Review: Harmonie del Sur's BLOWING WIND: THE ORIGINAL NOISEMAKERS at the Tampa Fringe Festival

The Tampa Fringe Festival is like a Smorgasbord of the Arts; so many great works to choose from, some small, some large, some cool, some wacky. You get over a week to fill your plate with all of these unforgettable, mostly yummy works.  If you’re lucky enough to get into the wild SMUTTY BURLESQUE NERD: VULVA VA-VOOMS SHIP OF THESEUS or the memorable CAPTAIN HAVOC & THE BIG-TITTY BOG WITCHES, then you will be talking about it for days.  But what about the smaller shows, the ones that don’t have the words “vulva” or “titty” in their titles?

On Sunday, I was honored to attend a different show with a title that might seem a bit eyebrow-raising at first but is as sweet and benign as a newborn kitten: Harmonie del Sur’s BLOWING WIND: THE ORIGINAL NOISEMAKERS.

According to their blurb in the Fringe program: "Oboe and Trumpet?  Together? As a duo? Not as weird as you might think!"

Renowned local musicians Lauren and Robert Murray (Harmonie del Sur) have been married for over two decades, and their show, which on the surface may seem to be about the pairing of the oboe and the trumpet, is actually a love story deeper than anything you’ll find on the Hallmark Channel. When these two individuals play, it’s a love affair in action--their love of the music and of each other, and it is incredibly moving to witness in “these times of trouble” (as Paul McCartney would put it).

But the show, which lasts about 45 minutes, is not sentimental or schmaltzy in the least; it’s very real and grounded, relaxed rather than forced. 

At first I thought it was going to be like a college lecture with slides and stories and the names of various composers.  But don't worry, it’s so much more than that. The moment Mr. Murray played the iconic opening notes of Nino Rota’s Godfather theme on his trumpet, I sat up at attention and knew I was in the right place.  (I was told that when they perform for schools, they open with John Williams' Star Wars theme and Harry Potter theme, something they did during the Fringe preview last week; but they wanted something more adult for the Fringe, something different, so The Godfather was the obvious choice; it was an offer they couldn’t refuse.)

The couple takes us on a journey through their lives and geeky perks--with projected pictures of them  performing in various countries; photos with William Shatner for the Trekkers out there; bobble heads based on them; so many musical pieces written particularly for them; etc. There is also information about the instruments in question, which works (we never feel like we’re on a field trip), but it’s the music (beautifully played) and the vibe of the whole thing that ultimately whisked me away.   

Interestingly, I did not go into BLOWING WIND to review the show or even write about it.  I just wanted a moment of levity in this tough world, a moment of escape.  But I got so much more.  And I felt the need to write about it so that, yes, others can share in the glories of Harmonie del Sur’s  oboe and trumpet...and the glories of love.  The two musicians really never say it overtly, but it’s the subtext of the overall performance.  No wonder one of their composer friends wrote an entire piece about their courtship--Part 1. Innocence; Part 2. Sultry; and Part 3. Coy.

BLOWING WIND is a great American love story told through two musical instruments, and it will lighten your load, twinkle your toes, and give you a moment of simple joy in such a rough and tumble world.  It’s the flip side of any cynicism you might feel this year and a nice contrast to some of the more envelope-pushing Fringe shows.  It's a tonic, one that I highly recommend.

Harmonie del Sur’s BLOWING WIND: THE ORIGINAL NOISEMAKERS at the Tampa Fringe Festival plays at the Screen Door at Kress Contemporary in Ybor City.  Remaining showdates: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12 @ 8:15 PM; FRIDAY, JUNE 14 @ 8:45 PM; and SUNDAY, JUNE 16 @ Noon. Only $10. 

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