[Dixielandjazz] Dixieland at the Naples (FL) Philharmonic

[Steve barbone]

Jazz at the Philharmonic? :-) VBG

Cheers,
Steve Barbone


'Bourbon Street Pops' really struts its stuff

By Peg Goldberg Longstreth Tuesday, April 25, 2006 NAPLES NEWS

I periodically grouse about pops music at the Phil because, over the years,
I've thought that some arrangements were a bit too pedantic.

During Saturday evening's "Bourbon Street Pops" at the Philharmonic Center
for the Arts, however, I had an entirely different impression. As one of my
friends wryly commented afterward, it was like sprinkling a bit too much
sugar on some otherwise great beignets!

For those who love the great jazz and Dixieland music, having the entire
Naples Philharmonic Orchestra and a sizzlingly talented group of seven
musicians called the Side Street Strutters felt almost superfluous on a
number of occasions.

The audience clearly disagreed. They loved popular returning guest conductor
Michael Krajewski, particularly during his gentle, witty repartee with
members of the Strutters. No one seemed to notice, or mind, that his
conducting style might best be described as virtually immobile.

Even when he cut loose at the piano during an excellent arrangement of Duke
Ellington's "Dancers in Love," with fingers dancing over the keyboard, he
was strangely still.

Hands down the best of the 15 arrangements of the evening was "Dixie
Medley," which wove "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "Charleston" and "Has
Anybody Seen My Baby" into some great jazz, and "Basin Street Blues," which
included some magical trombone work, along with a tiny slide trumpet with an
amazing range of sound.

Leading off the second half of the program was a primo arrangement of the
great W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues March." And "Saxophobia," continued to
put the Strutters through their paces. The oft-performed Ellington classic,
"It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing," was a hit with the
audience, the trumpeter proving he could simultaneously play and dance
without collapsing from exertion.

The group's high-voltage drummer blew the audience away with a blistering
performance of the number first made famous by Gene Krupa: "Sing Sing Sing."
My arms and hands were exhausted just from watching the incredible drum
maneuvers. Just about the time you thought he was finished, here he came
again, sticks little more than a blur.

For those who grew up in Hoagy Carmichael country, any musician who cannot
perform at least one of 5,000 or so arrangements of his immortal "Stardust"
will find themselves banished into outer darkness. Fortunately, this was one
of the selections in which the presence of the entire orchestra ‹
particularly the string section ‹ seemed to make the most sense.

One piece that fit into the "it makes no sense in this program" category was
the 1956 Hit Parade standard "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White." While it
was well-performed, with great repartee between the Strutters and Krajewski,
how did this non-Dixieland, non-jazz number sneak its way into the program?

My least favorite arrangement of the evening, though, was the great American
gospel hymn, "Just A Closer Walk With Thee." The dirge-like feeling was
never quite achieved; the post-funeral celebration missed its mark.
Sometimes an arrangement can try too hard to be cute, losing its way in the
process. This was one of those occasions.

But there was much to enjoy during the evening, not the least of which was
the obligatory encore: "When The Saints Go Marching In."

It proved to be the perfect conclusion.