Review: THE TENORS Wow in Strathmore Debut

On Saturday night, The Tenors - the hugely popular Canadian vocal quartet - was unexpectedly downsized to a trio. As announced just before the concert began at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland, Remigo Pereira would not be performing due to an illness that left him hospitalized in Toronto. This might have spelled disaster for many vocal groups not only known for their exceptional voices, but also tight and full harmonies and rapport with one another. Yet, I am happy to report that there were no signs of disaster for the remaining Tenors. In fact, Clifton Murray, Fraser Walters, and Victor Micallef rose to the occasion and then some. Backed by their equally exceptional band (with a special shout out to the incredibly versatile Brigham Phillips on keyboard, accordian, and trumpet), the polished, professional performers delighted the appreciative audience. They gave one of the most engaging and well-sung concerts I've seen in quite some time.

Singing nearly all of the songs on their latest album, Under One Sky, as well as many more, the three gifted yet personable singers managed to do what many other similar performers only aspire to do - sing music, which is largely inspirational, in a way that's not particularly schmaltzy, but is instead heartfelt and honest. Numerous highlights emerged throughout the concert. Whether singing well-known and loved songs like "Bésame Mucho" or "Nessun Dorma," (backed by the angelic Strathmore Children's Chorus) or original, new tunes like "My Father's Son" and "I Remember You," the men managed to both reach the rafters and seemingly sing to each audience member in a personalized, meaningful way. The diverse set list - which also included the likes of the Spanish-flavored "Granada," "Under One Sky," and the group's mainstay "Adagio" - proved they can sing pretty much anything and do it equally well. Whether the song required bombastic vocals or something very different, all of the vocalists were ready to take it on. More upbeat pop numbers - including "Under One Sky" - also showed their versatility as artists and ability to energize the crowd to take part in sharing music together.

The carefully selected and creatively arranged songs each play to the men's strengths. Victor Micallef's booming, rich, and incredibly pleasing operatic voice lent itself well to "Granada" (it was a nice touch to include a projected image of the Alhambra and flamenco dancer in the background), as well as a variety of other selections that fit comfortably in the classical genre. On other songs, he accompanied himself and the group on keys in an equally comfortable way. (On other songs, the extremely proficient Ryan deSouza - filling in for his brother Darryn, the Tenors' usual musical director - accompanied the group on piano.) Clifton Murray and Fraser Walters' voices are more of what you might find in the musical theatre or pop/rock genres. Accompanying themselves (and Micallef) on guitar on "I Remember You," their natural way of interpreting lyrics in an easy and carefree way shined through particularly well. Mark Inneo on drums and Anthony Mancini on guitar also enhanced the effectiveness of this song. (The fifth member of The Tenors' band is Richard Moore on bass - an equally gifted musician.)

As good as all of these aforementioned moments were, however, two other moments left the greatest impression on me.

Recalling how they got their start singing in church and lamenting about the increasingly chaotic world in which we live, they shared an exceedingly intimate and lovely rendition of the classic hymn, "How Great Thou Art." Growing up in church and attending an Evangelical Christian College, I've certainly heard my share of renditions of this hymn. However, hearing them sing it, it was as if I was hearing it for the first time. While the harmonies would have likely been a bit richer if Remigo was also singing, there were no noticeable holes. The cohesion of their voices, despite their different vocal qualities, is something of a marvel. My favorite moment came at the end of the song. Hearing their voices a cappella is quite the heavenly experience. It can be summarized as impeccable technique mixed with passion, and it's a quite wonderful combination.

Another highlight was the encore performance of "Hallelujah." In recent years, I've often grown sick of this song - it seems like every artist does it and not all seem to connect with the meaning - but the quiet intimacy of the Tenors' rendition is quite special. Here, the men's execution of the harmonies is exceptionally first rate. The arrangement is quite beautiful.

At some point in time, I'd love to hear the Tenors perform in a more intimate space so that the natural qualities in their voices can be appreciated even more. Even if the sound mixing seemed a bit too heavy-handed at some points in the concert - which was probably not needed thanks to the venue's exceptional acoustics - it was still quite easy to immediately realize the men are the real deal. They sound great on recordings, but they sound even better live, which is a rarity in today's world of popular music.

Running Time: Nearly two and a half hours with one intermission.

Photo: By Dan Lim.

The Tenors played the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland on November 21, 2015. For a list of upcoming Tenors concerts, see the group's website.

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