BWW Reviews: The 2015 Kennedy Center Spring Gala - 'It Don't Mean a Thing...A Celebration of Swing' Performance

In its 23rd incarnation, the Kennedy Center Spring Gala was a triumph.

Indeed, the 2015 edition of the Kennedy Center Spring Gala - titled "It Don't Mean a Thing..." - paid homage to the big-band music, extraordinary tunes, and iconic dancing of the Swing Era. At the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on a gorgeous Sunday evening, artists from a number of mediums came to celebrate this classic and seminal time in music history.

The Kennedy Center Concert Hall stage was adorned with lush drapes that boasted the simple design of a music staff with notes, providing an uncomplicated and yet meaningful backdrop for the evening's performances.

The concert began with an orchestral medley from the Kennedy Center All-Star Swing Orchestra, led by conductor John Clayton. The lively and brass music was a perfect prelude to the evening ahead, especially as it featured the lively Gottaswing D.C. Dancers halfway through the tunes.

Next, the Puppini Sisters sang an impeccably harmonized rendition of "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Following their song, legendary clarinetist and saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera (winner of 14 Grammy Awards) took the stage and, assisted by the Kennedy Center's swing orchestra, blew the roof off of the concert hall.

Following D'Rivera's astounding performance, Broadway icons Cheyenne Jackson and Megan Hilty took the stage. Jackson began with a solo performance of "Old Devil Moon," in a tribute to early Frank Sinatra. The truly marvelous Megan Hilty then sang both "Almost Like Being in Love" and "This Can't Be Love." They then joined forces for a wonderful duet of the legendary "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," by George and Ira Gershwin.

Terence Blanchard, a testament to the human lung capacity, followed the singers with two numbers that displayed his remarkable jazz trumpeting skills. His rendition of "Take the A Train" was incredible enough, but the power and force he displayed in "Ain't Misbehavin'" was monumental.

The Paul Taylor Dance Company then took the stage, accompanied by the Puppini Sisters, to perform a medley of songs by The Andrews Sisters. The fully staged and choreographed medley provided an illustrious and even moving depiction of American life during World War II.

Perhaps the greatest highlight of the evening was Jennifer Holliday's eleven o'clock number. The iconic Tony Award winner took the stage to pay tribute to Billie Holiday (who, for those playing at home, was born 100 years ago last month), and performed an utterly transcendent rendition of "God Bless the Child." Her powerhouse vocals moved the audience to preemptive applause and a standing ovation.

After Holliday's astonishing performance, all of the evening's performers came out to sing the Duke Ellington standard "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got that Swing)." Witnessing each individual's contribution to the song quite visibly illustrated how pervasive and multifaceted the swing music movement was and remains today.

Altogether, the evening was a lush tribute to the highly distinguishable style of swing music, and the performances in a way beckoned nostalgia for a time when swing was ubiquitous. The visible forethought and careful planning of the evening's program reflected the Kennedy Center's passion and commitment to the arts, and prompted the audience to think deeply about the sociocultural context of music, both historically, and looking to the future.

The 2015 Kennedy Center Spring Gala was a one-night-only performance on Sunday, May 3, 2015, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. For more information about the Kennedy Center, visit www.kennedy-center.org.

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