concerts | The Sleepless Critic

REVIEW: Rich harmonies and driving rhythms fuel the Man in Black’s powerful concert tribute in Merrimack’s Repertory Theatre’s ‘Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash’

Posted on December 21 by The Sleepless Critic

Lone static from an antique transistor radio symbolically rewind the clock to kick off this show and nothing but rich harmonies follow it.

Multi-instrumentalists Jenna Fawcett, Patrick Dinnsen, Nathan Yates Douglass, Andrew Frace and Celeste Vandermillen combine their marvelous music talents to deliver a Johnny Cash concert tribute that combines significant excerpts of Cash’s life, his activism, and his pearls of wisdom as a musician ahead of his time. No particular individual portrays Johnny Cash or other parts, but everyone offers their shared talents for an array of Cash’s dynamic and often storytelling hits including gospel, country and rock n roll that has made a legendary impact during his life and beyond.

Created by Richard Maltby, Jr. and conceived by William Meade, Merrimack Repertory Theatre presented concert tribute, Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash through December 14 at live and in person at Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Lowell, Massachusetts. The semi-interactive and occasionally sing-along production not limited to the stage ran approximately two hours including a 15 minute intermission. Click here for more information and for further details on Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s 47th season.

Andrew Frace, Jenna Fawcett, Nathan Yates Douglass, Patrick Dinnsen, and Celeste Vandermillen in MRT’s ‘Ring of Fire’ Photo by Meg Moore/megpix.com

Bronze, old-fashioned theatre lighting and a wood-infused down home, dual level, country barn stage complete with rocking chair and an array of leather strapped hanging guitars from banjo and electric to acoustic faithfully depict Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry and Cash’s country upbringing by set designer Shelley Barish.

Make no mistake though, Ring of Fire does not limit itself to just guitar, but washboard, harmonica, train whistle and amazing twirling bassist Nathan Yates Douglass also bring a genuine flavor to this style of music. Subtle nuances such as duck tape spread on an acoustic guitar also lend to the show’s faithful authenticity.

Andrew Frace, Jenna Fawcett, Celeste Vandermillen, Patrick Dinnsen, Nathan Yates Douglass in MRT’s ‘Ring of Fire’ Photo by Meg Moore/megpix.com

Sound designer David Remedios and lighting designer Brian J. Lilienthal dramatically combine to create tension in pounding thunderstorms and ominous lighting during the darker times of Cash’s life from his poverty-stricken upbringing, the tragedies, the triumphs, and meeting the love of his life.

Shades of country and western-tinged gray, black, blue and red dominate Amanda Gladu‘s coordinating costumes enhance the tone of this production. What I really enjoyed about the concert was its ability to slip seamlessly into this particular era in music from the 30’s to the 50s and beyond. Plain faced and natural, each skilled musician has a charismatic and warm quality that highlights how learned they are about this time frame. It truly made me feel like we were all back in time captured in its down home simplicity.

With slicked back hair, Andrew Frace depicts a few of Cash’s fresh faced hits and Patrick Dinnsen lends his deep baritone to songs such as for the insightful Man in Black. A fiddle-laden and guitar-tinged moving acapella lullaby captures The Sweet By and By. This group can jam and richly harmonize for the autobiographical and catchy Five Feet High and Rising and hymn-infused Daddy Sang Bass. Sunday Morning Comin’ Down captures a darker and pivotal period in Cash’s life, but the production also has its lighthearted and silly moments in Celeste Vandermillen as young June Carter on ukulele and her hilarious antics onstage. Songs that showcases Cash’s sillier side and skilled storytelling such as Dirty Old Egg Sucking Dog and the famous A Boy Named Sue are a lot of fun.

Andrew Frace, Nathan Yates Douglass, and Celeste Vandermillen in MRT’s ‘Ring of Fire’ Photo by Meg Moore/megpix.com

Of course, this talented quintet share great chemistry and narrated Cash’s significant and uplifting moments including some of his greatest hits such as Cry, Cry Cry, Get A Rhythm, Big River, I Walk the Line, its title track and Jenna Fawcett’s June Carter when Cash and Carter unite in marriage. Fawcett’s Far Side Banks of Jordan in its deep and acapella rhythms stood as one of the production’s most impactful moments.

Co-directed and musically directed by Karen Oster and co-directed and choreographed by Correy West, Merrimack Repertory Theatre delivered a powerful tribute to the Man in Black which was as moving as it was upbeat and humorous to remember a man who transcends generations and beyond.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre presented concert tribute, Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash through December 14 at live and in person at Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Lowell, Massachusetts. Click here for more information and for further details on Merrimack Repertory’s 47th season.

Touring Blues singer-songwriter musician Ryan Lee Crosby talks punk roots, new album and what draws him to music

Posted on July 15 by The Sleepless Critic

Mississippi blues singer-songwriter, guitarist and teacher has punk roots?

Ryan Lee Crosby has navigated quite a journey into the music world after setting his sights on his first guitar at three years old. I had the honor of interviewing Mississippi blues singer-songwriter, guitarist and teacher Ryan Lee Crosby about a new album, current international tour and what ultimately draws him to music. Click here to learn more about Blues musician Ryan Lee Crosby, hear his music and where he will perform next.

Sleepless Critic: I understand you were involved in punk at one point?

Ryan Lee Crosby: Yeah, when I first started performing publicly, I was involved in a post punk band called Cancer to the Stars. Labels are a tricky thing, but I suppose you could say that it was a post punk band.

SC: Ok, and what kind of sound did you have?

RLC: Well, we played together just shy of four years and our sound changed quite a bit over time. When we initially began about 25 years ago, we were drawing from electronic music like drum, bass and early ambient music from The Imbeciles, Brian Eno, Joy Division and Gang of Four. It was a rock trio, but we were interested in evoking electronic sounds with guitar, bass, drums and vocals.

Our sound became louder, more aggressive and noisier. By the time we ended, it was more like *sigh* a dark sounding rock band. It’s hard to describe. I think we had a lot of unusual influences such as Hip hop and trip hop. It was electronic and Nirvana was an influence too, so it was a lot of different things.

SC: I ask you that because I reviewed a documentary of a hard core punk band at the NYC Indie Film Festival a few years ago and the punk documentary was paired with a jazz documentary. You can make your own rules with jazz and punk, so perhaps that is how they related.

RLC: Yeah, I feel that there is an overlap between punk and blues too and it doesn’t surprise me to hear that punk and jazz can be considered in the same context. Where things become really interesting is in all those styles of music, I think it is also embedded in blues and punk.

I’m not a jazz musician, but I own some jazz records and within all of those, they are musical expressions of a yearning for freedom and a longing to transcend boundaries, make your own rules and your own community. Those are the threads that make them feel resonant.

I think of how brisk the momentum might be in 1940s bebop holding it alongside the hardcore punk of a band like Bad Brains. They may sound like completely different types of music to the casual listener, but I think there’s a lot we can get when we let go of what something looks like or where it’s from and feel into the underlying quality of the work. So, I think the rhythm and a sense of the momentum and drive in the rhythm a lot of times have a lot to do with that.

Ryan Lee Crosby with guitar Photo by Lisette Rooney

SC: I agree and great insight into how all these genres can tie together. You are a blues musician now, but how did you discover the guitar and how did you evolve into the artist you are now?

RLC: My first memory of the guitar is the one my mom had when I was three years old. It was kept in a separate room and I was not supposed to go in there. I remember going into this room and seeing the guitar under a light bulb so there was this light shining down on it. I didn’t start to play until much later. My uncle and both my brothers played guitar so I came to it a little bit late. My mom didn’t play, but I used that guitar on my first record and it disappeared somewhere in my early 20s. I don’t know what happened to it. Guitar was kind of a means of relieving pressure and something that helped me relax into myself.

I am a guitarist, music teacher and have an English degree. I never used my English degree, but it was something I enjoyed studying in school. I went to Northeastern University because I was interested in their Music Business program, but after about a year of being in the program, I realized that it wasn’t really for me. My parents didn’t want me to drop out of college and I didn’t have the heart to disappoint them so I stayed in school and got an English degree.

SC: I understand you have an avant guard blues style of playing the guitar.

RLC: Well, I’m very interested in regional traditions and Mississippi in particular. I spent time with a number of older practitioners down there, especially my primary mentor, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes. I relate to playing the blues in that way. That is oral tradition passed from person to person and my relationship to the blues is being as traditionally oriented as I can be. I want to honor the way as I understand music is taught and passed on. I also have these other genres and styles in my background and while I am organized around traditional Mississippi Blues, it all goes through the filter of my own life experience which includes a lot of other contexts. It’s traditional to a degree, but there are a lot of entrances that come into it so I end up doing things like playing an electric 12 string guitar or sometimes using an ambient slide guitar and other things that you wouldn’t normally hear in traditional Mississippi blues.

SC: You are in the middle of a big tour, but you are a Boston guitarist and singer-songwriter.

RLC: I lived in Boston for just shy of 25 years and that is home to me. A lot of my formative experiences all happened living in or around the city. I feel like a Bostonian at heart, but I have been living in Rhode Island for the last three years.

I recently played at Satellite at Remnant Brewing in Cambridge, MA and it was really lovely. A couple of shows in Boston this year, but for a lot of my life, I would play around town pretty frequently at places like TT the Bears, the Middle East, Atwoods, The Lizard Lounge and Passim. For the past few years, rather than trying to play in town every month, I’ll try to do two really intentional performances a year.

I have two or three weeks worth of tour dates that have not been announced yet, but this fall, I plan to do a good loop around New England, New York, NYC and then go down to Mississippi and do a loop in the South.

SC: What makes the concerts in the South different than the ones in Boston? If the blues is influenced in Mississippi, it must be a different feeling there.

RLC: Oh yeah, absolutely because the cultures are so different. Blues traditions were influenced by and created in Mississippi. If I go to play the Bentonia Blues Festival, that’s the style of music I love in the town it was created. If I’m playing that style in Blues in Boston, Rhode Island, Europe and elsewhere in the world, sometimes I’ll have to explain this kind of music. If I’m playing where the music originated, I don’t have to explain anything. If I do have to explain anything, I have to explain why I’m there.

In the South, audiences respond to an outgoingness that is not second nature to me as a New Englander. The mood of the exchanges is just different in lots of ways. Performing in Europe feels more like performing in New England. Europe has cultural differences too, but I feel more cultural differences in the South than in the Netherlands or in Germany. Going to the source where the music originates from is a powerful feeling.

I grew up in Northern Virginia until I was 11 and then moved to New England. Northern Virginia is just barely in the South and I don’t know how to connect what draws me to Mississippi, but it draws me somehow.

SC: Are you working on new music?

RLC: My new record, At the Bluefront, is out August 20 and we’ve been putting singles out from that album once a month or so. I believe there are three songs that they can listen to either at my band camp page, my website or through streaming services and I am working on new material as well.

SC: Do you have a favorite track that you really want people to listen to?

RLC: The first song is Catfish Blues featuring Jimmy “Duck” Holmes who sings and plays on the track which is a real honor. He’s on half the album. People can hear another song called Mistreating People which is a pretty traditional Bentonia Blues style as well.

SC: It’s a tough industry to be a musician. What is your biggest joy in what you do?

RLC: What keeps me going is a heartfelt desire and a longing that comes from what feels like right from the center of my being to feel connected. Music is an opportunity for us to connect to ourselves, connect to beauty, to meaning, to purpose and can give us a path and connect us to each other in community and in collaboration and to a sense of something bigger than ourselves. That’s what I’ve always wanted my life to be about and I feel very fortunate that I’ve been able to live that life and to keep on going.

SC: What I love the most about music is after a song is created, it doesn’t change. You can revisit it and you can change as you get older, but the music stays the same.

RLC: When you produce a recording or document, it can live on. It’s a beautiful thing.

Ryan Lee Crosby is currently on tour. Click here to learn more about Blues musician Ryan Lee Crosby, hear his music and where he will next take the stage.

Get to know Sam Brewer, GBH’s newly appointed General Manager of Music

Posted on October 23, 2024 by The Sleepless Critic

Music is the foundation for so many amazing aspects of life.

As GBH’s newly appointed Head of Music, Sam Brewer discusses music’s remarkable impact and how he started in the industry. He also shares where to listen to live concerts around Boston after work for free, insight into GBH’s extraordinary studios, and the revolutionary ways GBH is connecting artists to viewers and listeners.

Sleepless Critic: Just to clarify, GBH’s Head of Music primarily covers classical and jazz music?

Sam Brewer: Yes, it is the jazz and classical team. GBH Music is a multi-platform production team housed inside GBH with twelve full time and almost as many part time employees. Our biggest commitment and what everyone knows us for is CRB Classical 99.5 Boston. CRB produces over 50 broadcasts a year and we have a live concert every single week from Symphony Hall or Tanglewood. That includes concerts from the Boston Pops too.

General Manager of GBH Music Sam Brewer Photo by Meredith Nierman/GBH

We also program Jazz on 89.7 FM on the weekends and weekend overnights. For the past five years, we’ve had a series of about eight GBH Music Presents concerts at the Fraser Performance Studio or Calderwood Studio here at GBH. In person, streaming, and recorded performances are used on other platforms. Obviously they stream and may end up as an In Concert production.

Classical.org is the website for the radio station and a rich source of multimedia content about classical music, social media channels, and two newsletters which is one on jazz and one on classical and so much more.

From the GBH music perspective, we recently launched GBH Jazz Nights which are once a month performances at the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square. We’ve teamed up with JazzBoston to present jazz music the second Thursday of every month from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. It’s a free event and we want to capture people after work to stop by for an hour or two and get a beer and listen to music. It’s really to raise the profile of everything that we are doing in jazz. For the past few years we have done these studio jazz shows about four a year and we are looking have four again in the spring. We’ll have four in the spring to help us build up an audience, the excitement, and the anticipation for that and we feature a great lineup of performers.

Beyond December, we will be looking at a series of jazz performances at Fraser Performance Studio. Fraser is gorgeous and really the jewel of the production facilities at GBH. Antonio Oliart is our recording engineer on the GBH Music Team and he had a hand in designing the space and it’s his home along with Téa Mottolese who is our other recording engineer.

Antonio recorded an album at Fraser with violinist Hilary Hahn which was just named the Gramophone record of the year. It’s a huge honor and I think he’s won three or four Grammys from records he’s produced in that space. We host a lot of these GBH jazz and classical music events at Fraser and you’re really sitting with maybe 90 or 100 people in a multi-camera shoot in an acoustically perfect music space.

Ulysses Quartet perform at an event celebrating the leadership of Tony Rudel, General Manager GBH Music on October 1, 2024 at GBH Headquarters in Brighton, Mass. Photo by Meredith Nierman/GBH

The Boston Symphony Chamber Players came and recorded this beautiful video show in Fraser and then we streamed. It was in person and it will also become a radio broadcast in a week or two. Somebody came up to me after the performance and told me they have known this musician their whole life and have never seen this person up close playing like this.

SC: Oh, I love those experiences.

SB: That’s the real benefit of this space. You get a sort of intimacy with the music that you don’t really get in any other venue in Boston because of the size and how it is structured. It’s also how we host shows. Brian McCreath, the host of the BSO broadcasts, hosted this program. He’s a proxy for the audience and brings the audience into the stories behind the music in such a unique way.

SC: We know each other from the Boston Pops. What piqued your interest from the Boston Pops to make the transition over to GBH? I know it all starts with classical music.

SB: That’s a great question. I was a publicist at the BSO for about 10 years and started at the box office selling tickets. I was just looking for the next step in my career and there’s such a crossover between the GBH audience and the Boston Symphony audience and in an effort to sort of promote other types of content and other stories, I was drawn to the work in public media and found a happy home for the last six years working quite closely with the newsroom here. Of course the GBH Music team was my other main client here and pulled it back into the beauty, power and the rich, artistic life of classical music and jazz. That’s how I found myself working even more closely with the GBH Music Team.

SC: You must also find yourself working with some famous musicians. Which particular person stands out for you that you couldn’t believe you were working with them?

SB: There are countless people, but recently opera bass-baritone Davóne Tines. We had someone scheduled for the Getting into Opera program and it was a wonderful event open to the public. We are eventually going to turn it into a series for YouTube. We’ve done two of these before and we have another one coming up. We unfortunately lost the soprano who was scheduled to host this master class. The concept here is people get into opera by seeing how great vocal performances are shaped. So it’s a master class between a master teacher and a student.

The star soprano who was supposed to lead the performance had to cancel about 36 hours before. Davóne Tines came in and I had the opportunity to pick him up in a car and drive him over quickly before the performance was about to begin.

I was blown away how even at the last minute, he wanted to reshape what we were doing to put the artists in the center and focus on them as humans and people before he got to hear them sing or work with them as a coach. So, there are countless examples of artists I have met and been star struck or really moved by, but this one recently is just one of the benefits everyone on this team has which are these really close encounters with musicians as people and then get to share their stories with broader audiences. It’s of interest to any type of consumer of any media, but I think music in particular because it can be abstract and one of things we specialize in is sharing an artist’s story behind the music.

SC: How do you think your prior experience has prepared you for what you are doing now?

SB: Two of the trends in my career have been music and communications and I think they will be thoroughly employed in this role. Being so new to it, I can already tell one of the real joys of this role is working with all the people on this team. I think anyone in a leadership position is responsible for supporting the team’s work. It is really exciting to come to work every day with people who are ready to pitch new and creative ideas and try to find ways for those little seeds of ideas to grow to support the work of a lot of creative professionals. So, I suppose having a lot of experience as a communicator, in public relations, and then in public media has put me in a good position to help the team bring all this creativity to the forefront and to find things that resonate with audiences. I’m excited to see how we can keep growing this incredible foundation here.

SC: Music is the connection to everything.

SB: I agree with you.

SC: Speaking of which, what is your favorite music and kinds of artists you like to listen to for GBH?

SB: I think from a very early age, I’ve always loved orchestral music. I will just say broadly classical music encompassing classical, romantic, and baroque. We play on CRB Classical 99.5 over 500 years of this incredible compendium of artistic styles. It’s just so easy to get deeply lost in it and imagine your own stories.

It’s funny because I have certainly listened to all sorts of music. My wife and I went to the Weezer concert in Boston. It was great fun, but I also had this experience where we were all the way up in the nosebleed section. I don’t know what the capacity of TD Garden about 20,000 and it was a wonderful performance and I was thinking if I can just get one percent of these people to turn on CRB and find this intentional listening experience in the genres we promote, I think everyone would grow so tremendously. A lot of what we program on this station is intentional to capture people who find a familiar sound in what we do and discover that they like classical music. For example, Renaissance pieces that would be four minutes long and to someone who is just tuning in, it could sound like a folk song. There could be an energy to Telemann perfect for driving down the road. I’ve always loved orchestral music. The challenges and the fun of this role is to just to find people in this vast swath of people and find out who might want to come and join us and be part of this tribe.

SC: Classical is the foundation of so many other genres of music. The epic Clair de Lune is a famous classical piece you know that you don’t know that you know.

SB: I agree with you and I think there is also a willingness that there wasn’t ten or fifteen years ago to cross between genres and like what they hear without knowing what the label is. I just find there is a tremendous opportunity to turn more people into classical music and such growth potential there. I’m glad we’re focused on that central part of it and our goal is just to spread that out and make people fall in love with it.

One of CRB’s next events will be the GBH Music Holiday Spectacular taking place at Calderwood Studio. Be the first to learn about GBH’s upcoming music events through classical newsletter The Note and GBH’s Jazz newsletter.

REVIEW: Boston Pops capped of their Spring Pops season with a glorious celebration on Gospel Night’s 30th anniversary

Posted on June 20, 2024 by The Sleepless Critic

Celebrating 30 years, Boston Pops Gospel Night has stood the test of time as a glorious and revered annual tradition. Boasting an illuminated brass backdrop layered with firework shaped gold lighting as well as multi-colored imagery, Boston Symphony Hall welcomed a large crowd for this highly-anticipated, 30^th anniversary event for one night only on Saturday, June 8 live and in person in Boston, Massachusetts. Click here for more information and more on upcoming Boston Pops events including Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular featuring The Mavericks, Kelli O’Hara, and much more.

Each year, Gospel Night features a special blend of acclaimed musical guests, a variety of beloved songs delivered by the Boston Pops Gospel Choir as well as an array of memorable performances.

Renowned Conductor Charles Floyd Photo by Mike Mejia

Warmly greeting the crowd and the orchestra was accomplished conductor, pianist, and composer Charles Floyd, who has been conducting Gospel Night for the past 28 years. Click here for a closer look at Charles Floyd and his career.

Distinguished looking in a white tuxedo with black pants and a bow tie, Charles Floyd gave an appreciative wave before opening this joyous concert with George W. Chadwick’s spirited Jubilee which boasts a rush of excitement and anticipation as well as a mix of beautiful yearning and striking rhythms. Duke Ellington’s Caravan was an incredibly robust and exhilarating experience delivering drum-infused, head bobbing rhythms featuring Edmar Colón, David Rosado, Jeriel Sanjurjo and Gabriel Santiago on percussion and featuring Balla Kouyaté with an incredible sound on Balafon.

Balla Kouyaté on Balafon Photo by Mike Mejia

Ten-time Grammy Award-winning a capella gospel group Take 6 highlighted the event as they returned to Gospel Night for an uplifting set of impressive performances. Made up of a half a dozen captivating members which includes Claude McKnight, Mark Kibble, Joel Kibble, Dave Thomas, Alvin Chea, and Khristian Dentley in suits and tailored shirts, Take 6 took the audience on a wide and inspirational journey to provide encouragement and share their joy including the catchy harmonies in Feels Good, an upbeat, yet moving rendition of the Charlie Chaplin’s cover Smile, a fiddle-infused Lullaby and a nostalgic rendition of Ambrosia’s Biggest Part of Me. As cloud shaped lighting hovered above the orchestra, Take 6 also shared a divine rendition of David Bloom’s You deserve it steeped in echoing and acapella harmonies.

The return of A cappella gospel group ‘Take 6’ Claude McKnight, Mark Kibble, Joel Kibble, Dave Thomas, Alvin Chea, and Khristian Dentley Photo by Mike Mejia

The second half of Gospel Night is a rousing celebration encouraging everyone to let loose and dance with the energizing Boston Pops Gospel Choir. In a beautiful black dress and pearls, Katani Sumner encouraged the crowd to get on their feet for Smith’s All Praise which was further emphasized by Ray Martin in an uplifting rendition of Hallelujah You’re Worthy. Ida Kamrara elevated the celebration with Lord You’re Great and Brittany Wells and Loraine Adeymi joined together for a horn infused, expressive and high-powered duet of Wonderful is Your Name/I’m So Thankful as the energy escalated onstage culminating in Zion Rejoice with Sherylynn Sealy.

However, after the encore is the after party.

Led with incredible enthusiasm and sharing a few dance steps, The Boston Pops Gospel Choir Artistic Director and Brother Dennis L. Slaughter gears up each year for a grand, spirit-fueled finale after the finale. It is a toe tapping after party that usually could go all night long, if only they could. Whether it is due to the current state of the world, remnants of pandemic numbers, people buried in discouragement or a combination of all three, the audience’s response was not as enthusiastic has it has been in past years. The finale usually has everyone on their feet and Gospel Night was not as full as it has been in past years.

The Boston Pops Gospel Choir Photo by Mike Mejia

Earlier on during their set, Take 6 delivered an earnest and eloquent message of persistence and resilience before launching into a smooth and touching rendition of Over the Hill is Home. It spoke volumes about overcoming the heartache of life’s challenges and having faith to pull ourselves over that hill to a day that ‘shines so bright.’ We can all use encouragement in these dark times and Gospel Night uniquely brings home that exuberant and electrifying resolve each and every year if we let it sink in.

REVIEW: With a mix of joy, reflection, and sweet surprises, The Holiday Pops’ milestone 50th year continues to make the season bright

Posted on December 22, 2023 by The Sleepless Critic

From hymnal to classical to Santa to the Grinch, The Holiday Pops offers something for everyone and makes it easy to alleviate the stress of the season and happily embrace what truly matters.

Celebrating a milestone 50^th year and the welcome return of the all-volunteer Tanglewood Festival Chorus, The Holidays Pops delivers a tapestry of classical and beloved Christmas carols, spiritual hymns, as well as holiday traditions through art and illustrations which always includes an annual visit from a surprisingly innovative and always jolly Santa Claus. Boston Pops conductor and host, Keith Lockhart garners warmth and reflective holiday cheer weaving in a certain classic Grinch quote by Dr. Seuss, a highly anticipated sing-along, and maybe even a dancing Maestro.

12.1.23 Keith Lockhart conducts Holiday Pops 2023 (Hilary Scott)

Sponsored by Fidelity Investments, led by Keith Lockhart, and ideal for the whole family, The Holiday Pops continues at Boston Symphony Hall through Christmas Eve. The show runs two hours including an intermission. Click here for more information and tickets.

Elegantly adorning the intrinsically-detailed gold balconies with twinkling lights on thick, festive wreaths is just a sampling of the stunning surroundings inside Symphony Hall. The stage spontaneously comes to life from illuminated gifts to lighted Christmas trees to glimmering dancing snowflakes.

12.1.23 Baritone Andrew Garland performs Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carols with the Holiday Pops (Hilary Scott)

This beautiful performance delivered equal doses of contemplative material and lightheartedness with the first half fanciful and spiritual. Among the many highlights, Baritone Andrew Garland grandly delivered an eloquent and soaring rendition of Fantasia on Christmas Carols by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

12.1.23 12 Days of Christmas with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus (Hilary Scott)

With a generation bombarded with CGI and AI, The Holiday Pops thrilled audiences with author Jan Brett’s colorful, authentic and imaginative illustrations. Accompanied by seamless orchestration by the Boston Pops, the audience absorbed themselves in a Jan Brett children’s book that offers a rich new vision of Tchaikovsky’s classic, The Nutcracker. Among the memorable images was a fire breathing dragon, reindeers that have antlers with lighted candlesticks, dancing bears, and Santa in a headstand wearing a bucket hat.

12.1.23 Tribute to Harry Belafonte at Holiday Pops (Hilary Scott)

The evening also contained a moving tribute to EGOT Winner, activist, and musician Harry Belafonte not only honoring Belafonte’s calypso-inspired classic tunes, but his impressive activism featuring various pictures and video of his part in the March on Washington, supporting Martin Luther King Jr, and his work with UNICEF.

The Pops delivered a captivating gospel tribute in Swahili called The Good News Voyage arranged by David Coleman which contained Go Tell it on the Mountain. In the second half of the show, The Holidays Pops presented a Jewish song sung in Hebrew, Tikkun Olan (Heal the World), a riveting rendition expressing the yearning and urgency to heal and repair the world ‘Pray for peace and justice/For the sake of peace/heal the world’ as the tempo accelerated into a powerful crescendo.

12.1.23 Santa Claus with Keith Lockhart (Hilary Scott)

Brimming with beloved classic Christmas carols and guest appearances by Santa and more, the second half of Holiday Pops was a vibrant, yuletide spectacle joyfully kicking off with Sebesky’s Frosty All the Way, a jazz-infused medley featuring Jingle Bells, Frosty the Snowman and more. The brass ensemble spinning their instruments was among the playful sights as they performed this catchy and airy collection of carols.

12 Days of Christmas

Boston Pops’ charming signature versions of Sleigh Ride are always clever, cheeky, and increasingly full of madcap high jinks and the 12 Days of Christmas show that anything can happen among illuminated dancing snowflakes. The Holiday Pops also presented a special annual reading of Clement Clarke Moore’s Twas the Night before Christmas, read briskly by enthusiastic special guest WBZ News journalist Matt Shearer to mark its publication nearly 200 years ago before Santa arrived. While bulbs glow to the beat, the jolly Tanglewood Festival Chorus delivered A Merry Little Singalong in Santa hats and ears which included Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Walking in a Winter Wonderland, and more.

Holiday Pops concluded with the tender Let There Be Peace on Earth, as Earth shone overhead, brilliantly conveying the quiet hope for the coming New Year.

REVIEW: Fitz and the Tantrums groovily beat the heat and a storm at Indian Ranch

Posted on August 18, 2023 by The Sleepless Critic

No one can make people forget an unforgiving and sweltering heat quite like indie pop neo soul band Fitz and the Tantrums. Though the day called for storms, nothing was going to stop their positive vibes until after these multi-platinum artists finished their set. Their performance was politics-free, but no less personal and full of encouragement with a repertoire of groovy and upbeat sounds that make even those determined not to dance in this heat, bob and sway, get up and get down.

Fitz of Fitz and the Tantrums Photo credit Adam Klein

Fitz and the Tantrums appeared at Indian Ranch in Webster, MA on July 29 and it was one stop on a national tour that continues through October 1…so far. Click here for more information on upcoming Indian Ranch performances and click here for more information on Fitz and the Tantrums latest national tour.

Indian Ranch is an outdoor concert venue and more which features a lakeside view and beach. A portion of the seats do have a cover for rain and the shows are mostly rain or shine. The VIP pre-concert experience that day started at 11:30 am and featured barbeque with a choice of hamburgers, hotdogs, or veggie burgers, baked beans, corn, salads, and an array of desserts. Fitz and the Tantrums took the stage at 1:30pm for an almost 2 hour set including an encore.

Noelle from Fitz and the Tantrums Photo credit Adam Klein

Fitz and the Tantrums took the stage for a feel good set featuring an array of hit tunes and some songs off their new album, Let Yourself Free. Despite the heat, the group remained dedicated to their unique and classy style in dark pants and converse sneakers as the band heated up with horn –infused rhythms and flashing, multi-colored lights.

Most of the songs were infectious, lighthearted, and boasted wild rhythms. The enthusiastic band made the best of the heat as they encouraged the audience to dance and sing-along. A few of the highlights included a tune that lead singer Michael Fitzgerald or ‘Fitz’ wrote for his wife, Silver Platter. It’s a breezy, flirty and snappy single off their new album as he exclaimed, ‘Gimme-gimme that love-that love-that love.’ They also revved the audience up with the inspirational number, 123456 as the audience sang along, ‘Count it out! Shout it out!’

Noelle and Fitz from Fitz and the Tantrums Photo credit Adam Klein

Featuring an amazing saxophone solo by James King and Noelle Scaggs’s rhythmic tambourine, Fitz and the Tantrums grooved to Out of my League’s reverberating synth rhythms before delving into the knock down, get up workday struggle with Living for the Weekend.

Fitz and the Tantrums at Indian Ranch Photo credit Adam Klein

Fitz and the Tantrums kept the party going with their brief, but endlessly catchy title track, Let Yourself Free, the story of a dream with AHHHH! and didn’t leave out their biggest hits such as The Walker to the crowd’s delight.

REVIEW: Hosted by Jordan Rich, renowned Broadcast Hall of Fame recipient, author, veteran, and Boston radio legend Ron Della Chiesa celebrated his 85th birthday with a marvelous bash

Posted on March 1, 2023 by The Sleepless Critic

Ron Della Chiesa still spends his life doing the very thing that he loves best. When he is not sharing his extensive music knowledge on the air on Strictly Sinatra and Music America Sundays on Easy 99.1 FM or announcing for the Boston Symphony Orchestra or for Tanglewood under a warm summer sun, one of his biggest loves is opera. A frequent visitor to the MET, Ron’s father was an opera singer and Ron could passionately talk about opera from Giacomo Puccini to Marcello Giordani, two opera dynamos who are also the names of Ron and his wife Joyce’s beloved cats. Ron knows so much about opera that during the night of his 85^th birthday, he shared a little known fact about a famous opera singer and how the Phantom of the Opera musical really got its roots.

Raffaels in Hingham, MA Photo by Louise Lori Patricia

To the swinging sounds of Rico Barr and his Jump and Jive Band and hosted by Jordan Rich, Ron Della Chiesa’s 85^th birthday took place to a full house at Raffaels in Hingham, Massachusetts on Friday, February 17, the night before his real birthday.

Host Jordan Rich and Ron Della Chiesa Photo by Louise Lori Patricia

It seemed not so long ago that Ron was turning 70 and didn’t feel a bit like it. Still happily working in Broadcasting at 85, he still makes guest appearances to talk about Broadcast history, his popular book with bestselling author Erica Ferencik called Radio My Way and will be quick to tell anyone what still makes him fond of radio after all these years. Always good natured and positive, the theme of his birthday bash was ‘The Best is Yet to Come,’ not only named after a Sinatra song but the personal slogan of his amazing life.

Surprise appearance by Cha-Chi Loprete Photo by Jeanne Denizard

Tenor Matthew D i Battista sang the National Anthem to open this special evening. With guests invited to dress in red, people took to the dance floor to swing to an extensive list of American Standards performed by Rico’s band. The elegant evening even included a couple of songs Ron sang from Sinatra’s classic tunes.

Tenor Matthew DiBattista sings the National Anthem From L to R Ron Della Chisa Matthew DiBattista and Jordan-Rich Photo credit to Louise Lori Patricia

Music Director for the Boston Symphony Orchestra Andris Nelsons, renowned Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart, and popular jazz musicians Bo and Bill Winiker were among the special guests that sent their birthday wishes via phone. Popular DJ and close friend Cha-Chi Loprete surprised Ron with his presence. Born in Quincy, MA, Quincy Mayor Koch proclaimed February 18 as Ron Della Chiesa Day among many of Ron’s generous gifts. The evening also included birthday cake, cocktails, table seating, and countless guests reminiscing with Ron about his blessed life. Ron called it a magical evening he won’t soon forget!

Birthday slideshow produced by Christopher Desprez

Visit Strictly Sinatra and Music-America’s Facebook fan page for more photos of this celebrated evening. Ron’s Della Chiesa’s Strictly Sinatra and Music America offer occasional dance parties at Raffaels in Hingham, Massachusetts. The next event will be Ron Della Chiesa Strictly Sinatra Tribute Dance on November 3. Email musicnotnoise@aol.com, visit musicnotnoise.com or call Executive Producer Paul Schlosberg at 617-633-5100. To learn more about Ron, click here and listen to him on Easy 99.1 FM on Sunday night on Music America and Strictly Sinatra. Be sure to check out his memoir Radio My Way by Ron Della Chiesa and Erica Ferencik.

REVIEW: Accompanied by A Far Cry, NPR’s Rob Kapilow made an enthusiastic return to Boston with an American classic for Celebrity Series of Boston’s ‘What Makes it Great’ series

Posted on February 13, 2023 by The Sleepless Critic

Though NPR’s famous composer, conductor, author, and music commentator Rob Kapilow has unveiled quite a few eye catching music details over the years with Celebrity Series of Boston from Swing to Broadway to carols and much more, perhaps the most interesting takeaway from Aaron Copland’s classical music composition Appalachian Spring is that it is not about Appalachia nor is it about spring.

Making his return to NEC’s golden and gleaming Jordan Hall in person for the first time in front of an audience since the pandemic, NPR’s Rob Kapilow covered some fascinating music territory in What Makes it Great? with Rob Kapilow and a Far Cry Inventing America Part 2 Copland’s Appalachian Spring: An American Voice for Classical Music on Sunday, February 5 at Jordan Hall in Boston, Massachusetts. The show ran for 120 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. Click here for more information on Rob, here for more on A Far Cry, and here for more information about Celebrity Series of Boston.

Kapilow guided the audience through Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring with greater technical zeal and an interactive approach than he has in some of his past performances. Part teacher, humorist, and historian, Rob Kapilow has been performing the What Makes It Great series for approximately 15 years, expertly uncovering a new way to connect to a vast array of music and encouraging the listener to experience this music in an entirely new way from technical composition to its emotional impact.

As beautiful and fanciful as Appalachian Spring sounds, it is neither about Appalachia nor spring and was entirely imagined by Copland who was a Jewish immigrant from Brooklyn. What is so wondrous about this 40s piece is how Copland creates this imaginary and extraordinary world, a piece which was originally called House of Victory, and how it has been historically associated with America over the years. Kapilow uses a bit of a different approach for this particular work by expounding on the technical and mechanical side of the piece and inviting the audience to actively participate in the song’s musical patterns and rhythms. Appalachian Spring is also associated with lyrics and it is a based on the Shaker melody, Simple Gifts, and Rob spends a wealth of time on the mechanics of the piece and how it ties together. It is a method that would thrill classical music fans, music enthusiasts, and musicians alike. He even exposes the subtle intricacies of Copland’s inherent confidence, style, and how to identify it in Copland’s other works.

Grammy-nominated Chamber Orchestra A Far Cry Photo courtesy of A Far Cry

Adorned in suits, ties, and gowns, Grammy nominated and self-conducted chamber orchestra A Far Cry worked seamlessly with Kapilow as he broke down each aspect of the piece, a feat not easy to do with Kapilow’s specific stops and starts. A Far Cry has made its way around the world since they started in 2007 and what sets this orchestra apart from others is the open communication between each musician. A Far Cry reflected just how important it is to remain in sync with the group, especially since they must connect without a conductor. Their camaraderie and chemistry as they play is compelling to witness as they direct each other with each note.

Copland’s Appalachian Spring has a unique zest, playfulness and peppy thrill of nature through harp and chime as well as calm with a western tinge as Rob explains its historical significance and just why the piece is so enjoyable through each note’s placement, rest, and orchestration.

Appalachian Spring was a childhood favorite for Kapilow’s which was perfectly clear through his personal and humorous anecdotes and the natural and engaging enthusiasm he exhibited throughout the production. Rob is always teaching something new to even some of the most trained and learned music enthusiasts. It was easy to see he has missed the live audience and judging from the audience’s resounding applause and standing ovation, they have missed him too.

Celebrity Series of Boston continues its digital and in person season which includes Jason Moran and the Big Bandwagon on February 17, Dreamers Circus on February 24, Aoife Donovan on March 17, and David Sedaris on April 2, and the return of Alvin Ailey on May 4. Click here to see Sleepless Critic’s past review of Dreamers Circus. Click here to see the full list of Celebrity Series of Boston’s upcoming events.

REVIEW: Featuring Grammy award-winning mezzo-soprano Krista River and special guest musicians, A Far Cry ended season with a stirring ‘Sunset’

Posted on May 23, 2022 by The Sleepless Critic

Having witnessed A Far Cry’s triumphant return to performing live and in person last September as they kicked off their 15th season with Circle of Life, it was an honor and fitting to review Sunset, A Far Cry’s final concert of the season. Sunset was originally scheduled for March 2020 and this Grammy-nominated, self-directed chamber orchestra was thrilled to finally present it onstage. With a heartfelt introduction by Sarah Darling, Boston-based A Far Cry brought a diverse repertoire of suspense, tragedy, and soaring vocals by mezzo-soprano Krista River before joining a collection of promising musicians including Project STEP for a robust finale.

A Far Cry criers at Jordan Hall Boston MA Photo credit to A Far Cry

Following opening group Project STEP, A Far Cry took the gorgeous Jordan Hall stage in Boston, MA for their final concert on Friday, May 13 for 90 minutes with no intermission. A Far Cry will cap off their 15^th season with a Spring Soiree on June 1 at the Nathaniel Allen Center for Arts and Culture in Newton, MA. The event includes a sneak peek of next season, outdoor cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a charity auction with the option to attend in person or virtually. Click here for more information and here for a look at A Far Cry’s upcoming season.

Elegantly dressed in flowing dresses and suits, A Far Cry opened their final concert with all 18 criers for Julius Eastman’s Joy Boy. A piece likened to the feeling of falling in love, Joy Boy has a trickling and mounting intensity as the orchestra gradually comes to life. It is fascinating to watch the ebb and flow in Joy Boy’s soothing opening rhythms which escalate to a gripping crescendo before lulling into its resonating finale.

Imagine moments before a stunning discovery in a suspenseful film. That’s the escalating tension built around Lutoslawski’s fiery Musique Funebre, Spanish for Funeral Music. A Far Cry performs this chilling and somber dirge with rich, Hitchcockian flair enhanced by a stroke of the viola and plucking, creeping rhythms. Fueled by searing drama and violin-tinged, pulsing urgency, A Far Cry plays furiously to bring this masterful work to an exciting and astounding climax that might leave you with a few goose bumps by the finale.

‘Il Tramonto Photo credit to Sarah Darling/A Far Cry

Led by Grammy award-winning mezzo-soprano Krista River’s airy and soaring vocals, A Far Cry took on Respighi’s classic piece, Il Tramonto, which is an Italian phrase translated as The Sunset. It is a popular piece having been featured in films such as the western classic, The Good the Bad and the Ugly. Adorned in a shimmering blue gray gown with her hair swept into an updo, River’s expressive vocals and her stirring countenance brings out the surreal poignancy of this tragic romance. Based on a poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley, Il Tramonto has a moving story behind it and possibly inspired by a real life disaster in Indonesia.

Mezzo-soprano Krista River Photo credit to A Far Cry

A Far Cry recalled how music has been “cathartic journey” and like many in the arts and beyond, the love for the arts has been tested, especially in the last few years. Joined by promising musicians in New England Conservatory, NEC Prep, and Project STEP, A Far Cry brought this concert to a robust and wondrous close with Vicente Lusitano’s Aspice Domine and Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Fantasia on a Theme, the latter dedicated to an inspiring teacher that encouraged young musicians to pursue their musical aspirations. Highlighted by a duo of skilled violinists, this group of musicians brought A Far Cry’s 15^th season to a glorious close with a mix of fragility, power, and a stirring finale.

Students in Project STEP Photo credit to Project STEP/A Far Cry

A Far Cry will cap off their 15^th season with a Spring Soiree on June 1 at the Nathaniel Allen Center for Arts and Culture in Newton, MA. The event includes a sneak peek of next season, outdoor cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a charity auction with the option to attend in person or virtually. Click here for more information and here for a look at A Far Cry’s upcoming season.

REVIEW: Lexus Broadway in Boston’s ‘Ain’t too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations’ powerhouse vocals as compelling as their back story

Posted on April 29, 2022 by The Sleepless Critic

Get ready for a whirlwind concert experience fueled by vocal powerhouses. Having been familiar with the award-winning 1998 The Temptations miniseries produced by Temptations founder Otis Williams and based on the book featuring a special appearance by Smokey Robinson, it is no secret just how much material this musical had to cover and does so with finesse and upbeat pacing.

The Temptations Marcus Paul James as Otis Williams, James T. Lane as Paul Williams, Jalen Harris as Eddie Kendricks, Harrell Holmes Jr as Melvin Franklin and Elijah Ahmed Lewis as David Ruffin Photo credit to Lexus Broadway in Boston

Directed slickly by Des McAnuff and produced by Otis Williams and Shelly Berger, Lexus Broadway in Boston presents Tony award-winning jukebox musical Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations at Citizens Bank Opera House in Boston, MA through Sunday, May 1. The show is 2 hours and 30 minutes including an intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Behind every monumental group is a colossal tale. The story behind the Temptations spans decades encapsulating wild drama (some of which seems too incredible to be true) while members of the Temptations changed like a revolving door. Some of these legendary performers haunted by the past wrestled with inner turmoil and demons that indelibly impacted their own lives and with timeless and groundbreaking music comes sacrifice.

Marcus Paul James as Otis Williams (center) Photo credit to Lexus Broadway in Boston

Based on the Otis Williams and Patricia Romanowski’s The Temptations autobiography, the journey began in Detroit. Marcus Paul James is part preacher, part storyteller, and all heart as Temptations founder Otis Williams recalls admiring groups like The Cadillacs in his hometown when he wasn’t getting into trouble. Finding his calling to sing was like ‘the heavens opening up.’ Immediately engaging, James guides the audience through decades of the Temptations musical journey through the losses, the humor, dedication, arrogance, passion, tragedy, and fleeting success to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Most importantly though, it is a rich voyage through the classic Motown tunes that have stood the test of time not just by The Temptations, but the Supremes and other famous Motown classics of that time.

Jalen Harris as Eddie Kendricks with the Temptations and The Supremes together. Photo credit to Lexus Broadway in Boston

Decked out in suave matching gray suits and ties and launching into The Way You Do the Things You Do featuring the five original members composed of James T. Lane as Paul Williams, Harrell Holmes Jr as Melvin Franklin, Elijah Ahmad Lewis as David Ruffin, Jalen Harris as Eddie Kendricks, and Marcus Paul James as Otis Williams, Ain’t too Proud is an interactive, energetic, concert-driven locomotive as sliding vintage black and white photos and film depict the fans, the touring, the injustices, and the milestones through the years. The frequently moving, multilayered set by Robert Brill combined with Howell Binkley’s impressive lighting gives the slick illusion of the quick pace of their lives and the audience riding along for each transforming scene.

The Supremes – Traci Elaine Lee as Mary Wilson Deri’Andra Tucker as Diana Ross and Shayla Brielle G. as Florence Ballard Photo credit to Lexus Broadway in Boston

Not only does Ain’t too Proud feature Tony award-winning choreography, but some dynamite vocals from start to finish. Traci Elaine Lee delivers a dual role first with brief, but memorable impromptu vocals as fast-talking Johnnie Mae in a spectacular onstage Cadillac as as Mary Wilson of The Supremes. The Supremes, adorned in dazzling gowns by costume designer Paul Tazewell, make brief but memorable appearances with seamless vocals for classic numbers such as You Can’t Hurry Love and I’m Gonna Make You Love Me led by Deri’Andra Tucker as the luminous Diana Ross.

Though each member of the Temptations have good chemistry, baritone Marcus Paul James as Otis and Harrell Holmes Jr as dedicated and forthright bass singer Melvin, have an exceptional brotherly connection. Jalen Harris as falsetto Eddie Kendricks performed a memorable Just My Imagination to an enthusiastic crowd. Elijah Ahmad Lewis portrays complex and sensational tenor David Ruffin with charisma, arrogance, and affliction from the sweet first notes of My Girl to I Wish it Would Rain. The stirring I Wish it Would Rain symbolizes much more than love lost in this particular production.

Harris Matthew as Dennis Edwards (center) Marcus Paul James as Otis Williams, James T. Lane as Paul Williams, Harrell Holmes Jr as Melvin Franklin, and Jalen Harris as Eddie Kendricks Photo credit to Lexus Broadway in Boston

Ain’t too Proud delves into the lives of the Temptations, the classic tunes, what tears them apart, and what ultimately makes them the greatest Rhythm and Blues group in music history. With a total of 24 Temptations over the years, it is quite the tale to tell.

Lexus Broadway in Boston presents jukebox musical Ain’t too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations at Citizens Bank Opera House in Boston, MA through Sunday, May 1. Click here for more information and for tickets.