Harry Connick Jr. in Ottawa
My New Orleans Tour
Cultured Ottawa
My New Orleans Tour
Harry, is not of the Middle Eastern origin, but a few hours of flight away, born in America in 1967. He is a jack of all theatric/musical trades, a pianist, singer, conductor, and this entry will be too lengthy to grasp if we list all his endeavors and talents. Harry Connick Jr. and his Big Band presented an inspiring for any musician show. A few minutes into the concert I had a winning appetite to run home (that inspiring), pull out the carefully shelved jazz piano texts and get the chops on! What a treasured feeling that is for a musician, hard to come by!
As I entered the National Arts Centre, the place was swamped! One could not see left, right, ahead nor diagonally since people were everywhere! Some dressed in casual wear, while others sported evening gowns with their hair and make up all done up (just the women at this particular show). I wondered who felt more awkward – the people in sparkles or the ones wearing jeans.
Before the exhilirating concert, I visited the Dollarama shop to specifically purchase a noisy whistle to show my appreciation for the art. Sitting down beside an older gentleman, I asked him if he brought any noise makers, pointing to my whistle. He didn’t seem to respond, so I pulled out some paper to make notes about him.
I picked up my Dollarama binoculars and non Dollarama camera. As I snapped a picture of the for-now-closed splendid red velvet curtains, security caught me red handed, informing me of the prohibition to record any excerpt of the concert. "If a tree falls and noone hears it, did it really fall?" I didn't ask him, because I knew it didn't, but also had an assumption he'd disagree. The concert hasn’t begun yet, and the progress and purpose of technology all seemed to fade away in that moment. This balcony was going to fall for sure.
As the curtains unveiled, the audience stood firmly on their feet, cheering and clapping loudly, unlike any classical concert. It appeared as if my whistle will be of use after all! Without an introduction (we all knew who we came to see), Harry Connick Jr. and his Big Band played their rendition of a jazz standard, It Had To Be You. A big band is a jazz ensemble consisting of trumpets, trombones, saxophones and a rhythm section, which is a piano, acoustic bass, drums and other various percussion instruments. The number of players is not as high of a number as you'd witness in an orchestra, running anywhere from 12 – 20 people.[1] A twelve piece team,excluding the very special guest trombonist played several songs, before Harry got up from his piano to offer greetings.
I assumed much more walking, dancing around and singing to the band’s music from Harry, yet I wasn't disappointed when for most of the show he remained seated playing the grand piano. Singing for an approximately 1/4th of the show, Harry's piano skills - oustanding, shames any amateur pianist, including myself. I felt ashamed.
At typical classical shows, no matter how virtuous the musician’s technique or elaborate the composition, clapping is reserved until the end of the tune, and cheering is reserved for when you get home. In this particular setting, the audience screamed and clapped whenever they pleased, or were pleased with the band’s or as it seemed Harry’s extravagant piano displays. This happened after the first chord struck by Harry Connick and happened in the middle and ends of all the songs. I could get used to this, whistle whistle, whistle whistle!
My New Orleans tour of Harry Connick Jr. is a special tribute to New Orleans New Orleans New Orleans New Orleans
Saxophonists, trumpeters, trombonists and the drummer stayed in their arrangements, as seen in the picture, except for occasional tunes, when they came up to improvise. A very captivating feature was a tune I'd assume to be named, He said, She said. This particular piece incorporated a heaps of improv and the call and response technique. Harry called up one of his special guests to play the trombone and casually told him a story. “You know what happened? Me and my wife had a conversation...” He would improvise on the piano as he was talking, “My wife says to me," and he plays a little run on the piano to paint a picture of what she indeed said. “Then I said back to her,” he does another run, this time with a varied mood. This conversation continued as Harry was now playing the husband's role, special guest trombonist was tromboning away for Harry's wife (I wonder if he knew her well to tell).
At times, he'd play just a few notes, at others long elaborate melodic paragraphs. After a few minutes of this dialogue, Harry called up one of the Big Band trumpeters to come closer to the piano where he was to be the therapist for our couple. Now the therapist was giving the two a long extensive lecture, with the wife and husband stating their points of view in between these extravagant melodic improvisations. All in all, this was a fitting example of jazz - it's reputation for improvisation and of elaborate chord changes as well as melody. Although having carefully arranged pieces rather than improvised is one of Big Band’s characteristics, Harry takes jazz music to a new level, not limiting himself to any rules.
At times, he'd play just a few notes, at others long elaborate melodic paragraphs. After a few minutes of this dialogue, Harry called up one of the Big Band trumpeters to come closer to the piano where he was to be the therapist for our couple. Now the therapist was giving the two a long extensive lecture, with the wife and husband stating their points of view in between these extravagant melodic improvisations. All in all, this was a fitting example of jazz - it's reputation for improvisation and of elaborate chord changes as well as melody. Although having carefully arranged pieces rather than improvised is one of Big Band’s characteristics, Harry takes jazz music to a new level, not limiting himself to any rules.
Setting his own set of musical principles, a fusion of tastes, Harry has a close personalized relation with the audience. No pretentious polite character introducing songs, one after another, instead joking as with old friends over coffee and cards, Harry joked with the audience and with his musicians. He was silly and had a good time on stage, like one would at a local jam session. At one point, Harry’s nail broke and he could play no more, he said, until he gets it fixed. So he asks everyone in the audience, if we have any nail clippers, as if he is going to wait for me, while I fall off the balcony to hand him one! After a generous lady (it wasn't a man this time!) from the audience lent him one, Harry's problem only got worse - he did not know how to use one, so after a while of mumbling to himself, he jumps down from stage into the audience to this very generous lady in the first row, and tells her, “You figure this thing out.” She is struggling, the audience is laughing hysterically and I hear women on my balcony whimpering in a high pitched voice, ‘He’s SO funny, he’s so funny.’ Needless to say, we were all graced, amplified, the clipping of Harry Connick Jr. nails. Like August Rush said, everything's music, if you care to listen.
If we were inCambodia Ghana
All of the musicians were of the male gender, I wonder if it's harder to tour for lengthy periods for virtuous women musicians, with families under their fashioned belts. There are many female jazz musicians, but it is a genre dominated by males.
If we were in
All of the musicians were of the male gender, I wonder if it's harder to tour for lengthy periods for virtuous women musicians, with families under their fashioned belts. There are many female jazz musicians, but it is a genre dominated by males.
The bassist plucked an upright bass with his fingers, a standard playing technique for jazz, instead of bowing, like you would in a classical music setting. Interestingly enough, he did bow his bass through the first song. The trumpeters used their mutes at designated times, switching from a muted sound to an unmuted one interchangeably within the same song. Fascinating sight to watch if you noticed them doing it, as they'd make the switch real quick.
It was easy to spot the leader of the show. Harry was the only one speaking during the show, taking charge of certain songs, when he'd engange in an improvisation with the drummer. He would signal for certain musicians to play, sometimes making his way to musicians and whispering ideas into their ear. At the end of the song he'd sit back at the piano and finish up the song. Harry told us a story about this old instrument. During some of his travels, Harry would often play this particular piano outside of his resort and it struck a chord with him, he grew to love its antique sound. So the owners said, “You keep it, we don’t really need it!” So he followed their orders, and from then on began bringing it with him on his tour!
If you quickly glance at figure 2, you will spot an organ and the old piano on the top left of the stage and the congas behind the drum set. These instruments added balance and décor to the stage, and it seemed that was their main purpose, as they were only each used for one song during the show. Visual props give us emotions, thus making it a good investment and touch to the show.
The variety of musical spices throughout the concert kept us on our feet (while sitting),witnessing dancing, singing, eight different types of instruments, slow songs, upbeat songs, original songs and cover songs, improvisation and carefully arranged pieces, the regular band musicians and the special guest trombonist, interaction with the audience. The diversification of the show was intentional and very effective in keeping the audience’s attention.
Harry's butt shaking during his last song, accompanied by his co-dancer, the special guest trombonist turned the audience into the biggest nut people with nut allergies have ever seen! Noone anticipated this turn around, it was a moment that helped us shape Harry’s fun comedic personality.
The drummer seemed to have the most fun the entire time, all his limbs moving with energy that of a rock concert, constantly smiling. At one point his drum stick flew away, he was surprised for two seconds and magically on the third, a new stick reappeared and he continued playing without missing a beat with his foot on the bass drum. Experience and great skill exuberated from him.
The other musicians, calm and collective, sat still and played occasionally, unless informally requested by Harry Connick Jr. The music stands were digital – flat computer screens, ‘pages’ turned with a foot pedal attached to the screen. Every musician except the guest musician, drummer and bassist had one.
At the very end of the night, the big band played three upbeat jazz pieces, then the curtain closed. As expected, the audience cheered upon their feet. At last, my whistle would blend in to the high volumed crowd.
At the very end of the night, the big band played three upbeat jazz pieces, then the curtain closed. As expected, the audience cheered upon their feet. At last, my whistle would blend in to the high volumed crowd.
A minute later, sure enough, we were still standing and still cheering. And the moment we all have been waiting for! The curtains opened and Harry Connick Jr., the bassist and the saxophonist played an encore piece we all wanted to hear. Mr. Connick apologized for his forgetting to introduce his wonderful band to everyone. I Had To Be You, was the goodbye piece.
1 comment:
Well said.
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