This month, I saw Sheila E. at Howard Theatre. It was a lazy day, but I still was first to arrive. Howard Theatre's service was terrible, but I shared a table in the front row with nice people. We were all there for the music.
When the show started, it felt like I was on Speed, the rollercoaster in Las Vegas that took off at 45 miles an hour in 2 seconds. As the curtain rose, the band played an exhilarating, funky version of the national anthem, which ended with inspiring soundbites from great speakers, like Martin Luther King, Jr., and Barack Obama. The electric energy and excitement stayed this high for the next 90 minutes.
I can't find a setlist online to remind me of every song performed that night, but I'm not surprised. Once this show starts, you don't want to look away to write down song titles. Besides, I didn't even know all of the songs.
I know Sheila E. from her collaborations with Prince and her two big hits in the '80s, "Love Bazaar" and "The Glamorous Life." I remember Sheila E. because of these great songs, her amazing, entertaining drumming, and all the times she high-kicked her cymbals for punctuation.
She didn't kick any cymbals this time because she was barefoot. "I used to wear high heels all the time," she said. "But now I don't because...Because." All the ladies in the audience could relate!
For this show, Sheila wore a cool purple outfit with a sparkly sequin details. She looked royal in it with her long wavy hair.
I want to be this vibrant and beautiful at 61, please. I've got to get into shape!
Sheila's tribute to Prince, which I think we were all hoping for, was a medley of classics that included "Baby I'm a Star" and the guitar solo from "Purple Rain," which she ended in a dramatic pose, holding up her guitar. Afterward, someone next to me yelled out a request for "Koo Koo," such an old song in her catalogue that she laughed, "That dries my tears. Who said that?" She played it, even though she had to jog her memory for the lyrics.
Sheila and her fantastic bandmates were all so friendly with the crowd. Sheila was thrilled to see so many hands raised when she asked who was seeing her for the first time. She talking to and hugged some people, invited others onstage to dance, and at one point, walked around our tables with a microphone and guitar to sing among us.
When she spoke, it was mostly about the unifying and healing power of music. She said she's sick of what she sees on TV and that only love will conquer all the divisiveness in the world. She told us to find a nearby stranger to hug, so we did. It was that kind of show, full of positive energy that could change your life. Thanks, Sheila E. I needed that!
Sheila E.'s performances were so energetic, I found myself recording what can't be captured in photos alone. Here are some great moments from the show. (I rarely record videos on my phone, so forgive the portrait orientation that, in my delirium, I didn't think to change to landscape.)
Here's just a little taste of The Queen of Percussion...
Sheila played a lot on that little drum set and even kept the beats going by dragging the cymbals on wheels around the stage with her. Then, somewhere in the middle of the show, she moved over to the big drums, and a person behind me said, "Look out, people, it's about to get real!"
To cap off the show, she played "A Glamorous Life," the song we all wanted to hear. Everyone sang along. Do you remember the words too?
If Sheila E. is performing somewhere near you, go see her! It'll do you good.
P.S. The Kitties are returning! Look for new illustrations, coming in November!
Last year, I saw some wonderful performances, like my favorite tapper Savion Glover at Howard Theatre, here in D.C., and Steve Martin and Martin Short, making a stop on their comedy tour at Ohio Theatre in Columbus. I attended my first opera, which I was drawn to by trumpeter Terence Blanchard, who wrote the music. Called Champion, this jazz-infused opera at the Kennedy Center tackled homophobia through a moving portrayal of closeted gay boxer Emile Griffin. (Watch Terence Blanchard talk about the opera in this video.) I hit the theatre a few times, too. My favorite show was Mean Girls, the Musical, at National Theatre. Tina Fey wrote it based on her spot-on movie about high school cliques. I felt lucky that it made a stop in D.C. before heading to Broadway, just when I needed a good laugh.
The rest of 2017 was all about music. Here's a run-through of my favorite concerts, with some links to tunes, so you can get a taste. Enjoy!
Hello, Hip-Hop!
I saw these hip-hop legends for the first time.
I kicked off the year with Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) on New Year's Eve. He played a series of concerts before heading over to Africa to begin a new adventure as a painter. I know Mos Def more from his movie roles, but it was special to see him perform and get the Kennedy Center crowd bouncing. Listen to Mos Def's 2009 song, "Life is Good".
Q-Tip did the same, accompanied by pianist Jason Moran. I was thrilled to see the frontman of A Tribe Called Quest, who is the inaugural artistic director of hip-hop culture for the Kennedy Center. Performing in the renovated Terrace Theater, Q-Tip introduced himself and the genre to the Kennedy Center regulars. Watch A Tribe Called Quest performed their new song, called "We the People", on Saturday Night Live in 2016.
Jazz It Up!
I stuck with some of my favorites in jazz.
On a night off from playing in the jazz quartet for Terence Blanchard's opera, Jeff "Tain"Watts played two sets at Blues Alley with his own band. One of the most inventive drummers in the world, Tain gets in the zone, and his blissful facial expressions make him just as entertaining to watch as he is to hear. I stayed for both sets because I would've regretted leaving. Here's a 2009 video for "Return of the Jitney Man" by Jeff Watts.
Also at Blues Alley, I caught vibraphonist Gary Burton on
his farewell tour, accompanied by pianist Makato Ozone. Watching these two master musicians play a flawless set was unforgettable. The level of artistry and sound transformed the space, stunned the attentive audience into cheers, and left us wanting "Farewell Tour" to be a typo. Watch Gary Burton and Makato Ozone, from 2002, play "Afro Blue" at the Montreax Jazz Festival.
With 2017 marking Thelonious Monk's 100th birthday, pianist Jason Moran, the Kennedy Center's artistic director for jazz, threw a celebratory concert with fellow fans, including pianist Kenny Barron. While this concert included bits of Jason Moran's In My Mind: Monk at Town Hall show, which he performed at the Kennedy Center in 2016, this concert offered additional music and first-hand personal stories about the musician. Like any good party, the concert ended with band members parading into the grand hall and mixing with the elated audience members who followed. See Jason Moran play Monk's "Thelonious" in this video from 2009.
I was thrilled to see bassist Ron Carter again with his quartet at the Kennedy Center. Ron Carter is all class – always polished, professional, and pure sound. He played everything from jazz standards, like "My Funny Valentine", to the classical music of Bach. He even threw in an old cowboy jingle. I don't think he knows any bad notes. I don't know what song Ron Carter is playing in this 2011performance, but I like it.
Make Way for the Girls!
These ladies are all unique and wonderful.
I've followed Aimee Mann since her 'Til Tuesday days in the '80s, and her artistry and musicianship only gets better. Supporting her latest solo album, Mental Illness, she stopped at Lincoln Theatre, and invited us to settle in for some sad songs. She describes this collection of songs as her most depressing yet, but that's not how you feel at her shows. With her deadpan sense of humor and down-to-earth charm, Aimee Mann lit up the venue between songs and kept everyone laughing. Her shows feel like intimate parties among all of us who have a mutual understanding of her messages. We get her music, we get her jokes, and we know it's a special combination that only she can deliver. She performed "Patient Zero" in 2017 for Prairie Home Companion.
A few years ago, my friend sent me her favorite Gillian Welch album, and when the songs come up on my iPod, they always stop me. Accompanied by David Rawlings at the Kennedy Center this summer,
Gillian Welch didn't disappoint with her folk/rock concoctions. The sparse set and acoustic show, involving two guitars and sometimes a harmonica, didn't detract from the fullness of sound or energy. Like Aimee Mann, she charmed us with her sense of humor and blew us away with her voice. I'm not sure what year this is, but watch Gillian Welch and David Rawlings show off their guitar skills, playing one of their best songs, "Time (The Revelator)".
I first saw Meshell Ndegeocellowhen she supported Sting on tour in the '80s or '90s at a concert I attended with my dad and sister. We became instant fans. For this special concert tribute to Nina Simone, Meshell Ndegeocello played songs from her album, Pour un Ame Souveraine: A dedication to Nina Simone,and had surprise guest Toshi Reagon join her on some of them. I first saw Toshi Reagon when she supported a Michelle Dorrance tap show. Afterward, I told everyone about the cool lady with the big voice who accompanied the dancers. To see these two women performing together felt like a once-in-a-lifetime event. Their interpretations of Nina Simone's unique music flooded the room and entranced those of us who experienced it. Here's a track from the album called "Real, Real" that features Toshi Reagon.
I know Lisa Fischer because of Sting too. She's performed with him and as a special guest at the last few benefit concerts he's hosted for the Rainforest Foundation in New York. She's also toured with the Rolling Stones as their lead back-up singer,
but you might know her from the Oscar-winning documentary about amazing back-up singers 30 Feet from Stardom. I was excited to see Lisa Fischer and Grand Batonwith her performing front and center. She has a big voice with surprising range. The song arrangements by Grand Baton were entirely unique. With their accompaniment, she sang jazz standards, original compositions, and popular songs, including barely recognizable versions of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Message in a Bottle." Sting's right, Lisa Fischer is a star. See her with Grand Baton performing the "The Last Goodbye" in 2014.
These Guys Know All My Favorite Songs.
Where Sting goes, I will follow, and wherever David Bowie is, I hope he hears us.
Only Sting could get me to a casino. He performed at the new MGM National Harbor casino in Oxon Hill, Maryland, in support of his latest studio album, 57th & 9th. Begrudgingly, I arrived in the suburbs bright and early, with snacks and activities planned to help me while away the hours until the 8 p.m. show started. I waited in line to get my wristband at 11 a.m. Then I waited around until it was time to wait in line as part of the general admission crowd. After I finally claimed a second-row spot in the theater, I had to wait among the crowd for another couple hours until the show started. The show began on time and never bothered to pause. It was a continuous 3-hour performance of new material and classic hits, shared with up-and-coming energetic support act The Last Bandoleros and family members – Sting's son, Joe Sumner, and longtime guitarist Dominic Miller's son, Rufus. I felt old when I realized that I last saw Rufus Miller with braces on his teeth selling CDs for his dad at Blues Alley, but Sting snapped me out of it. As usual, he was in top form, able to outlast us all and keep us bouncing in unison. I never doubted he'd be worth the wait. Listen to Sting perform his latest Oscar-nominated song, "The Empty Chair" – a tribute to murdered American journalist James Foley.
In Wes Anderson's 2004 film, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Brazilian musician/actor Seu Jorge plays a guitar-carrying sailor on an expedition with Bill Murray. Throughout the film, he performs in Portuguese acoustic renditions of David Bowie classics, like "Ziggy Stardust" and "Changes." For this Kennedy Center concert with the National Symphony Orchestra, The Life Aquatic: A Tribute to David Bowie, Seu Jorge dressed in character and shared stories about hearing and learning these songs for the first time. (The only David Bowie song he knew when Wes Anderson approached him about this project was "Let's Dance.") The dimly lit concert hall was set with some maritime props and covered in mist, which all seemed appropriate for this special occasion. Despite the unnecessary orchestral arrangements and foreign language interpretation, everyone in this audience recognized each song instantaneously and had the same joyful reaction. (Some of us even sang along in English.) These songs are built to last. Thanks, Bowie! Because I couldn't pick a favorite, watch Seu Jorge performing "Space Oddity" and "Rebel Rebel" in for Austin City Limits in 2016.
What does 2018 have in store? See you at the next show.
Best,
Photo credits: Q-Tip with Jason Moran: Tracey Salazar; Jeff Watts: Ralf Dombrowski; Kenny Barron and Jason Moran: Jati Lindsay; Ron Carter: Joal A. Siegel; Aimee Mann: Mark D. Caicedo; Gillan Welch and David Rawlings: Rick Diamond/Getty Images; Meshell Ndegeocello: Joachim Bertrand/Funk-U; Lisa Fischer: Joyce Jones/Suga Bowl Photography; Sting: Matt Condon; Seu Jorge: Sachyn Mital
I'm slow in tackling Illustration Friday's drawing topics this year because I've been pondering my tribute to George Michael, who died on Christmas Day. (Thanks again, 2016.) Technically, my tribute could relate to two recent topics, Tape and Sound, because most of my memories of George Michael involve dancing around my room to my Wham! (Fantastic and Make It Big) and Faith cassette tapes. I danced beyond my room when I upgraded to a Discman, which allowed me to tune into Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1, wherever I wanted.
MTV introduced me to George Michael. He was pretty and had style. He made great videos, had a fantastic voice, and wrote amazing songs – a vast catalogue of pop perfection with thoughtful messages. While I haven't heard all of his latest work, I grew up listening to Wham! and George Michael's first two solo albums; all those songs are still among my favorites. George Michael was always there for me, offering through his music whatever my mood needed.
In mid-December, I attended the biennial Rainforest Fund charity concert in New York, which had a seasonal/holiday theme. When Sting broke into a cover of Wham!'s "Last Christmas," I – and all the girls around me – gasped and started joyfully dancing and singing along in our seats. (George Michael has that effect on all of us!) I secretly hoped that George Michael would make a surprise appearance to finish the song himself. I wondered what he was doing now.
After I heard the news, I spent the rest of my Christmas vacation reading more about his life. I was reminded of his bravery and humor in the face of life's challenges and whatever unnecessary details the tabloids published about them. I learned about his big-hearted generosity among friends, fans, and strangers alike. And, suddenly, I longed for that ever-present honesty in everything he did. What song should I listen to now, George Michael?
This drawing is a true story. (I've upgraded my Discman to an iPod so don't worry, George Michael, The Kitties and I are still dancing and singing along.) Here, we're listening to "Freedom '90", one of many songs that perfectly captures a moment of honesty and growth in George Michael's life, as he sheds his early pop star image and asks to be accepted for who he really is. We could all use some more of that.
Last March, the Kennedy Center celebrated Thelonious Monk with two events, a listening party and an homage to Monk's landmark Town Hall Concert in New York in 1959. Here's how super cool they were.
Thelonious Monk Listening Party (March 21, 2015)
When Jason Moran took over the post of Artistic Director of Jazz at the Kennedy Center, I had no idea who he was. I don't know if these listening parties at the Kennedy Center started with him, but they're genius!
Thelonious Monk attracted me to this event, which had no description. It turned out to be just as it sounds: a listening party, during which we listened to pieces of music and talked about them afterward, "like you used you to with your friends when you brought home a new record," Jason Moran explained. I didn't get together with my friends to discuss my favorite albums when I was younger, but I knew what he meant: whenever I bought a new one, I listened and studied it as soon as I got home. This idea was right up my alley, and who's better talk about than Thelonious! At this event, about 30 of us sat in a circle with panelists Jason Moran, bassist Taurus Mateen, and French horn player Robert "Brother Ah" Northern, who actually performed with Thelonious Monk. We focused on the large speakers set up in the center of the room.
The panelists picked the songs for the program and explained why they were special to them. This was more of a talk amongst themselves than a group discussion, and I loved learning first-hand accounts of Thelonious Monk. Robert Northern told us that the musician was inspired to write "Evidence" after watching a community basketball game and thinking about his therapist, who Monk said had "no evidence" that he's manic. Aside from "Evidence," we listened to "Little Rootie Tootie," "Crepuscule with Nellie," "Thelonious," and "Nutty." I'd never heard "Nutty" before, and time ran out before they could talk about it. Who knew that this mysterious $12 educational event would leave me wanting more? It was an hour well spent and one of the many reasons why the Kennedy Center is one of the best places in town. Jason Moran's In My Mind: Monk at Town Hall, 1959 (March 28, 2015)
Thelonious Monk thinks and plays the piano like no one else can. The concept of this show – to capture that spirit in a new piece of work – seems like an impossible task to me, so I was excited to see the attempt.
To start the show, Jason Moran walked on stage, sat at the piano, and put on giant headphones. Thelonious Monk began to play on the speakers, and soon Jason Moran began to play along in his own way. As they played together, on a large screen above him, we toured Jason Moran's childhood home as he talked about his upbringing and introduction to Thelonious Monk's music when he was 13 years old. The narrative on screen also introduced Jason Moran's band – The Big Bandwagon – Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Walter Smith on tenor saxophone, Frank Lacy on trombone, Bob Stewart on tuba, Taurus Mateen on bass, and Nasheet Waits on drums. One by one, they joined in on playing introductory song with Jason Moran.
This tribute to Thelonious Monk's 1959 Town Hall concert was a mix of music and biography. Following the same set list as the original concert, the program paused at times for Jason Moran's stories about Thelonious Monk's influence on his own life or to play archival video and audio recordings of Thelonious Monk himself – giving multilayered insight into the man and his music.
The first song, "Thelonious," was followed by "Friday, the 13th" and "Monk's Mood." Then, after the screen informed us of Monk's family ancestry and roots in slavery, the band revisited "Thelonious." They then broke into a New Orleans-style funeral song as each band member headed backstage, one by one. We could hear them playing in the distance; as their sound faded, Thelonious Monk took our attention through a 1959 audio recording, during which he talked about music and the songs he was rehearsing for the Town Hall concert.
Sometimes, Thelonious Monk liked to dance mid performance.
After he finished, the band returned for the second half of the show. They played "Little Rootie Tootie," "Thelonious" (again), and "Crepuscule with Nellie." They made each of these songs their own, playing off of the original. It felt like they were inside Thelonious Monk's chaotic mind coming up with these tunes. Each musician had moments to shine, playing their own melodies, but eventually they all came together to play the song we recognized.
By the end of the show, all the musicians wore headphones again, listening to and jamming with Thelonious Monk. One by one, they took off their sets and left the stage. This time, they walked through the aisles of the orchestra level and out the concert hall doors. Jason Moran was the last to leave, jumping off the stage to join his bandmates in the Kennedy Center's main hall. Out there, we crowded the main-level entrance and stairways, watching them finish the song and cheering as they did. I wonder if anyone attending other performances at the Kennedy Center that night knew what they were missing. Thelonious Monk was in the house!
Watch this episode of Jazz in America, hosted by bassist Christian McBride, for more from Jason Moran about Thelonious Monk's life and influence and to see segments from this amazing show.
If you follow my Johnny Kitties series, you already know how much I love Tim Burton through his collaboration with Johnny Depp, but I think I actually fell in love with Tim Burton first. I've seen all of his movies since the very first one, Pee-wee's Big Adventure, in 1985, and that's when his collaboration with composer Danny Elfman started. At the time, I only knew Danny Elfman as the lead singer of the rock band Oingo Boingo, who performed the title song for the great '80s classic comedy Weird Science. (The video for this song was on MTV often, and who could forget that face and flaming orange hair?)
Pee-wee's Big Adventure marked the start of a 30-year-and-counting creative partnership between these two artists. Tim Burton's films are unmistakably his artistic vision, and Danny Elfman complements them with equally inventive musical scores. They've worked together on 16 film projects so far and, last fall at the Kennedy Center, the National Symphony Orchestra celebrated all of them – except for Big Eyes, which wasn't yet completed at the time – in a multimedia retrospective concert, Danny Elfman's Music from the Films of Tim Burton.
I knew I'd love this concert, but it far exceeded any of my expectations. Can you imagine how my excitement escalated when I opened the playbill and saw this?
For this concert, Danny Elfman created new, shorter arrangements of the scores listed in the program that capture their unique spirit and memorable moments. An introductory medley opened the show as a giant screen above the stage displayed a montage of film clips from Tim Burton's corresponding films. Then, the symphony launched into tributes to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (listen to that film's opening theme here) followed by Pee-wee's Big Adventure. (This music makes me so happy! Listen here. This project was not only the first movie Tim Burton ever directed but also the first film score Danny Elfman ever wrote.) In addition to film clips, the screen displayed several of Tim Burton's film-inspired artwork during each piece. We saw how his weird, wonderful paintings translated into each movie. Tim Burton supervised the development of this concert, choosing which film scenes and artwork to show during each suite. Through much of each piece, though, the screen displayed a gray and black squiggly-patterned drawing that Tim Burton created specifically for use during this concert. He wanted the audience to focus more on his friend's music than his films.
At the end of Danny Elfman's exuberant, joyous concoction for Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, we were in stunned silence for at least 10 seconds before slowly remembering to clap. Our conductor John Mauceri turned around to face us and said, "Clearly, we've mesmerized you..."
It was true! The music, artwork, and artistry created such an intoxicating, immersive experience. We were dazed.
I was surprised by how emotional I became during this concert. I grew up watching all of these movies, making trips to the theaters to see them when they were first released. It hit me that these two have been in my life since I was 11. They saved the haunting theme for Edward Scissorhands, which may be Danny Elfman's most recognized and imitated work, for last because everyone loves it most. Hearing it live with a full choir, courtesy of the Choral Arts Society of Washington, nearly made me cry. But I got distracted by someone two rows ahead of me who was already wiping away her tears.
Then, the Edward Scissorhands suite shifted into happier haircut mode. Violinist Sandy Cameron, with wild hair, dark eyes, and a black leather and lace outfit (no doubt inspired by Edward's look), suddenly got my attention on stage. She played speedily, writhing with the melody like a snake during her electrifying solo. Everyone cheered as she bowed dramatically when finished (and the piece wasn't even over yet). Watch out for her; she's going places... It was clear during this concert that all the musicians had fun performing this music. The emotion and whimsy is infectious!
As if we weren't delirious enough, the show offered an encore with Alice in Wonderland, featuring 12-year-old soloist Thomas Lynch. (Listen here for Danny Elfman's "Alice's Theme.") This light, exciting piece just whet our appetites for what's to come; Alice Through the Looking Glass, Danny Elfman's upcoming film score project that continues Alice's story, is due in theaters next year. Although Tim Burton is not directing this time around, you'll recognize other familiar faces. Are you pacing the floors like I am?
Well, you don't need to be familiar with Danny Elfman or Tim Burton to enjoy this exhilarating show. I took someone with me who didn't know who they were. "That makes me even more excited about you coming with me," I told her. "You don't need to have seen all the movies to enjoy the music. Danny Elfman is different; the music is interesting enough on its own. I think you'll like it!" As predicted, she came out of it a fan – yay! If you're still not quite convinced, this trailer will give you an idea of the awesomeness that awaits you....
Because I grew up watching movie musicals, I love all those old songs. For the last few years, I've noticed that the Smithsonian hosts lectures on songwriters and performers of that era. I wrote about their Ella Fitzgerald event last year. In addition to that one, I attended two lectures about American songwriters George Gershwin and Cole Porter, both hosted by pianist Robert Wyatt.
Gershwin, By George!, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of the American Indian, March 27, 2015
My love for George Gershwin (1898-1937) probably stems from my love for An American in Paris, the 1951 Best Picture Oscar winner with an exclusive Gershwin soundtrack. I also saw Hershey Felder's inspiring one-man show George Gershwin Alone at Ford's Theatre in 2003.
George Gershwin was an amazing composer and musician, a prodigy who accomplished so much in his 37 years, from classical works and piano solos to musical theatre scores and film songs. Together with his lyricist brother Ira, they formed one of the best known songwriting teams of the 20th century. I bet you know some of their songs [click on the titles to hear them]: "But Not for Me," "Embraceable You," "Nice Work If You Can Get It," "They Can't Take That Away From Me," and "Someone To Watch Over Me."
When George Gershwin first started complaining about headaches, his friends assumed he was being overly dramatic to get attention, but he died of a brain tumor shortly thereafter. About that, the composer's writer/friend John O'Hare appropriately said, "George Gershwin died on July 11, 1937, but I don't have to believe it if I don't want to."
What attracted me most to Robert Wyatt's event, Gershwin, By George!, was that it included his performance on piano of Gershwin's orchestral masterpiece "Rhapsody in Blue." You can't get much better than this piece of music, which is always associated with the vibrancy of New York City living. Hearing it live is a treat! While I waited for it, I learned some things about George Gershwin during Mr. Wyatt's informative lecture:
George Gershwin's parents bought a piano when George was 10. He sat on the bench and began to play it before ever having a lesson, so his parents found him a teacher, Charles Hambitzer, who later said, "I have a new pupil who will make his mark if anybody will. The boy is a genius."
Growing up, he loved listening to ragtime composer/pianist Scott Joplin.
He wrote the opera Porgy and Bess, based on the book by DuBose Heyward. Although not a songwriter, the author wrote lyrics to some of its most memorable songs, including "Summertime," "A Woman's a Sometimes Thing," and "My Man's Gone Now," but George's brother Ira got all the credit.
He wrote "An American in Paris" before ever having gone to Paris and played it in Carnegie Hall, New York, in 1928. (Click the song's title to hear George Gershwin himself performing this piece.)
"Our Love Is Here to Stay" is the last song George Gershwin ever wrote. Knowing that makes his brother's lyrics all the more poignant, don't you think? Below, hear the song, performed by Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron in An American in Paris.
Cole Porter: Sophisticate of American Song, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History, July 22, 2014
My love for Cole Porter (1891-1964) doesn't come for a specific musical but a bunch of them, like Kiss Me Kate (1953) and Silk Stockings (1957). From there, I checked out MGM's 1946 Cole Porter biography Night and Day, starring Cary Grant, though it's pretty inaccurate in that Old Hollywood sort of way. A better biography is De-lovely (2004), starring Kevin Kline.
Although Robert Wyatt didn't play piano during his lecture, Cole Porter: Sophisticate of American Song, he provided some great archival footage and trivia. Here are some interesting things that I learned:
Cole Porter was very smart. Originally from Peru, Indiana, he went to school on the East Coast and didn't contact his family the entire time he was there. He was valedictorian of his class at the Worcester Academy in Massachusetts. He went to Yale University, where he participated in lots of extracurricular activities but didn't bother with his studies. Then, he was nearly expelled from Harvard Law School but was transferred to music school instead.
He was very good friends with composer Irving Berlin, but composer Lorenz Hart was not a fan. He also didn't like Frank Sinatra's versions of his songs.
He wrote at least 800 songs, and "Love for Sale" was his favorite.
After he wrote "Your the Top," everyone asked him to add more verses to it; he added 300 lyrics in a week. (Click the song's title to hear Cole Porter himself perform it.)
After his horse-riding accident, he named his left leg Geraldine and his right leg Josephine. (Hallelujah for his sense of humor!)
In 1948, his musical Kiss Me Kate became the first to win the Tony for best musical. Below, hear the song "Too Darn Hot," performed by my favorite tap-dancing lady, Ann Miller, from the film version of Kiss Me Kate.
Where would we be without these two prolific composers' astounding contributions to music? Don't you feel grateful to them – and in the mood for an MGM musical marathon right now?
Did you know that Sting has the flu with a high fever? Under doctors' orders, he's canceled two shows in New York this week. It's a good thing I waited a year to talk about these concerts to hold you over until he's feeling better.
You all know how devoted I am. Last year, he planned two different local shows two days in a row, so it was my best week ever. First up was a charity performance he shared with "very special guest Paul Simon" at Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland, which benefited the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. The next night, Sting and Paul Simon performed at Verizon Center in D.C. in support of their On Stage Together tour. I was torn about going to both shows: Must I? Will they be the same? Will it be worth it? Of course!
The first show was on Wednesday, March 12, and I came down with a cold two days before the event. I gave myself a deadline to be rid of it before the first concert. Wednesday morning, though, I was unsure whether I could get out of bed, never mind to Bethesda! But I did get out of bed, put in a full day of work at home, and miraculously felt pretty healthy by afternoon. That's it: Sting has magical powers!
The Performance Series of Legends for the Duke Ellington School of the Arts: Sting and Very Special Guest Paul Simon, Strathmore, Bethesda, Maryland, March 12, 2014
When I arrived, through hurricane-level rain, I was greeted with a program. The cover read, "Sting and very special guest Paul Simon and [previously unannounced] legendary musician Stevie Wonder." I nearly fainted. It was short-lived delirium, though: at the start, they announced that Stevie Wonder had to cancel his appearance in order to attend a funeral. That's an understandable excuse. Then the music started and I forgot that I was disappointed.
The Duke Ellington School of the Arts serves 9th to 12th graders who are immersed in a full academic course and an arts major, which could be dance, literary media and communications, museum studies, instrumental or vocal music, theatre, technical design and production, or visual arts. While this annual event is a wonderful and worthy cause, the organizers really drilled it into our heads that they wanted more money from us than the cost of our ticket. They reminded us before, during, and immediately after the show, which killed a bit of my concert-induced euphoria. I started to feel like I was watching PBS during pledge week or attending an amateur high school fundraiser. But they have to do what they have to do: the arts are essential, so support this amazing school!
Strathmore provides a beautiful blonde-wood-filled concert hall with fantastic acoustics. Despite its three levels of seats, the space is intimate with great views from any spot. My seat was in the second row of the top level, and I still felt relatively close to the stage. Let's get to the main event!
To start things off, the students of the Duke Ellington School for the Arts performed in an orchestra, sang in a small choir, and danced on stage through two of my favorite Police songs. "Demolition Man" included a spectacular guitar solo and four dancers. "Synchronicity" had 20 dancers performing on stage, at first, in pitch black to show off their glowing, blinking shoes. These kids were so bright and joyful, they lit up the room, lifted our spirits, and let us know what made this evening so special.
Next, they accompanied Sting as he sang three of his songs ("Englishman in New York," "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," and "Driven to Tears"). Impressed, he suggested that they help him out tomorrow night too, but they left the stage, and Sting played with his own band. Paul Simon shared the stage with him sporadically. They sang some songs as duets, like Sting's "Brand New Day" and Simon & Garfunkel's "The Boxer." They also traded songs; for example, Paul Simon sang Sting's "Fragile," and Sting sang Paul Simon's "America."
That was one of my favorite parts: Before singing "America," Sting reminisced about coming to this country, aiming for stardom with The Police. He felt driven but uncertain, anxious, and excited about the future. "America," which was playing on the radio during that time, captures all those feelings for him. He sang a quiet, acoustic version of it, which was beautiful and moving, and then he transitioned into a fully electric version of "Message in a Bottle." The Police have arrived!
All that emotion was released during the next song, "Desert Rose," which Sting infused with Bollywood sounds. I loved this new arrangement, but the best part of this song on that night was watching a lone fan – a big black guy who was built like a football player dancing up a storm in one of the front balconies.
After that, the choir kids returned and sang "Bridge Over Troubled Water" with both Sting and Paul Simon. During this song and "The Boxer," their harmonies blended beautifully. The woman next to me, who was clearly a big Paul Simon fan, got very excited when this song started, and her friends all knew that this was her moment. When the kids began singing its chorus, the song transformed into gospel, and she burst into tears and cried through the rest of it. She even got Kleenex out of her purse.
Sting and Paul Simon ended the show with another duet, "Every Breath You Take." Always a crowd-pleaser, this song capped off an inspiring night! As we gathered our coats, I wanted to ask the woman who cried if she was all right, but instead I asked if she enjoyed the concert. "So much!" she said. "Just seeing them with the kids, it's like....The kids are amazing!" Agreed! That's what it was all about.
Here's a short synopsis about this charity event, which gives you a glimpse of how it went:
Paul Simon and Sting: On Stage Together, Verizon Center, Washington, D.C., March 13, 2014
The next night, I felt even healthier. The Verizon Center is a huge stadium, where the Washington Wizards and other sports teams play. These stadiums are pretty impersonal but I go when necessary.
Singing together at Beacon Theatre, New York, 2011
I was immediately struck by how different this performance was compared to the night before. It was bigger and better to fit the enormous space and satisfy the massive crowd. Sting and Paul Simon have been New York neighbors for years, and the idea for touring together came to them after they performed together at Sting's 60th birthday concert at Beacon Theatre in New York, a charity event which benefited the Robin Hood Foundation. (I was there!) Sting described their On Stage Together tour as a musical experiment that merged their bands and musical styles together. Both of their bands shared the stage. This combined group of excellent supporting musicians excelled in the energetic atmosphere, creating music that was full, all-encompassing, and infectious.
As they did the night before, Sting and Paul Simon sang duets and traded songs. While last night's show was more Sting-centric, Paul Simon sang many more of his songs during this concert, balancing out the number of compositions between the two of them. The distinction between Paul Simon fans and Sting fans was much more prevalent too: Groups of us danced and cheered during Sting songs while others sat stone-faced, quietly waiting for a Paul Simon song, and vice versa. Some of Paul Simon's songs were new to me, but I knew most of them, so I sang and danced through it all. This concert was like a joint greatest hits celebration.
On the Sting side, new from the previous night were: "Fields of Gold," "Hounds of Winter," "They Dance Alone," and "Roxanne." I was so excited about "They Dance Alone," a slow song about political prisoners that Sting includes on his 1987 ...Nothing Like the Sun album. I know what you're thinking, but it's an amazing, uplifting song that changes tempo toward the end to signify hope and resilience. Amid my sea of oblivious Paul Simon fans, I longed to be with a group of girls I saw in the middle of the stadium who were dancing in the aisles – as you should by the end of that song.
My favorite thing about Paul Simon is his sense of humor. I think I remember him more from his stints on Saturday Night Live than from his music. This concert reminded me of all of his great classics and introduced me to some new one. Among the hits he performed that night were "The Boy in a Bubble," "Mother and Child," "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover," "Graceland," "Still Crazy After All These Years," "Me and Julio Down By the School Yard," "Diamonds on the Soles of Their Shoes," and "Call Me Al."
Sting and Paul Simon shared the same duets as the night before, like "The Boxer" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water," but Strathmore's intimacy trumped Verizon's arena setting. Here, they also threw in some songs written by other people, like Paul Simon singing "Wheels" by Chet Atkins.
They performed the second of two encores without their bands. Paul Simon said, "The idea for this tour started with two voices and two guitars, so we felt the show should end that way." In honor of Phil Everly, who passed away in January, they sang an acoustic version of the Everly Brothers' "When Will I Be Loved." After such a vibrant, energetic show, this quiet song reminded us of why we were all there. Blended together, these voices and combined musicianship guarantee an unforgettable musical experience.
Sting and Paul Simon's On Stage Together tour is in Europe right now. If they are coming to a town near you, get your ticket!
Feel better soon, Sting!
Credits: Duke Ellington School of the Arts benefit poster: courtesy of Strathmore; video courtesy of Branden Kownacki; Image from Strathmore performance: Kyle Gufstafson/WashingtonLife.com; Beacon Theatre image: Andy Kropa, Invision/Associated Press; Image from On Stage Together tour show in Houston, Texas, February 2014: Kevin Mazur/WireImages; On Stage Together tour poster: LiveNation
I think Thelonious Monk might be just as hard to draw as he is to play. The Kitties are not helping! In any case, we all agree that this is a great tune.
I can't find a setlist online to remind me of every song performed that night, but I'm not surprised. Once this show starts, you don't want to look away to write down song titles. Besides, I didn't even know all of the songs.
