Concert Review 27th Nov 2017 – Michael Sullivan
It was a cold November night perhaps that had an effect on the instrument Michael had with him to play? The adage, ‘Putting all your eggs in one basket’ never seemed more relevant. Perhaps we forget that’s what our artistes do when they sit in front of us with their ‘one’ instrument on which to entertain us for the evening. When things go wrong with the keyboard what do you do in front of that audience who expect to be entertained, but you as the performer are sat at the keyboard of a broken instrument? It was particularly the instruments foot pedals, these latched to the last note played and held the note. For Michael it must have been disastrous for his confidence and ability to entertain, it wasn’t really until the second half of the evening when Michael began to overcome problems with the instrument and his performance recovered.
A flavour of the pieces played included; Anything goes, Sleepy Shores, Liberty Bell, Puppet on a string, The Sound of Music, Buddy Holly pieces, Arrivederci Roma, A Gershwin selection, Tiger Rag, Maple leaf Rag, On the sunny side of the street, She wears red feathers, a TV medley including Cross Roads and Z Cars, and toward the evenings conclusion, MacArthur park.
Michael played a Yamaha Tyros 4 with 2 Yamaha MSR 250 powered speakers plus Ketron midi pedals linked to a Roland SC 33 sound module.
Posted in Concert Review Tagged with: A concert – The Organist Entertains, BOKC, brentwood, brentwood organ, Brentwood organ and keyboard, Live music, Mike Sullivan, mountnessing
Concert Review 23rd October 2017 – Rod Pooley
The evenings were drawing in, how fast the year is passing. Our guest for the evening was Rod Pooley. He opened with a sense of humour that continued throughout. “It was good to be back in Essex after such a long time… and the only way is??” Of course many replied “ESSEX…” He was, he thought a young man when last he performed for us, there was a bit of friendly banter between him and our booking secretary about how he came to be overlooked for so long and then the concert began with, ‘windmills of your mind’. Followed by “Charlie Chan”. Between each piece thereafter Rod continued with his humour which never failed to raise a laugh, he was himself the brunt of much of it. We listened to the realistic sound of ‘the big band’, ‘orchestras’ film music and much more. Some titles from the evening were, ‘O Mio Bambino Caro’, ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’ ‘All I ask of you’ and ‘Home’ by Michael Bublé. The evening was very well received by all with much applause. Rod commented that he hoped he wouldn’t need to wait another 14 years to be asked back again.
I am informed that, for those who like to know these things…
The instrument that Rod was using was the TRX Organ system based on Yamaha Tyros 5 with Hammond pedals.
Posted in Concert Review Tagged with: A concert – The Organist Entertains, BOKC, bokc.BOKC, brentwood, brentwood organ, Brentwood Organ Keyboard club, concert, Essex, keyboard, Live music, mountnessing, Rod Pooley
Concert Review 25th September 2017 – Alex Payler
25th September and summer was over, the evenings drawing in and maybe that was why the turnout for our concert by Alex Payler was so disappointingly low. We even delayed the start of the evening hoping for a few more attendees.
Alex provided a captivating performance of live music with varied genres. He performed on his very capable Yamaha. There surely ought to have been content to please all. The evening opened with a lively rendition of Palladio soon contrasted by the minuet from the L’arlesienne suite by Bizet. As the evening progressed we heard music from film, stage, TV and the classics. Perhaps the style of his music should described as orchestral rather than Hammond, how the listener appreciated what they listened to would depend on their preference of style but the performance itself was absorbing, rounded and accomplished. At the end of the evening Alex was applauded and an encore requested for which he played Brazil by Ary Barroso
Alex’s instrument was the YAMAHA Electone Stagea ELS-02C. As well as being the first pro-player to import this very special instrument into the UK, he is now one of the leading exponents of this particular model in the world.
Alex’s concert content
PART 1 [Approx. Running Time—1:00Hr]
PART 2 [Approx. Running Time—1:00Hr]
Posted in Concert Review Tagged with: A concert - The Organist Entertains, Alex Payler, BOKC, bokc.BOKC, brentwood organ, Brentwood Organ Keyboard club, mountnessing
Concert review – Matthew Bason 24th July 2017
Our concert of the 24th July 2017 was the first with the new start time of 7.45pm, at least that was the intention. There had been an accident on the nearby A12 with the road effectively blocked all the way to Chelmsford, diverted traffic was then passing outside the hall. The audience was arriving for the night’s performance yet there was no Matthew Bason! To the relief of all though he did appear after an extensive diversion and the concert started only five minutes later than intended.
Multi talented Matthew gave us a taste of his “One-Man Musical Variety Show”. During the evening he not only played the Roland atelier AT350 punctuated with his own brand of humour, but a Yamaha piano, the accordion and we listened to his excellent singing voice. Matthews rendition of bring him home brought part of the audience to their feet. Mathew introduced differing stiles into his music; we heard music played on his Roland emulating a Hammond, a selection of gospel music, Classical, orchestral, and film music, to mention a few.
Matthew introduced us to Helga whom he produced form a suitcase, Helga the Piano accordion. On Helga he played for us his Brexit medley collection each piece relating to an EU country. The medley included, Tulips from Amsterdam, O soli Mio, amongst others.
Amongst just some of the music played by Matthew were. Blue tango, blue waltz, blue bossa, Misty, Amazing Grace, I’m all shook up, lets twist again like we did last summer, Brahms lullaby, 12th street rag, A selection from Abba including, Dancing queen, Mama Mia, tragedy, and thank you for the music. Other pieces included, the Rudetzky March. Hebrew slaves, Duke Ellington’s Caravan, River Kwai march, Bring him home, A homage to Dean Martin (who would have been 100 this year) included among others, Every body needs somebody, and sway. We also heard, somewhere over the rainbow, all the things you are, and Circus Renz.
Matthew’s “One-Man Musical Variety show” certainly fulfilled its promise of variety and was well applauded.
Matthew’s Roland Atelier AT350 and Yamaha Piano
Posted in Concert Review Tagged with: BOKC, brentwood organ, Brentwood Organ Keyboard club, Live music, Matthew Bason, mountnessing
It was a warm summer evening with a good number of attendees in the audience for our evening concert performed by Elizabeth Harrrison. She began by introducing herself as a farmer, a driver of big machines and goods vehicles. Elizabeth’s boyfriend, also a farmer but their two farms were she said, 26 miles apart. Elizabeth made an appeal to the audience, she was a collector of tractors, at one time she had 13 but presently only 8, she did however want to find a Massey Ferguson 35, 3 cylinder tractor, and appealed to anyone in the audience who may have one for sale. There was much amusement but no offers. Elizabeth hadn’t had much luck with a shopping trip either, out for vacuum cleaner bags she returned home with a dog instead. The dog, a black and white border collie needed a new home, its owners were emigrating.
So the music started for an audience already amused. Unusually for an artiste, she performed facing us; throughout the evening she punctuated her performance with facial expressions that were themselves quite entertaining. Elizabeth is an accomplished entertainer with a performance repertoire that included something for everyone. Amongst the music she played were; themes from west end shows, strangers in the night, Choo Choo Samba, Too Beautiful To Last, A 1960s Selection including Three Steps To Heaven, I Only Want To Be With You, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, Its A Heartache, Georgie Girl. Marches- Out Of The Blue, Dancing Dustman. Viennese Waltz Selection including Over The Waves, Ciribiribin, Chrysanthemum Waltz, Nights of Gladness. Classical – Prelude In Classic Style, and House of dreams. We were also led in a sing song that featured well known cockney and wartime favourites, My old mans a dustman, Ain’t she sweet, Run rabbit run, when your smiling and Bring me sunshine.
Elizabeth’s instrument was a Roland ATELIER Combo AT-350C with Pedal board and a “Tower Organ in a box” module.
Posted in Concert Review Tagged with: BOKC, bokc.BOKC, brentwood, brentwood organ, Brentwood organ and keyboard, Brentwood Organ Keyboard club, concert, Concert 26th June 2017, Elizabeth Harrison
Nicholas Martin B.E.M
Monday 22nd May 2017, the lighter evenings were with us, and no need for heating. Our Artiste for the evening, Nicholas Martin, had travelled down from Leicester together with his father and son, both of whom helped Nicholas stage the evenings performance. We were first introduced to a sense of humour that carried on throughout the evening, ‘A lorry’, said Nicholas, ‘shed its load of onions on the motorway, police advised motorists to use the hard shoulder, to cry on’ we were reminded that it was ten years since he had last performed for us, with a wry smile, he suggested some were still sat in the same seats, his good humoured jokes brought ‘groans of laughter’ throughout the evening, and so to his music.
The performance opened to Hey Look Me Over, Nicholas’s signature tune. His music varied in styles, such as ‘The Blackpool Style’ and the way it was performed, including ‘cascading or water falling keyboards’, which to my uneducated eye was full of impressive movement. There were many other formats. Music performed included classical, hymns, jazz, film, waltzes, and Susa marches and of naturally Blackpool tower music. With his instrument he emulated single organs to full orchestras. In places the music was delicate and silky smooth, elsewhere full on and commanding. An accomplished performance with music to suit everyone. The variety of the performance attracted much applause and Nicholas was recalled for an encore.
Very kindly Nicholas provided me with a list detailing many of pieces that he played during the evening.
1st Half:
Sig Tune: Hey Look Me Over
Marches: Vienna Forever / Stars & Stripes Forever / The Thunderer
Classical Waltzes: Love theme from Romeo & Juliet / The Ashokan Farewell / Oh Mia Babbino Cara
Contrasts: Skaters Waltz / Eleanora / Intermezzo from: Cavalleria Rusticana
“Les Miserables” Medley: Master of the House / Bring Him Home / Do You Hear the People Sing? / I Dreamed a Dream
Music from Nick’s Latest CD: Take Me Home, Country Roads / Music, Music, Music / Zip a Dee-Doo-Dah / No Matter What / Peanut Polka / I Vow to Thee My Country / Bluebell Polka / Clarinet Polka / 12th St. Rag
2nd Half:
Latin American Medley: Brazil / Cumana / Enjoy Yourself / Maria Elena / Till / Jealousy / Sway / The Girl from Ipanema / Tico-Tico
You Raise Me Up / Amazing Grace
Showtime Medley: Mamma Mia / Shall We Dance? / March of the Siamese Children/ I Won’t Send Roses / Gigi / Get Me to the Kirk on Time / I Could Have Danced All Night / All I Ask of You / Willkomen / Cabaret / This Nearly Was Mine / Happy Talk / Hello Dolly / Music of the Night / Be A Clown / No Business Like Showbusiness
Frank Sinatra Remembered: New York, New York / All the Way / Fly Me To the Moon / My Way
Decades of Melody: A Walk in the Black Forest / Lady of Spain / Mack the Knife / It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie / Always / All My Loving / Can’t Buy Me Love / Yesterday / Around the World / Fascination / For All We Know / Lullaby of Birdland / Georgia / Muskrat Ramble / Rosalie / Anything Goes / Getting Sentimental Over You / Sunny Side of the Street / When Somebody Thinks You’re Wonderful / Opus One / Pennsylvania 65000 / Little Brown Jug / In the Mood.
Tiger Rag / Widor’s Toccata
Some wondered why Nicholas had been awarded the BEM by the queen. The honour was in recognition for work done by Nicholas in forming the children’s autism charity, ‘Miracles to believe in’. The charity has a website at the following address. http://www.miraclestobelievein.moonfruit.com/ At the end of the concert provision was made to accept donations to it. I received the following written comment from Nicholas, “I was delighted we raised £55.12 for our “Miracles to believe in” charity at the close of the concert. Please put a thank you in your newsletter for me regarding that.”
Nicholas instrument, a Technics GA3 organ, With believed a Roland Fantom XR module for the Theatre Organ sounds
Posted in Concert Review Tagged with: BOKC, brentwood organ, Brentwood organ and keyboard, miaclestobelievein, miracles to believe, mountnessing, Nicholas Martin, Nicholas Martin B.E.M, Organ
