Sold out crowd well
entertained by Al Jarreau and The Cleveland Orchestra
Known as “the voice of
versatility,” seven time Grammy Award winner Al Jarreau joined The Cleveland
Orchestra, under the baton of Larry Baird, to energize and please a Severance
Hall audience on Sunday evening.
The 72-year old Jarreau,
who has been heralded as “one of the world’s greatest natural resources,” and
“the greatest jazz singer alive,” scatted, crooned, used his voice as a musical
instrument, held conversations with the orchestra, shuffled around the stage,
involved the audience in sing-alongs, and generally had a great time as he let
forth with many of his best selling songs and some Broadway tunes.
Though sometimes hard to
hear due to some mic problems in the first act, and his tendency to speak
quietly, it mattered not to his avid fans.
Smiling, with a perky beret
perched on his head, he sang stylized versions of Bess and Summertime from
PORGY AND BESS. He did his own
take on a medley of songs from WEST SIDE STORY, including Something’s Coming, Tonight,
Maria, I Feel Pretty and America. He added his salute to Broadway by
adding songs from THE SOUND OF MUSIC.
Other selections included
Everything in Time and God Bless America.
Baird, with flowing blond
hair, and a suede cowboy style jacked, looked more the leader of a band, rather
than a world famous orchestra. His
informal style well fit the Jarreau style.
The orchestra members,
who seemed totally delighted with Jarreau’s presentation, a departure from
their usual repertoire, played with their expected proficiency, often playing
back up to the band, consisting of the talented Larry Williams (piano), Mark
Simmons (drums), and Chris Walker (bass).
Jarreau even added his
political views by commenting that he needed to talk to “Barack” to make sure
that we keep music in the schools.
Capsule judgement: All-in-all, the evening was a love-n between Jarreau,
The Cleveland Orchestra, and the sold out audience.
