et al was done with great care and superb taste. In between the music, her polished and witty exposition was as enjoyable as hearing the master demonstrate just how to sing a song. Still, the true high point of the show was the unveiling of a brand new Jimmy Webb song “Paul Gauguin in the South Seas” that reverberated with memorable lines and deep meaning for those of us traveling in that particular part of paradise.
The Smothers Brothers finished the fine show and if there was any doubt as to the amount of life left in your heroes of the sixties the “boys” showed that they can still bring the laughs with gusto. Theirs is supposed to be musical performance and both really are pretty accomplished musicians but these brothers are masters of the old vaudeville humor once mastered by Abbot and Costello or Burns and Allen. Dick is the straight man and Tommy the wise fool who makes his points despite his meanderings in word thickets. Treatises on “truth,” “dogs,” “Spanish,” and “the less-ons and morons” were all clever and fresh by any day’s standards. The double grand-finale was given by Tommy as “the Yo-Yo Man” which never fails to incite glee and the appropriate send-up of “the Impossible Dream” that could be interpreted as political or about golf.

Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood August 20, 2008

2008-09-01T09:15:00.000-07:00

Whose Line Is It Comes to Cerritos Again and Again

By Glen Creason

The problem with writing about the Brad Sherwood and Colin Mochrie show is that it is the ultimate “you had to be there” kind of experience. Many know the duo from the TV show “Whose Line Is It, Anyway” but to see and hear them live is to take a quantum leap forward in the improvisational form. They say again and again that they are just making it up as they go along and they mean it. It helps that the two comedians have razor sharp minds and unlimited creativity with words, plus they are working in front of one huge cult crowd that absolutely loves this stuff. That audience at Cerritos, jamming every square inch of the big hall was ecstatic in their appreciation of the two gents and helped out quite a bit on the evening’s antics.
The basic premise is that they choose some word games that on the face are kind of silly but the way in which these two artists play the games becomes an art form and somewhat educational. Sure, they threw in some scatological references and sometimes struggled to find the right humorous answers but time and time again they swung for the fences and tagged home runs. The willing crowd serves as foils for the tomfoolery, operating as stage props, providing hilarious non-sequiters on index cards drawn from the front rows and even shouts of strange suggestions that Mochrie and Sherwood blithely incorporate into the sketches they perform. Then again the twosome takes the big risks and the crowd sits back and roars when they come through. How would you like to stand in front of several thousand folks and make Poland, anteaters, forks and moving parts the fodder for a hilarious comedy routine? No rehearsal needed or possible in these cases.
They pulled stuff from the show and really did not have a lead-bell moment the entire hour and a half plus. They played Jeopardy with honking horns and became puppets for sweating audience volunteer puppeteers. They built outhouses on a razor while “a walkin’” as other “volunteers” provided really good sound effects. Really their piece de resistance is the set of five word games played on the run including “questions only,” “one syllable words,” “if you know what I mean,” “letter substitutions,” and “Doctor Seuss rhymes” which all worked and elicited wheezy horse laughs from the delirious audience.
It should be mentioned that this is probably the most eclectic crowd imaginable with kids, grandparents, hipsters, TV nerds and even publicists on vacation howling along together. Basically, this show works wonderfully because the two actors seem to love what they are doing in every scene, despite the sometimes frightfully demanding situations. They are the very definition of aplomb.
The final bit involved an opera by the pair, sung along using a reverse alphabet, blindfolded, barefooted on a stage covered with two hundred painfully loaded mouse-traps. You kind of had to be there.

Tribute to Benny Goodman August 24, 2008

2008-08-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

Benny Goodman Tribute Good and Plenty at Cerritos

By Glen Creason

Some things will always be cool and the young will accept and love parts of popular culture each and every turn of the generations. This certainly includes part of the 30’s and 40’s including the horn section harmonies of orchestras who stirred big crowds of youngsters for decades. Big Band music heard live is one of those evergreen traditions that will put a spring in the step of baby boomers who may have never heard Glenn Miller or Tommy Dorsey swing the Avalon ballroom back in grandpa’s day. These sweet sounds from the Swinging years have a life of their own and when played by the masters can be as good as music gets. This was certainly evident at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts on a Sunday matinee where the Terry Myers Orchestra sent up a sterling tribute to the Big Band royal, Maestro Benny Goodman in front of a packed house of lovers of the genre, many of whom were just little shavers when Goodman recorded the legendary concert at Carnegie Hall in 1938 that marked him for greatness. Other whippersnappers, like myself just love the sound of Mr. Goodman’s clarinet and the beauties from the American songbook that he once embraced.
The superb Terry Myers Orchestra takes the responsibility of playing these wonderful songs very seriously but the leader’s banter makes it all seem effortless and fun. There was plenty to enjoy on this afternoon as the show featured almost two dozen hits from the heyday of Big Band and there was not a sour note heard in the two hours of fine sounds. The orchestra is filled with seasoned pros who know their way around the vigorous charts set before them and in songs like “Let’s Dance,” “One O’Clock Jump” “Flying Home” “Avalon” and the incredibly potent “Sing, Sing, Sing” they darn near took the roof off the big hall. There was plenty of romance too in songs like “the Very Thought of You,” “My Funny Valentine,” and “the Man I Love” sung perfectly by vocalist Connie Brink. Ms. Brink added some spice to the mix in songs like I’m Going to Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter,” “You Made Me Love You” and “And the Angels Sing.” Not only does she have the voice for the classics but her mannerisms and attitude were classy yet sassy. Yet, as it is in any fine band this is a team effort and Terry Myers holds the group together with his Goodmanesque solos but never hogs the spotlight. There were too many fine solos to single out but the tenor battle on “Avalon”and the Gene Krupa sounding drumming on “Sing, Sing, Sing” were really out of this world. More than just a tribute to Benny Goodman, this concert was a tribute to the entire genre and the dedication of Terry Myers to keep it alive and well. While the audience was mostly veterans of such sounds there was a mix of younger fans who left happily humming some great old songs.

On the Road in Lyons Colorado

2008-08-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

On the Road in Search of More Music

By Glen Creason

If you wonder if there is any place on the planet where the optimism and hope of early folk music still exists in full flower you must visit Lyons, Colorado for the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival. Music lovers would do well to go to any lengths to experience this very special slice of lyrics-rich nirvana in the beautiful red-rocks canyon amphitheater on the St. Vrain River. Lyons is a magical place on its own, nestled in the mountains outside Boulder. When filled with some of the greatest musical talents in America and several thousand die-hard "festivarians" it manifests a real life Camelot in tie-die and red mud-caked boots. This being the 18th year of such revelry the event has gained such notoriety as a musician's music festival that the young talent overflows for a dozen hours a day with little drop in quality from one wonderful performer to another. The Folks Festival runs for three lovely days each year and improves, it seems, each and every turn of the Summer Season. With workshops, a songwriting showcase and terrific shows in the secondary venue, the Wildflower Pavilion this is most certainly an embarrassment of mind and soul expanding riches. This year, everything about the event was challenged by seriously inclement weather which dumped unremitting sheets of rain on the opening day but it just gave perspective to the next two glorious gifts of truly memorable music.
We stayed and got soaked to our chonies on day one but will never forget the magnificent Patty Griffin's enchanting hour of sweet song poetry while buckets poured over our tightly gripped poncho in the press ring up front. Songwriter powerhouses Shawn Mullins, Josh Ritter and Dar Williams joined with Patty Griffin and Amos Lee for the really rain inflicted sets, playing on for committed fans, creating remarkable scenes of music in the mud. While the stalwarts spread blue tarps and popped umbrellas the songs rang out true and pure in the gray afternoon as the words reached us through the sweatshirt hoods and vinyl. Williams one of the sweetest voices in song gave us an inspired set while her audience wiped water off their glasses and Josh Ritter touched the heartstrings when he took on the elements and won out. Finally Amos Lee took the baton at the finish and left the middling crowd more than happy as he rocked them out of their chilled souls in decidedly Fall like weather.
Day two was almost tropic in comparison with a steely gray sky offering balmy temps above the sixties and a really amazing variety of sounds that stretched way beyond the normal definition of folk. This festival was heavy on female talent and Sarah Sample, Susan Werner and the doubly delicious Waifs showed that the sisterhood is mighty powerful at Lyons. The Great Lakes Swimmers were uniquely fine and Todd Snider along with Greg Brown produced moments of true greatness. When Snider sang
“ Enjoy yourself, it's later then you thinkEnjoy yourself, while your still in the pinkThe years go by, as quickly as a winkEnjoy yourself, Enjoy yourselfIt's later then you think” he set the tone for the ever-growing crowd to do just that. Probably the most under-rated songwriter in America Todd Snider set the bar mighty high in the late-afternoon on Saturday but the grand master Greg Brown kept it wild and wooly in the penultimate set of the day. One of the very best parts of the festival is the overall camaraderie and cooperative humanity of the gathering of like-minded souls. Part Woodstock, part family picnic and part glory in the sweet music, the Folks Festival is one of the greatest tonics available for twenty-first century despair. When Greg Brown asked the assembled “Peace on earth, when will it ever be in sight? This old world is everybody's beautiful home So why can't we treat each other right.” the positive answer he got from this audience really gave you goose bumps of joy.
Day three was the usual, perfect day in the mild Colorado sunshine, albeit with some sticky mud left over from the early downpours. Highlights for me were certainly the uniquely incredible “Mountain Goats” from our own So. Cal., the infectious groove of Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, and the instrumentally peripatetic and optimistic Tim O’Brien. Yet, it was once again it was the ladies who shone the brightest. Young Missy Higgins provided one hour of some of the best songwriting, singing and pulchritude while KT Tunstall assumed the serious responsibility of closing the magnificent feast without disappointing a soul out on the tarps. Just a humble suggestion to our own Cerritos talent scouts that Missy Higgins now resides in nearby Silverlake and Tunstall seemed to have packed the place with rabid fans.
On a personal note it might not light up the radar of memory for all others but as I sat with my family, on the tarp in the dark and heard the old pro Nanci Griffith close day two with the wonderful “Last Song to Mother” and heard the lyric “And if I promise not to cry/ Please look me in the eye/ And say you've truly known me/ Tis the sweet sound of goodbye /Amazing grace how sweet the sound” there was precipitation but not from the clouds overhead. On the road in musical America you will not find better quality of performer or better feelings amongst humanity than this Rocky Mountain Folks Festival.

Laura Love Duo May 14, 2008

2008-05-15T11:51:00.001-07:00

“Laura Love Duo Make It Shine at Cerritos”

By Glen Creason

In the fine tradition of the Sierra Nights’ series musical exploration, the Cerritos Center welcomed the unique and tremendously talented Laura Love duo to the cozy hall on Wednesday evening. Thus, adding one more name to the list of superb artists laboring in relative obscurity who have been brought to light in the small venue here. Ms. Love and her partner Orville Johnson gave the very responsive house a fine show, full of traditional and inspirational tunes polished delightfully by her unique voice melded with Johnson’s great skills on the guitar to create what seemed like brand new discoveries. At this show the pair came forward without much fanfare on a rather bare stage; just the big, white-maned gent and energetic African-American woman with a bass and acoustic guitar, bringing along a big satchel full of great songs.
With extraordinary charm and that mercurial voice Love can take an old chestnut like the curtain raising “the Cuckoo” and give insight and hope. You might say the last stanza pretty much described her attitude when it says, “she brings us glad tidings and tells us no lies.” That first half of the concert contained a sweet mix of traditional, spiritual and tunes that figured prominently in the civil rights movement. The old-timey ones sparkled with the electronic infusion including “Cotton Eyed Joe, “ “Ruby,” “Paul and Silas (Keep Your Eyes on the Prize) “Nobody’s Fault But Mine,” “I’m Working on the Building,” and a truly swinging “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” that showcased both Orville’s slide and Love’s soaring vocals. The real standout in this hour was the powerful “We Shall Not Be Moved” which managed to feel optimistic while it represented so much courage and suffering from when it was sung in places like Selma and Oxford in the 1960’s. Laura Love represents that tradition of brave civil disobedience but she is smiling as she sings. This is a wonderfully life-affirming artist who has seen the worst of it but will not be defeated. The second half was more eclectic but no less potent in theme. “Saskatchewan” tells the story of her family, former slaves leaving Texas and heading for Canada, only to settle down in Laura Love’s native Nebraska. “More Than a Hammer,” “Living in a Dream” and one of the best versions you will ever hear of “Shady Grove” made for fine listening but Love’s jocular send up of Elizabeth Cotton’s “Everything I Got is Done Gone and Pawned” and Johnson’s “Somewhere Listening” were as good singing and songwriting as you will hear anytime, anywhere. There was more including the crackling “Let Your Freak Flag Fly” which you might not want to play for your kids and the finale of the ever-optimistic “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” which is exactly what the roomful of folks did on this fine night at Cerritos. Even though Laura Love has performed and recorded hundreds of songs, appeared with the best and the brightest and achieved high status amongst folk musicians she chooses to sing the material that comes from her heart and still is not a household name. She really should be, judging by this show.

The Mikado May 2, 2008

2008-05-04T14:27:00.000-07:00

A Light-Hearted and Contemporary Mikado at Cerritos

By Glen Creason

A friend and teacher of very bright high schoolers tells me that there is a Gilbert and Sullivan club amongst the wise-acre teens thereabouts. At first, I was astounded, expecting such organizations to exist maybe, in Laguna Woods where the whimsical works of these two gents might have been part of their upbringing. Yet, after seeing the really fresh and decidedly contemporary “Mikado” placed upon the boards of the Performing Arts Center over the weekend I am convinced these kids are actually pretty hip.The Carl Rosa Opera Company that produced this version of the great evergreen go to great pains to make it bright, colorful and very rich in the kind of detail that make for a strong pulse in a story created in 1885 and done, quite literally, thousands of times all over the world. When a piece is as well-known as this one and a percentage of the audience may be singing along you have to put a little wasabi on the dish to make it stand out. So this performance of the one hundred and twenty-plus year old comic opera had some surprises to go along with the delightful, expected songs and jocularity. What shocked those 19th century audiences and makes the piece rather amazing today is the central theme of death and suffering made trivial and funny. In a sense the Mikado is the first black musical comedy in the literature.Probably the most easily recognizable example of the fresh sheen on this evening's show was the thoroughly updated version of the well-remembered “Behold the Lord High Executioner” where the character of Ko Ko reads off a tongue in cheek list of people who would be missed if they were put to death. Included here were folks who had cell-phones active in the audience, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John McCain and President Bush amongst many others. It made for good theater and connected the entire audience, at least all of us who would take a samurai sword to the cell-phone boors and maybe a couple of others. Director Peter Mulloy seemed to provide every delicious detail and the singing, acting, dancing and comic timing throughout was top drawer from start to finish in this over two hour long feast of fun and frolic. Also, the sets, lighting and costumes provided an excellent feel for what has always been an exotic locale, the ancient land of Japan.However, the bottom line in any Gilbert and Sullivan production is an adherence to the whimsical creation of an unpredictable situation played out to it’s extreme. There is no more bizarre and circuitous plot than the Mikado but suffice it to say it all worked out quite well at Cerritos. Much of this was due to the fine work of the entire cast but particularly from the superb George Rae as Ko Ko, Curtis Dabek as the mighty Mikado, the tireless Michael Kerry as Nanki Poo, multi-faceted Lesley Cox as Yum Yum, and Caroline Graham as the foreboding, yet empathetic Katisha. The large crowd on hand showed their appreciation with great applause at the rather spectacular conclusion proving that they could possibly be ready to join their own Gilbert and Sullivan club.

Sweet Honey in the Rock April 22, 2008

2008-04-23T18:59:00.000-07:00

Sweet Honey in the Rock: Harmony and Humanity

By Glen Creason

Exuding class, offering sweet optimism, fostering brotherhood and teaching important historical lessons in song, the excellent vocal group Sweet Honey in the Rock achieved perfect concert balance on Tuesday evening at the Performing Arts Center. These teachers of the great African-American cultural tradition have expanded their scope from early gospel-folk shows to encompass the entire planet in their repertoire. On this night, their great individual talents blended into a tapestry of song and story that really lifted up an entire auditorium for almost two hours. In these times of trouble Sweet Honey puts the emphasis on the possible and pointed the way to the future by showing us the lessons of the past where the great battles won have paved the way to today’s progress.
The old songs still resonate, as did “Somebody’s Callin’ My Name” which opened the set and gave notice to the many newcomers to these shows that the sound coming from just five women (and the sign language from another) can be as large and dramatic as a symphony. “Do What the Spirit Says Do” was another old time spiritual made pure and strong by the rousing rhythmic exhortation from Louise Robinson backed by the a-cappella accompaniment of her sister Sweet Honeys. These were not the only gospel-tinged tunes in the show, certainly the first half closing dynamite singing of “I’m Coming Home Someday” by Carol Maillard and Dr. Ysaye Barnwell’s superb narration and singing of “When I Die” was the kind of performance you feel in your bones. Each member of the ensemble is unique but Dr. Barnwell’s bass notes really make that Sweet Honey sound vibrate into your soul. There were also a couple of wonderful African tunes sung in pristine harmony, creating a soundscape that was amazing and full of color. “Denko” brought each member into a percussive whole while Nitanju Bolade Casel wailed a soulful vocal and the entire hall was used as chorus for the uplifting “Fulani Chant” that recognizes God in nature. Nature and Earth Day was further saluted by the exuberant emotional performance of Aisha Kahlil on “the Soul of Nature” that joined with her Dream chant as some of the most adventuresome music in the show. As a cautionary tale “Greed” was powerful, yet simple, touching the heart while repeating the message until it rung true.
The second half was a full of stories of courage in African-American history, hard-earned wisdom, hope in our children’s future and our place on earth. When “Sweet Honey in the Rock” sang for the children the hopeful song “I Like It That Way” or “Members of the World’s Community” you felt just like you were part of something bigger than the seat there in the Center. When they sang “Breaths” it made you cherish your own respiration and a piece of the action hereabouts. This is truly feel good music, always asking for the best in people without falling back into ignorance or apathy.Much of the rest of the concert centered on Black history and music held together by one valuable thread: freedom. There was “the Ballad of Harry T. Moore,” “Song of Freedom” and the deeply moving “Peace” that asked the audience to demand an end to violence and sent out a healing glow that passed over the crowd like a sweet musical zephyr. Only the encore of “Down the Road I Be Goin’” was left and the delighted crowd experienced their only letdown as the music finally faded into thunderous applause.

Juilliard String Quartet April 11, 2008

2008-04-12T14:43:00.001-07:00

Juilliard String Quartet Classical Quality at Cerritos

By Glen Creason

There is something so civilized about an evening of classical music at the theater, especially if the charmed hall is our own Performing Arts Center. Especially inviting are the sounds of a string quartet that suggest intimacy and fine musicianship inherent in such a concert. Being that the performers on this Friday night at the great hall were the exalted Juilliard String Quartet, possessing an illustrious bloodline and fifty years of such performances behind them and the composers were none other than Papa Haydn, Dmitri Shostakovich and Ludwig Van Beethoven this one seemed to be a sure thing. Certainly the evening possessed all of the assumed joys from those components but added much in the passion of the performance and some real surprises along the way. The Juilliard String Quartet is Joel Smirnoff and Ronald Copes on violins, Samuel Rhodes on Viola and Joel Krosnick on Cello. Each gentleman is an accomplished musician but in a string quartet putting egos aside and playing as one is all-important. This group is absolutely seamless in their approach and execution.
The concert opening Quartet in E-flat Major, Opus 76, No. 6 by Joseph Haydn showed some hints of adventure, commencing with the unusual allegretto that was rather forward thinking for the late 18th century when it premiered. The challenging piece was performed by the quartet with panache especially the beautiful Fantasia with the cello of Joel Krosnick taking flight and the playful Menuetto where the violins, viola and cello quite literally danced through the movement. Despite our two hundred year perspective on this composition it was very much ahead of its time with the future of 1800 ahead.
Shostakovich’s Quartet No. 13 in b-flat minor, Opus 138 was everything but soothing and classical. The piece immediately established a Russian influence and a modern setting charging the hall with unsettling, sometimes even disturbing musical images. The quartet is comprised of one adagio movement but five sections that make great demands on the musicians and their instruments. Violins are tapped in percussion, strings plucked and the central viola maintains a kind of expressive center to this rather challenging composition. Certainly, on this night there were those in the audience not enamored of this twentieth century modernism but others who sprang to their feet in a standing ovation at the conclusion. Shostakovich seems to bring strong emotions out of most aficionados of the form. If the Haydn was a delightful appetizer on the night and Shostakovich the daring entrée of exotica, then the concluding Beethoven was a lovely dessert. The Quartet in F Major, Opus 59, number 1 was sweetly lyrical, refreshingly energetic, expressive with rather grand gestures and gorgeous in its melody. The four movements had a perfect balance: the playful opening allegro, the very bold allegretto vivace, the dramatic adagio molto y mesto with its interplay between cello and violin and the finishing adagio based on a Russian melody that somehow completed the work perfectly.

Sonny Rollins April 5, 2008

2008-04-07T08:59:00.000-07:00

Sonny Rollins: Greatness at the Center

By Glen Creason

It’s hard to find the words to give the towering figure of Sonny Rollins his due when it comes to making music with his saxophone, the instrument he has created miracles with for over a half century. That sax is truly the writing instrument of this great man’s genius, a blessed, brass cornucopia of ideas, emotions and musical notes that seems to never be exhausted. In the hands and mind of this perfect master melodies and musical ideas take on added levels of meaning and become journeys of discovery with no two the same. Now approaching 80, Sonny Rollins seems not to notice time’s winged chariot hurrying near and his performance at Cerritos on this night was stunning in its power, inventiveness and artistry for a man of any age. For the most part the large audience sat in awed reverence, merely nodding to the percussion and bass accompaniment as Rollins wasted no time in a ninety minute set of pure passion that inspired the band to heights worthy of playing alongside the colossus.
Opening with the title track from his latest “Sonny Please” Rollins played out front for near ten minutes before handing it over to trombonist Clifton Anderson. It was a straightforward narration, as straight as Odysseus’ path in the Odyssey, featuring layers of riffs, bottomed out by bass notes from the horn in a stream that came rushing past the melody and back again before you could catch your breath.
The sweet “Someday I’ll Find You” was as lyrical and hopeful as the title, spiced by a wonderful guitar break by Bobby Broom and an amazing drumscape created by Kimati Dinizulu. Rollins was a team player on this one, dodging in and out of the melody but finishing the piece after some tasty interplay with excellent new drummer Kobie (Kobe?) Watkins with the first of several exquisite finishes. At times he almost sounded like he was sampling Stan Getz as he caressed the melody.
The following “Nice Lady” was swinging with a calypso beat bouncing the sax on top of a song so accessible you could imagine it getting lots of requests on radio IF there was radio with that kind of good taste. Sonny strode toward the edge of the stage at its conclusion and gave some lucky fans the thrill of their lives as he peppered them with tasty notes by the bushel. Without any ado he came right back with the superb Duke Ellington tune “In a Sentimental Mood” which featured larger spaces between notes which just served to bring the lovely melody into perfect perspective. When bassist Bob Cranshaw finished a pulse thumping solo, Sonny launched into a five minute conclusion that was worth the price of admission. In those mere minutes he packed more excitement than most can manage in a full hour and a half. “Half as Much” sounded very much like his "Way Out West" material which seems right on since the composition is by Hank Williams but the old honky tonker never heard it done exactly like Sonny styled it on this night. Even country and western works beautifully with this band. The trademark “Why Was I Born” sort of answered its own question as the fully limbered up Maestro Rollins just stood like a great heavyweight champion, rocking back and forth as the golden notes poured from his horn. The Cerritos audience coaxed them out for a single encore of “the Blues” which was the perfect end to a truly great night of Jazz. The entire concert reminded you of the movie “Big Night” where the master chefs created a masterpiece called a “timpano” full of the most scrumptious delicacies, layered in precise measures to create an unforgettable feast.

Shidara March 28, 2008

2008-04-01T11:18:00.001-07:00

To the Mountaintop with Shidara at Cerritos

By Glen Creason

The Taiko group Shidara visited the Performing Arts Center on Friday and brought with them an entire region of Japanese history and folklore. Their show “Heart of the Immortal Mountain” is an attempt to preserve these ancient traditions of the bucolic region of Okumikawa with music, dance and the thunder of taiko, one of the most powerful musical forms on earth. They hail from the rural climes of Toei where they live and train together in complete dedication to this art. Shidara loosely translated means a group of people with a strong will to succeed and persevere. This they did and more at this weekend show with passion and intensity hard to match in other genres. The creative force behind the group is a woman named Chabo who composes much of the music, is the artistic director and performer. This is not music to be taken lightly and it requires complete dedication and exhausting rehearsal and preparation. The packed house at the Center met each segment with encouragement and great appreciation that drove the musicians to greater heights which sometimes seems impossible when all the drums are working together, the eleven musicians playing as one, all 3,000 pounds of percussion on stage at once .
The riveting “Murasamenone” opened the show with just two joyful ladies played small drums (shime-daiko) creating the sound of heavy rain in the forest. Many of the pieces mirrored states of nature with an underlying philosophical commentary connecting man to nature. This was especially evident in the fascinating “Kazenomichi” which followed the wind through grass and trees but suggested the quest of mankind making choices and following roads not taken. It began with just two flutes and built into a huge, percussive wave that engulfed the audience in contemplative, then elevated pulses. “Niebuchi” finished the first half with a truly grand finish, every drum driving in astounding synchronicity, starting like drops of water turning into a rushing river of sound that might uproot boulders along the river bed.
The second half alternated between these thoughtful pieces like “Koganenokaze” with the three “shakuhachi” flutes playing a haunting melody, conjuring up the fields ripe for harvest resting and waving in the gentle breeze and the wildly energetic “Hono Kuni” which brought into play the magnificent “odaiko” drum which booms a bass foundation that reverberates through the entire piece and auditorium. “Tonbi” had a completely mesmerizing sound following a hawk’s circles in the wind, riding around the concert hall on sonic path that was almost visual in its execution. The flute became the hawk’s path and the six drums in pristine harmony formed an entire sky of sound. The following “Hono Kuni” left the already fevered audience in a state of taiko-awe which continued for the final piece “Hana Matsuri” which recreated the harvest festival of their region and brought scores of delighted concert-goers up onto the stage for dances, drumming and wide smiles of taiko-joy. Shidara had indeed, brought the heart of he Immortal Mountain to a hall in Southern California as several thousand Americans stepped the light fantastic for a Japanese harvest in a Toei.

Robert Cray Band April 22, 2008

2008-03-24T09:34:00.000-07:00

Robert Cray Band: Done Wrong, Done Right at Cerritos

By Glen Creason

The Robert Cray Band came to Cerritos and did not waste much time on a Saturday night making the hall sit up and bite off big chunks of the blues. The taste was deep and dark, filled with longing, heartache and some bittersweet wisdom. Somehow you don’t mind taking your lessons from a real master and Maestro Cray is certainly a bone fide professor of the genre, holding up that blazing Stratocaster and shouting long and low, those songs of the anguished and downhearted. You don’t have to have a broken heart to understand these songs but if you’ve been there they have a wonderful way of connecting your pain with everybody who has wallowed there and suffered it through. One of the reasons this unique American form is so beloved is because of this universality. When he sings it, you feel it and when he makes that guitar tell its tale that feeling reaches right into the deepest part of your soul. The poet says that pain carves the heart out to make room for joy and there were plenty of both on this night. Robert Cray is one of the new voices that have become old school in saving the precious music and keeping it vibrant and meaningful. He plays so hard and with such passion, an assistant brings him a fresh and freshly tuned ax after each and every song.
Those of us who may do some cubicle You Tube surfing when we are supposed to be working may have seen dozens of amazing Robert Cray solos but when he opened the show with “Bad Influence,” the amazingly edgy “Twelve Year Old Boy” and the espresso dark “Back Door Slam” he gave us enough astounding Fender notes to have filled an ordinary concert. He can sting the strings on individual notes, then blast into a rapid strumming that is almost orchestral, all the while leaving room for the extraordinary Robert Cray Band to strut their marvelous stuff. Here and there you can marvel at the towering keyboard skills of the wonderful Jim Pugh, along with the thundering backbeat of bassist Karl Sevareid and drummer Kevin Hayes. While Cray is a real blues man he does break out often in the show and the optimistic “Bouncin’ Back” was like a drink of ice water in the set which then returned to the trio of winners in the desperately sad “Where Do I Go From Here,” the traditional sounding “Phone Booth” and a contemporary cautionary tale about life on the streets called “Poor Johnny.” Pugh’s solo on “Where Do I Go” was just the first of several that could have stood as a show on their own. The man looks like my accountant and plays organ like Jimmy Reed.
Even though this performance is about the blues and Cray’s incredible guitar skills he gave time to the song “Twenty” which is a powerful anti-war song that placed in context with the repertoire made it even more potent with that message. The bell lap of this performance was a four hundred meters of blues comprised of “The One in the Middle,” the old beauty “Sitting On Top of the World” and encores comprised of the nice “Time Makes Two” and the true grit of “I’m Walking” that almost melted a guitar in its superior execution. As the song says “the blues aint nothing but a good man feeling bad.”

Gipsy Kings March 15, 2008

2008-03-17T12:35:00.000-07:00

Gipsy Kings

Conquer Cerritos

By Glen Creason

I can’t recall a more enthusiastic crowd or more passionate response to music in the Performing Arts Center this season than that of the packed house towards the Gipsy Kings on Saturday night. A beautiful group it was; that audience who stayed on their feet dancing for much of the show. Despite the rather monolithic onslaught of music, one pounding anthem after another, neither side seemed to tire. This is exciting music, a good-time soundscape that is richly colorful but no heavier than one tomato gazpacho. The ten men on stage strike a hypnotic groove, filled with strumming guitars and double percussion laid up on a bass foundation that rumbles right through mere flesh and blood. This is rumba catalana, the popular hybrid of traditional flamenco.
“Rumba Tec,” “La Tounga,” “Hacemos Amor” lead off in the Kings formula, just putting it into about second gear where they paused before putting the hammer down. “Avanssa” just put you around the campfire at the caravan, gulping heavy red wine and smoking gauloises while the raven tressed ladies whirl into the night. Certainly the best number in the first half was the fiery “Lleva Me” featuring another smoky vocal by Nicholas Reyes that began like a pop song and wandered deep into flamenco territory. The best moments are always when Tonino Baliardo stands stage center and takes his guitar to task at the head of five other such instruments with passion and control that is inspiring. Such was the case in “Inspiration” that was the natural follow up to the pop sound and introduction to the wailing flamenco vocal in “Un Amor” that had many of the lovelies swaying in ecstasy. “Tristessa” took the Gipsy sound into overdrive and by the time the first half closed with “Jobi Joba” there was only one man sitting in the hall. After intermission the show alternated between plaintive flamenco ballads and those driving instrumental forces of Gipsy King nature. The sentimental ones were “Sol Y Una,” “Mi Corazon” and the curtain raising “Camargue” that focused on the vocals of Nicolas, Canut and Andre Reyes. The rest was full-out Romany rocking, especially “Si Tu Mequires,” the quite tasty “La Dona,” “Pueblos” and “Pena Penita” that brought the crowd up for good. They stayed and danced through a rollicking ride with “Sabroso” filled with the band showing off their best licks in extended, exhausting jams. The huge bass of Bernard Paganotti creates a sturdy platform for the guitars and the group is blessed with two outstanding percussionists in the inexhaustible Jorge Trasante on drums and Rodolfo Pacheco on congas. With ten men wailing as one, the crowd joined to form a unified mass of gyrating, Gipsy fever. The wildly popular “Volare” followed with an entire hall standing, singing and clapping in rhythm in an amazing display of audience participation. Finally there was the totally rip-snorting finale of “Bamboleo” that seemed to last forever, and gave us one last gaze at the many gyrating Gipsy-loving beauties who proudly showed their moves and went home excited and happy, singing “bamboleo, bamboleo porque mi vida yo la prefiero vivir asi”

Ramsey Lewis Trio March 8, 2008

2008-03-10T11:18:00.000-07:00

Ramsey Lewis Trio Not So Surprising Talent at Cerritos

By Glen Creason

You had to wonder if anyone had wandered into the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday to hear some good old 1960’s R&B nostalgia provided by the Ramsey Lewis Trio. After all, they were responsible for one of all-time feel-good singles, climbing toward the top in 1965 with “the In Crowd” that boomed from juke boxes and 45 record vibraphonic car stereos for years after. Yet, the rather sophisticated crowd at this event did not look like that type. Instead, they were there to see and hear one of the most gifted jazz pianists in the world; the humble, elegant and quietly brilliant Ramsey Lewis. The rest of the trio is right up at this lofty level and Lewis gave both bassist Larry Gray and drummer Leon Joyce Jr. plenty of time and space to strut their sizeable chops. Lewis may be in his 70’s but his hands and musical instincts seem to be absolutely timeless. He can take any idea from any genre and make it sing on that big Steinway. This is a man who chooses to make his jazz accessible but never predictable or strictly conventional. As a matter of fact the prime example on this night was most certainly what the group did with that aforementioned pop chestnut “the In Crowd” which took flight for over twenty minutes of astounding sonic highways and bi-ways.
The evening was full of discoveries and musical wonders which flowed from Maestro Lewis’ liquid fingers. Several sweet tunes were drawn from a collaboration with the Joffrey Ballet’s dance performance of “To Know Her.” Lewis opened with “to Know Her Is to Love Her” which made a statement of equality in the trio and preceded the fresh and easy pop of “The Way She Smiles” from the ballet. Larry Gray’s bowed bass solo and just one of many fine drum interludes from Joyce set the tone for the entire concert. The classic Beatles song “In My Life” was transformed from a delicate and sweet ride on Lewis’ piano musings to an up tempo middle punctuated by an avant-garde preamble and swinging finish. Stepping outside of pop or jazz the trio played a piece destined to be performed with the Turtle Island String Quartet that was dreamy, almost new age in content but blending perfectly with the introspective explorations of tone and color that followed. The first half finished with the stimulating “Wade in the Water” which evolved into plain old driving pop that in context was amazing. The second half was short and truly inspirational with an electrifying improvisational journey through the gospel on which Ramsey Lewis cut his musical teeth. The “spiritual medley” included “Amazing Grace,” “Precious Lord,” “Come Sunday” or “Deliver Me” and “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” that showcased every bit of the trios skills and put the entire hall on its feet at the finish. The wonderful “In Crowd” included samples of all kinds of great memories including Jimmy Reed amongst others. The encore of a blood pumping “Oh Happy Day” made for a perfect finish to a terrific show.

John Hammond and Marcia Ball March 1, 2008

2008-03-03T09:57:00.000-08:00

John Hammond and Marcia Ball Have a Natural Ball at Cerritos

By Glen Creason

The full and fiery show, sizzling on the boards of the Performing Arts Center on Saturday night was a perfect example of the beauty of this versatile hall. John Hammond and Marcia Ball, a sort of indefinable pair of roots artists showed off great musicianship and superb taste in songs for a jammed packed two hours before a delighted audience. Hammond and Ball are the consummate veteran professionals whose names are not splashed on billboards nor are their mugs on tabloids but their skills are remarkable and the lessons they teach about great old music are indispensable. Not to be forgotten along with the musicology is the plain fact that they both just rocked the hall and had the chair dancers bopping in sections up and down the theater. The Center has that welcoming glow for such acts that brings the best music out of somewhat unsung artists such as these.
Hammond, who looked and played fantastic for a guy who has been howling out the blues for over forty years offered up an eclectic set featuring many new songs from his latest CD “Push Comes to Shove” that resonated like the gems from yesteryear. “Heartache Blues,” “Take a Fool’s Advise” and “You Know That’s Cold” stood out for this set. The old blues tunes included Jimmy Roger’s “Goin’ Away Baby,” Little Walter’s “Everything Is Going to Be Alright,” and Lightening Slim’s “Mean Old Lonesome Train.” There was also a tribute to the master Mose Allison in “Eyes Behind Your Head” and two perfectly done Tom Waits songs “Buzz Fledderjohn” and “Cold Water” that might have actually improved on the originals. Hammond demonstrated throughout his half that blues played with this kind of dedication and passion will never lose their luster, they just keep on shining when placed in the hands of a master.
Marcia Ball came out meaning business in the second half, picking up on the high energy created by Hammond and roaring through the first six songs in rapid, barrelhouse piano-sweetened succession. “Let’s Have a Natural Ball” “I Got My Red Beans Cookin’,” “Just Kiss Me Baby,” Peace Love and Barbecue” and the ecstatic “Right Back at It” made that howling audience loosen up all the Louisiana music muscles they had. While this is certainly a high energy, good-time show the highlight was probably the one serious song in the set. The emotional ballad “It’s a Miracle” allowed the crowd to get a little introspective and to give room for Ball’s powerfully expressive voice to reach peaks and blues valleys. Only Randy Newman’s towering “Louisiana 1927” slowed down the pulse-rate after that but the party pauses were worth it in spades. The finishing sprint featured lots of feel-good Louisiana material including “Party Town,” “That’s Enough of That Stuff,” “Crawfishin’” “Down the Road” and “Play With Your Poodle.” The blues found their place in a moving “Count the Days” and a funky gutbucket take on “Same Old Blues.” Of course, it is Long Tall Marcia Ball’s flying fingers that wring the maximum out of every tune. Her solo on “Crawfishin’,” had folks in the hall shaking their heads in absolute awe but it was just one of many. Encores flowed, the standing crowd roared and Miss Marcia made her triumphant exit, having proved the wonder of that good old roots music once again.