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- Concert Review – Michael Wooldridge – 23rd July 2024 July 24, 2024
From the first half
When you’re smiling, Love, Beer barrel polka, A River Dance medley, Just the way you are, Stand by me, When you told me you loved me, Five finger boogie, I’m still standing, The white cliffs of Dover, Cheek to Cheek, Somewhere in time, Besame Mucho, Perfidia, Mumb
Mark Thompson 26th Sept 2023
Mark Thompson, with us 22nd Jan 2018, then we missed him on 23rd March 2020 due to the pandemic but he returned to be with us 27th Sept 2021 and was our first performing artiste post the pandemic lock down. Mark, an appreciated musician by many, 26th Sept 2023 brought for us his usual great concert filled with sound, music and not a little youthful humour with a northern air. A change of suit for the second half rippled a few cheers from the audience, shall we say it was a little ‘brighter’! than that worn in the first half. Mark’s music performed on his trusty Yamaha EL90. Overall an afternoon of well applauded entertainment
From the second half
Rag time band, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, When The Saints Go Marching In, And The Waltz Goes On, Czardas, Medley 1950s – 1970s, My girl, Living Doll, Do You Wanna Dance, There goes my first love, The wonder of you, Come fly with me, My way, Crocodile rock, La Bamba, Go Johnny go, and a medley of more Rock and Roll
Members of the audience rose to their feet and called for… ‘More, more’
The encore – We’ll meet again.
Posted in Concert Review Tagged with: A concert - The Organist Entertains, BOKC, brentwood, Brentwood organ and keyboard, Brentwood Organ Keyboard club, concert, Live music, Mark Thompson, mountnessing, steve morl
Concert Review – Andrew Varley 25th April 2023
Andrews keyboard, a single Yamaha Genos but, no pedalboard. Yet he produced a good variety of music and sounds. Much were medleys from composers or popular groups past and present. That realistic Wersi sound which not many artists play was an appreciated surprise. In all an afternoon with an extensive catalogue of music. Encore – Viva La Vida Viva Amor (Franz Lambert) See Andrew Varley’s photo on our website for a link to him playing |
1st Half Raiders March (Indiana Jones), .) Beatles Melody – Yellow sub, 64, Money can’t buy you love, Penny Lane, Yesterday, Ob-La-Di, & I love her, She loves you, Hey Jude, Franz Lambert Medley -El torero, Love waltz, Meeting in Venice, Franz’s Polka, – The railway children, Conquest of paradise, Carpenter’s Medley – Close to you, Sing, I need to be in love, On top of the world. |
2nd half Barry Manilow – Can’t smile without you, Weekend in New England, Bogie, could it be magic, Bermuda Triangle, I Write the songs, Co Co Cabana, – Portsmouth (Oldfield), Last farewell (Whittaker) , Sailing (Rod Stewart), Titanic theme – My heart will go on, Sailors Hornpipe, What shall we do with a drunken sailor, Pirates of the Caribbean, Anchors aweigh, Eternal Father Strong to Save, Movies Medley – Once apon a time in the west, Big country, Magnificent 7, The Good-Bad-Ugly |
Posted in Concert Review Tagged with: Andrew Varley, Brentwood organ and keyboard, concert, Live music, mountnessing, steve morl, wephoto
Kevin Grunill, ‘Farewell’ Concert, 25th October 2022
End of an era, This was Kevin’s very last electronic organ concert as he now leaves the circuit. As ever he used his trusty 32 year old Technics FN3 together with his PC based Paramount 450 Virtual Theatre Pipe Organ. A superb concert ending with a great Blackpool medley using the VTPO followed by a brilliant medley of Les Mis songs resulting in a standing ovation. A sad loss to the electronic organ circuit.
From the first half
Make em laugh, The wind beneath my wings, Medley of traditional organ sounds, Moonlight serenade, I know why, At last, For our Queen – Oklahoma, I can’t say no, The Surrey With the Fringe on Top, Oh what a beautiful morning, ‘Brassed off’, Grimethorpe colliery band, March of the cobblers, Getting married in the morning. The Phantom of the opera, All I ask of you.
From the second half
Its all right by me, Want to be like you (jungle book), Something’s got to give, This heart of mine, The great Race (Mancini), Pie in the face polka, Aces high, Anchors aweigh, A selection of theatre organ music, (Blackpool) Don’t want to set the world on fire, Happy days are here again, Blowing bubbles, A selection from Les Misérables
Call to encore ‘Hooked on Cancan
Posted in Concert Review Tagged with: BOKC, brentwood organ, Brentwood organ and keyboard, concert, kevin grunill, Live music, mountnessing, steve morl, wephoto
Review 13th Dec 2021 Rod Pooley
It was almost Christmas and we were all looking forward to a club Christmas night. Although we tried to keep to the usual format, Covid interfered and festivities were restricted. The forty of us who attended were there to see Rod Pooley who entertained with a mixture of both Christmas and other music performed using a TRX system based on Yamaha Genos. In between the music there was of course Rod’s sense of humour. At the interval all were offered a few festive nibbles and a beverage provided on a prepared selection plate intended to limit cross contamination. Christmas; a little constrained but that was due to Covid worries. A great night from Rod, a few sing along items and an Encore of Hooked on Classics.
From the 1st half
Feeling Groovy, Hark the Herald & other carols, Morning in Cornwall, Windmills of your mind, Last Christmas, Daydream Believer, ABBA I do I do, The Blue Danube, O come all ye faithful, Once in royal David, Bad Day, Latin medley,
From the 2nd half
Silver Shiny stockings, Let it snow let it snow, Rudolf the red nose reindeer, Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Blue Bossa, Down Town, Satisfaction, When you say nothing at all, The Snowman, Walking in the rain, White Christmas, Hooked on Classics medley
Posted in Concert Review Tagged with: A concert - The Organist Entertains, bokc.BOKC, brentwood, Brentwood organ and keyboard, concert, Live music, mountnessing, Rod Pooley, steve morl, wephoto
Concert review 24th June 2019 Kevin Grunill
Kevin arrived with what some were heard to have described as; an elderly Technics FN3. The instrument setup on the stage had no trailing wires or additional speakers. Despite its perceived age the instrument appeared neat and traditional. Once Kevin was playing it was obvious it could fill the hall with sound. The FN3 was coupled to his PC and he used the Hauptwerk Paramount 450 Virtual Theatre Pipe Organ to give Blackpool sounds. We heard a good evening of musical variety interspersed with not a little humour. Kevin’s style of play is distinctly his own and all music is concluded to a slowing crescendo, a little unusual for a romantic melody. An enjoyable evening concluded with an encore comprising an appreciated medley from Les Miserables.
Amongst music played by Kevin;
Make em laugh, That’s entertainment, Make the world a little younger, the city of my dreams, red rose café, Misty, I’m in the mood for love, The pie in the face polka (Mancini), the wind beneath my feet (Bet Midler), The lady is a tramp, Dancing cheek to cheek, A medley of music from stage and screen, Somewhere over the rainbow, Doe Ray Me (Sound of music), Phantom of the opera,
After the interval
March of the high school cadets, Neil Sedaker – The hungry years, An ‘American collection’, Mac the knife, A big Band medley, Harry Warren’s – This Heart of mine, in both celebration and commemoration of ‘D’ Day, Aces high, Anchors away, The great little army – Marches. Further medleys in the Blackpool style and that of the theatre organ. The evening concluded with a selection of waltzes but of course Kevin returned for his encore of Les Miserables.
Posted in Concert Review Tagged with: A concert - The Organist Entertains, BOKC, brentwood, Brentwood Organ Keyboard club, concert, kevin grunill, Live music, steve morl
Concert review 20th May 2019 Mathew Bason
Mathew’s concert immediately followed our 2019 AGM and that alone was probably enough to subdue us all. The second half of the evening with Mathew on the stage with his Weiltmeister in hand brought the evening to life. His piano accordion (Weiltmeister) playing added to his already established high level of performance on his Roland 350C Dual Keyboard (and pedals plus separate Yamaha P-105). Mathew also gave us a moving sung rendition of “Bring Him home” accompanied by his Ipad!!
Mathew is not a stranger to us and his name is synonymous with that of an accomplished entertainer, in that he did not disappoint.
Amongst Mathew’s music we heard:- Make ‘em’ laugh, in love for the first time, Perfect – Ed Sheeran, A medley to the world of dance and Bigband, A feline collection, (as Mathew called) including the aristocats, A well sung by Mathew, rendition of; ‘Bring him home’. A selection of Viennese music, blue bell polka (On the Weiltmeister), Samba de Orfeu from Black Orpheus, Grieg – Norwegian Dance no. 2. March militaire, All of me – John Legend, A country and Weston medley, Rhinestone Cowboy, Ring of fire.
Called for an encore Mathew Played the Radetzky March – an all time favourite at the proms!
Posted in Concert Review Tagged with: A concert - The Organist Entertains, BOKC, brentwood, brentwood organ, Brentwood Organ Keyboard club, concert, Live music, Mathew Bason, mountnessing, steve morl