The Valley Line: Descanso’s summer jazz series winds down; Michael Feinstein conducts Pasadena Pops Orchestra
This past week our hills (the San Gabriel Mountains) have been alive with music. It has been a beautiful musicscape, I might add.
Last Thursday, jazz artist Louie Beltran had the crowd clapping, singing and dancing at Descanso Gardens’ Music on the Main summer jazz series.
Beltran, an incredibly engaging musician and singer, rocked the oaks with his lively music — Brazilian, salsa, Cuban, blues, jazz and All-American rock ‘n’ roll — he did it all. It seemed he was enjoying each genre as much as the audience was. He performs with great gusto. He is such a likable entertainer and truly knows his chops on the conga drums — he is an excellent percussionist.
Joining him in the music making were Carlos Vivas, piano; Andrew Ford, bass; Ramon Banda, drums and Justin Janer, sax and flute.
Beltran, who is a smooth vocalist, opened up the set with the song, “Mas Que Nada.” He got everyone’s attention with this winner that was made popular by Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66. Speaking of Mendes, Hussain Jiffry, who is the “sound guy” for these Descanso concerts, tours with Mendes, playing the bass. Jiffry also plays for Herb Alpert, and is on Alpert’s recent Grammy-winning album — a talented guy, for sure!
Once again it was a packed event. The community has embraced this series, which is going on its fifth year. There are no signs that it will stop, either. I, for one, truly enjoy these concerts and certainly love the venue.
This summer series ends tonight with pop/jazz singer Aubrey Logan, who I hear is quite the powerhouse vocalist. I also hear she is one heck of a trombone player. Get your stuff together and don’t miss this concert.
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Last Saturday night the Pasadena Pops Orchestra pulled out all the stops and presented an amazing concert under the baton of Michael Feinstein.
Feinstein opened the program by singing the iconic “Hooray for Hollywood” that set up the entire musical agenda for the evening by presenting music from Hollywood films.
Yes, the Arboretum peacocks made their voices heard high above the orchestra. Feinstein joked by saying the peacocks had their own agents. Depending on what mood they are in, they can be very loud.
The evening was magical and jam-packed with fabulous guest conductors, singers and songwriters. After Feinstein got the crowd warmed up, he took up the “stick” to conduct the orchestra in the “Mary Poppins Overture.”
Feinstein, who is quite the music scholar, dished out wonderful trivia about many of the composers and songs that were performed that night. The first guest singer for the evening was Kevin Earley, who has one of those “be-still-my-heart” voices and he elicited many sighs as he sang, “The Way You Look Tonight.”
The first guest conductor to take up the baton was Michael Giacchino, who conducted his composition from the award-winning Pixar film, “Up.” Giacchino has garnered many Grammys, an Academy Award, an Emmy and a Golden Globe, among other honors. Clips from the film “Up” were streamed while Giacchino’s music was being played.
Vocalist Maureen McGovern took the concert by storm as she first sang the main song from “The Sound of Music” and then lit up the stage with her torch songs, “The Man that Got Away,” “Stormy Weather” and “Blues in the Night.” The soundtrack from the film “The Magnificent Seven,” was played just before intermission.
First up after the break, Feinstein honored composer Johnny Green by playing the music he wrote for the film, “Raintree County.”
Audience members were on their feet when songwriter and composer Paul Williams came to the stage to sing, “The Rainbow Connection” that Kermit the Frog sang in the “Muppet Movie.” About the writing of the song, which he wrote with Kenneth Ascher, Williams said, “We just couldn’t say No to Kermie!”
The beautiful Debby Boone then stepped to the mike to sing the song she made famous, “You Light Up My Life.” Next up was composer Bruce Broughton, who conducted the orchestra in the music he wrote for “Silverado.”
Earley returned to the stage to sing the old favorite, “The Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe.” Especially memorable was when songwriter Alan Bergman, sang the lyrics to “The Windmills of Your Mind” that he and his wife Marilyn wrote for the film, “The Thomas Crown Affair.”
The evening was wrapped up with the “Funny Girl Overture” and then the song “Happy.”
The next concert for the Pasadena Pops is on Sept. 6 with the program, “New York! New York!” with vocalists Patti Austin and Liz Callaway, and of course with Feinstein conducting.
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JANE NAPIER NEELY covers the La Cañada Flintridge social scene. Email her at jnvalleysun@yahoo.com with news of your special event.