BWW Reviews: Displaying Vintage Performing Savoir Faire, DANNY BACHER Swings The Louis'--Armstrong, Prima, Jordan--at the Metropolitan Room
Danny Bacher has the performance ease of an artist who's spent twice his years on the circuit. His preternatural feel for swing delivers scrupulous control, hip, unfussy phrasing, nuanced inflection, and the kind of fluent, savory scat “wordless vocables” I haven't heard from a man in some time, certainly not one so young. His soprano saxophone and singing are so like one another in attitude and energy, Bacher epitomizes the musician whose instrument acts as solid manifestation of voice. His new CD release celebration show at the Metropolitan Room, Swing That Music (last performance of a four-show run today at 4 pm) is a jazz tribute to the three Louis: Louis Armstrong--Satchmo (1901-1971), Louis Prima--The King of Swing before Benny Goodman came along (1910-1978), and Louis Jordan--King of the Jukebox (1908-1975.) Musical numbers get along like the old friends they are, brushing shoulders, poking one another in the ribs, slapping backs. The show is well paced with next to no patter. Danny Bacher is the real deal; a musician to watch.
Amore Opera Presents Circus-Themed Double Bill, Now thru 1/5
The Amore Opera presents an evening of morte and amore with a circus-themed pairing of Leoncavallo's Pagliacci and the rarely performed operetta, The Circus Princess by Hungarian composer Emmerich Kálmán. This double bill conducted by Maestro Gregory Ortega and directed by Nathan Hull features new productions of both of these one-act works. It will open tonight, December 13 at 7:30pm at The Connelly Theater and runs for twelve performances through January 5, 2014.
Amore Opera to Present Circus-Themed Double Bill, 12/13-1/5
The Amore Opera presents an evening of morte and amore with a circus-themed pairing of Leoncavallo's Pagliacci and the rarely performed operetta, The Circus Princess by Hungarian composer Emmerich Kálmán. This double bill conducted by Maestro Gregory Ortega and directed by Nathan Hull features new productions of both of these one-act works. It will open on December 13 at 7:30pm at The Connelly Theater and runs for twelve performances through January 5, 2014.