Dave Read

Twelfth Night scheduled at Shakespeare and Co.

Shakespeare & Company wraps up the second year of the Conservatory at Shakespeare & Company with two performances of Twelfth Night. The performances will be Friday, December 12 and Saturday, December 13 at Shakespeare & Company’s new Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre on its 70 Kemble Street campus in Lenox.

Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre

Marc Scipione, S&Co. artist and Training Program faculty member, is directing Twelfth Night, which will be the first Shakespeare play performed in the new Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre. Led by senior S&Co artists and teachers under the direction of Associate Director of Training Dave Demke, The Conservatory at Shakespeare & Company has provided professional training over the last three months through daily classes in the Company’s acting techniques.

The course progression includes Structure of the Verse, Shakespeare Scholarship, First Folio, Art of Rhetoric, Personal Connection, Linklater Voice Technique, Clown, Neutral Mask, Fight, Movement and Elizabethan Dance. The 11-member cast will bring to the stage everything that they have learned during the past three months of their intense training, with most actors performing multiple roles in one of Shakespeare’s best-loved comedies.

Performances are at 7 p.m. and tickets are $12. Tickets are available in advance from the Box Office (413-637-3353) and online at www.shakespeare.org.

Jacob’s Pillow posts first details of 2009 dance schedule

Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival will present Pacific Northwest Ballet performing works of the choreographer Ulysses Dove at the Ted Shawn Theatre in Becket, MA from August 19 – 23, 2009.

This is the first detailed announcement of the Jacob’s Pillow schedule, which in 2009 will include 40 dance companies that will be presented on three stages and 200 free and open to the public events.

Pacific Northwest Ballet, founded in 1972 and led since 2005 by Artistic Director Peter Boal, will perform three works choreographed by Dove: Vespers, Red Angels, and Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven.

This program, which is exclusive to Jacob’s Pillow, is full of local connections. Ulysses Dove danced with Carmen de Lavallade in John Butler’s Portrait of Billie for Jacob Pillow’s 1992 Season Opening Gala.

The Pillow has presented his work throughout the past 20 years, performed by companies such as, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, RhythMEK, Stockholm 59° North in 1997 and 2000. Peter Boal and Company performed in the Ted Shawn Theatre in 2004, and Boal returned to the Pillow as director of PNB in 2006. Printable driving directions to and from Jacob’s Pillow.

Jacob’s Pillow schedule details:

Wednesday, August 19 through Saturday, August 22, 8pm;
August 20, Post-Show Talk, on stage immediately following the performance;
Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23, 2pm.

Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob’s Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered at Blake’s Barn 30 minutes before every performance.

Tickets go on sale to the public in April 2009. Pillow Members receive exclusive benefits and early ordering privileges. To become a Member call 413-243-9919 x24.

Jacob’s Pillow is located at 358 George Carter Road in Becket, MA, 01223. The Jacob’s Pillow campus and theaters are handicapped-accessible.

Boston Symphony Orchestra selling music via download

The Boston Symphony Orchestra has launched a music download service, making a selection of tracks of historic BSO, Pops, Chamber Players, and Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra recordings available in both standard MP3 and HD Surround formats at the orchestra’s website.

Four new recordings will be released in late February, 2009, under the auspices of BSO Classics, part of an ongoing project to record all of Mr. Levine’s BSO concerts for both possible recording consideration and archival purposes.

Details of the new releases will be announced later, but they will include Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe and are drawn from recordings that took place during live performances by James Levine and the orchestra at Symphony Hall

Boston Pops selections already featured include Oscar and Tony, with Keith Lockhart conducting music from Broadway and Hollywood; Sleigh Ride, featuring holiday classics, along with the Pops signature holiday piece, Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride,”; and tracks from America, a collection of beloved patriotic favorites.

Other albums available include the Boston Symphony Chamber Players Mozart Chamber Music for Winds and Strings and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra’s Beethoven, Ravel and Shostakovich.

The Symphony Hall Centennial Celebration Box Set, a collection of live broadcasts of 48 works from Symphony Hall dating from 1943 to 2000, will also be available for download on the website. The recordings include Serge Koussevitzky conducting Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein’s Symphony No. 2, “The Age of Anxiety,” with Bernstein on piano, and Seiji Ozawa conducting Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms, all pieces that were premiered by the BSO. Other recordings include Charles Munch conducting Debussy’s “La Mer,” Three Symphonic Sketches; William Steinberg conducting Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8 in C minor; and Pierre Monteux conducting Richard Strauss’s “Don Quixote,” Fantastic variations on a theme of knightly character, Opus 35.

The BSO is the first orchestra to offer downloads in HD Surround, sound which uses multichannel audio to enrich the listener’s experience and reveal audio details never before heard in traditional MP3 format downloads. Only select albums will be available in this format.

Patrons can purchase music as individual tracks, full albums, or as complete multi-movement works. Music sold in 320 kbps open MP3 formatting will cost $8.99 an album, and the HD Surround albums, available in PC Lossless encoding, will cost $12.99. Individual track prices will vary based on the duration of each track; the cost of complete works will be based on the number and duration of movements in a work.

The BSO’s online music store will expand with a variety of new features, including a subscription service, for which patrons will pay a fixed price for unlimited access to the music store for a limited period of time; a search function, allowing music store visitors to search by different composers, conductors, genres, and release dates; and a wish list function that will integrate patrons’ online music store wish lists with their myBSO.org wish lists. MyBSO.org is an individual BSO account where patrons can personalize their account preferences for access to custom-tailored calendars of upcoming performances and exclusive offers.

The Boston Symphony Orchestra’s extensive website, is the largest and most-visited orchestral website in the country, receiving more than 6.3 million visitors annually and generating $40 million in revenue since its launch in 1996. It offers fans information and music beyond the concert hall, providing interactive new media that includes “Classical Companion,” an interactive supplement of special BSO concerts that provides interviews with composers and performers, archival images, and video and sound clips.

BSO Concert Preview Podcasts, focusing on each of the programs of the BSO’s 2008-2009 season, are available through www.bso.org and on iTunes. In addition to purchasing digital music downloads, visitors to www.bso.org can also purchase tickets and merchandise, as well as make donations.

James Taylor’s One Man Band DVD concert Pittsfield, MA, July 19, 2007

Article by Dave Read

What’s in a name? Hints, contradictions, teases… James Taylor’s “One Man Band” Show is but a handy approximation, while Pittsfield’s Colonial Theatre is so opulent “Imperial” would be a more-fitting moniker. Now, the two will forever be linked because Taylor rented the Colonial and brought in Sydney Pollack and Don Mischer to produce a DVD around two nights of sold-out concerts July 19 and 20, 2007.

We’ll surmise that Taylor aims with his current tour name to convey the image of a street musician wielding an ungainly musical contraption, such as he could’ve seen during his “magical” year in London while recording his first album for Apple Records there in 1968.

He told the audience at the Colonial how he came to the attention of producer Peter Asher and then became the first artist signed by Paul McCartney and George Harrison to record on the Beatles new record label – and of having plenty of time on the street while the Beatles were involved in “marathon recording sessions” for their White Album.

After opening the show with “Something in The Way She Moves,” Taylor said it was “not the first, but the first presentable” song that he wrote (while a teenager, going steady with neighbor Phoebe Sheldon). “Songwriting is what I do,” was one of the straightest things he said all night.

But this show is evidence of another vocation, monologist. He has a real gift for that as he interspersed a full concert set of 20 songs with a narrative that spanned the half-dozen decades of his life. Some of the narrative has a more serious feel to it, although couched with humor, as when he talks about his father and mother; more is sweet, poignant – like how he came to write “Sweet Baby James.” Then there are the stories of the songs that aren’t family-related, which are out and out stand-up comedy material.

“Line ‘Em Up” for example, a song born of President Nixon’s resignation and the mass Moonie marriage in Madison Square Garden, which he introduces to hilarious effect, the narrative illustrated by a slideshow projected onto a large wood-framed screen.

And this is where his declared vocation is manifest, in the ability to transform public events and characters into songs that not only satisfy his own need for expression but also entertain and stimulate an audience.

Today, of course, the wiley street musician is a cat with an Apple laptop from which can emanate not just the sounds of the busker, but the blues of the Hammond organ, or even the soaring harmonies of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus!

All of which were present in this show: Taylor is accompanied by Larry Goldings on piano, keyboards, and harmonium and, from his laptop computer, Taylor projects onto the screen recordings of sixteen members of the T.F.C. (including his wife Kim) accompanying him on “My Traveling Star” and “Shower the People.”

Then there’s the musical contraption, rolled out from the wings for two numbers tonight, a big, boxy Rube Goldberg-like drum machine. Taylor said that the idea to put together a “stripped-down version” of his show came to him about a year and a half ago, but we had an inkling something like it was coming after his 2002 Tanglewood performance with the Boston Pops, where he debuted songs from “October Road” accompanied by Goldings and guitarist John Pizzarelli.

The boldest number tonight was the rap song Taylor sang through a bullhorn to the irresistible rhythm of the drum machine; sure, it was funny, but it was good and affecting too, and we’d like more. Just as a whole ‘nuther side of James Taylor emerges when he straps on the electric guitar to wail and strut on “Steamroller,” the drum machine (and bullhorn) seem to give access to yet another aspect of this marvelously gifted and generous performer.

James Taylor – Tanglewood – August 21, 2006

August 21, 2006 performance, reviewed by Dave Conlin Read
(Originally published on NewBerkshire.com)

James Taylor at Tanglewood Aug. 21, 2006

This is the fifth time we’ve seen James Taylor in concert, all at Tanglewood since 2001, and we’re learning that besides delivering an entertaining and satisfying musical experience, he always offers a big slice of himself and there’s always some other memorable element.

Having been caught in the 2002 traffic jam that resulted in the JT rule, we made sure to be on the Tanglewood grounds way before seven, getting there with time enough to stroll around and amid his audience, as if anticipating the role they’d play in today’s show. Audience participation (and the concomitant Shed usher capitulation) may be the element that distinguishes this show.

As the Shed filled and fans settled in, the buzz of anticipation became more and more apparent until it reminded us of the sound heard near the base of a great waterfall. About quarter past seven, a roar of applause followed Taylor’s unannounced stroll up to the center stage mic: “That went we well,” he said before opening the show with a lovely solo rendition of “Something in the way she moves.”

And then a zany fan bolted from her seat just across the aisle from us, zipped right up to Taylor and thrust her program and a pen at him. He leaned over and wrote on it; an admonition and directions to the nearby Austen Riggs Center would have been in order, but we could see that he just signed his name as she gleefully waved it about strutting back to her seat, garnering nary a nod from any usher.

Taylor reclaimed the spotlight a moment later, describing the setting sun over “the beautiful audience” and announcing the next song “October Road,” as his band assembled, noting the irony of singing a song about going home, whilst there already. Next came a fresh rendition of “The Water is Wide,” his low intoned vocal accented to great effect by Andrea Zonn’s sweet, high fiddle licks.

Ms. Zonn and drummer Steve Gadd then threw down an awesome Celtic duet that just about blew the roof off the joint. Not only does Taylor exude talent, but he attracts it to. Other exemplary moments during the 21-song concert would include singer Arnold McCuller’s achingly-beautiful solo on “Shower the People,” and Michael Landau’s searing yet restrained guitar on “Handy Man.”

The musicianship is always of the highest order; Taylor appears to take good care of himself and he’s always in good voice, whether singing, chanting, humming, vamping, crooning, speaking from the heart, or just shooting the breeze. He’s more than a competent guitarist, too, and when in seated folk mode his playing can seem like a duet with his singing rather than merely accompaniment.

Halfway through the first set, Taylor told the audience to “forget all that crap,” referring to the various prohibitions promulgated on the Tanglewood ticket, going on to say that his band “complains bitterly” about not getting their picture taken. The way he introduces and shares the spotlight with them is nice, spreading individual introductions throughout the show.

Having – fittingly – made a friend at the show, we’d like now to turn the balance of this report over to her:
(via e-mail from Maureen Kelly of Watertown, MA) First of all and most important, James himself was as always, true and real and humorous throughout. I think the scars of life have helped shape his heart and that makes him a joy to listen to….so on that count -I love that in this part of his life, it is faith and God that drives who he is…and I am pleased that, true to himself, he shares that with the audience….he sings from the heart…and really the heart is the deepest place of grace and happiness in life…I love that about his music… that alone let’s me say that I enjoyed the evening.

I loved just sitting and watching him, whatever he was singing….his background vocalists..especially Kate and Arnold are simply spectacular…. although this version of ‘Shower the People’ didn’t allow the best of Arnold’s voice to come out clearly and powerfully as it has in the past… the pieces chosen were all JT classics… a bit overpopulating both sets…one or two new pieces…something called ‘October’ – were so loud I never got it.

On the technical side, I think the setup was really bad….maybe I was sitting in the wrong place….certainly close enough to see the front of the stage very well…but the acoustics were such that they were SOOOO loud I couldn’t hear much in the way of James’ small talk or the lyrics at times… unfortunately ‘loudness’ seems to be a staple at concerts like this – when a lower volume would be fine.

The lighting was irritating, annoying and such that I wanted to scream “kill that lighting dammnit!” I think it actually interfered with everything else going on…..rather than being a support……….it called attention to itself….bad design I guess… These are rare comments from me – but these things really jumped out at me that night.

At times I felt almost as if I were sitting there alone – I didn’t feel any excitement or passion in the audience….I mean it took almost mid-way into the 2nd set for some few folks to get up and boogie….that dancin’ in the aisles is a feature of JT concerts…but it didn’t happen Monday…I danced, and enjoyed myself!!! I did feel that the pieces we’ve all grown to love, overpopulated both sets… maybe that accounted for what seemed to me to be a rather listless audience…. I’ve been to 3 o4 other JT concerts and people were up and dancin’ in the aisles…after the first 15 minutes.

The Band:
Steve Gadd (drums)
Larry Goldings (piano)
Jimmy Johnson (bass)
Michael Landau (guitar)

Singers:
Kate Markowitz
Andrea Zonn (also on violin)
David Lasley
Arnold McCuller

Setlist:
Something in the Way She Moves
October Road
The Water is Wide
Andrea and Steve Irish jig duet
Sweet Baby James
Copperline
Family Man
Handyman
Fire and Rain
Mexico

Caroline I See You
Why Baby Why? (George Jones)
Oh, What a Beautiful Morning
Chili Dog
Up On the Roof
Smiling Face
Carolina in My Mind
Shower the People
How Sweet It Is

You’ve Got a Friend
Steamroller
Secret of Life

the JT rule: After the traffic-snarling record audience of 24,470 for Taylor’s appearance with the Boston Pops on July 17, 2002, the BSO agreed with local officials to cap future ticket sales at 18,000.

Reviews of James Taylor concerts at Tanglewood and the Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield:

Video clips of James Taylor and Yo Yo MA on Good Morning America’s live broadcast from the Red Lion Inn, Stockbridge, Sept. 15, 2008

James Taylor – Tanglewood – July 4, 2005

July 4, 2005 performance, reviewed by Dave Conlin Read

(Originally published on NewBerkshire.com)

James Taylor made it all new again on the Fourth of July, casting a spell from the stage of the Koussevitsky Music Shed that carried the faithful legion back to where they’d first had love, or loss, or longing, or lonliness, made known to them alone in a room listening to a record.

James Taylor fans on Tanglewood lawn

While those emotions are at the core of Taylor’s catalogue of beloved songs, the whole point of crafting songs around them, and setting them to music, is to create another space where you can just get on with it.

And this Taylor did – big time – in a show that began with him casually walking onto the stage shortly after 7, unannounced, to sing the national anthem. A startlingly simple gesture that virtually cast a net over the capacity crowd that had been streaming onto the Tanglewood grounds throughout a perfectly splendid July afternoon.

In an instant, the picnics were put aside, frisbees fell on the lawn, the excited chatter stopped as everyone stood and sang along.

Then our host said, “Play Ball!” and the party was on, with the entrance of his teriffic band: Steve Gadd (drums), Jimmy Johnson (bass), Michael Landau (guitar), Luis Conte (percussion), Larry Goldings (keyboards), Walt Fowler and Lou Marini (horns), Andrea Zonn (fiddle & backing vocals), and Arnold McCuller and Kate Markowitz on backing vocals.

This is a cohort of happy campers, each of whom is an ace musician, and all of whom seem to be as happy to be at a James Taylor concert as anyone in the audience is.

Each was given a generous introduction at an appropriate segment in the 2½ hour show, usually timed to coincide with a song that showcased their playing.

In a show of highlights, one we especially enjoyed and which was a complete surprise, was a Celtic fiddle number by Zonn with bodhrain-sounding accompaniment by Gadd and Conte. It was so good that if you weren’t looking, you could’ve thought you were at a Chieftains concert.

To note the artful structure of the show – how the 2 dozen song setlist was arranged, the Celtic rave-up was preceded by poignant, harmonized, rendition of “The Water is Wide” and followed immediately by a funny anecdote about a friend of Taylor’s who saw Riverdance on a busted t.v. that showed only the upper torsos of the dancers.

Of course, you had to be there to get the joke, which was made when Taylor mimed the upper torso part of Celtic step-dancing. And that was just one of many bits of physical comedy; others were his bad-ass low-down guitar jams with Landau, pogo-stick bouncing, and during the knockout “Steamroller,” he went through such contortions that he looked like a mad Robin Williams imitation of himself!

Taylor likes to disparage himself by saying of his new material that it sounds the same as all the older stuff; does it? If it does it’s because he got a handle on something quite a while ago, something that worked, and he’s been working it – and working on it – ever since. And when he shares it with an audience, he’s got another attribute that sets him apart from his peers – a mastery of stagecraft that makes every performance a unique and especially memorable event.

He has been awarded all the prizes available to a popular artist: six Grammy Awards, more than 40 gold, platinum, and multi-platinum awards, an honorary doctorate of music at the Berklee College of Music, the 1998 Billboard Lifetime Achievement Award, and induction in 2000 into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.

Now we’d like to propose that a new one be inaugurated in recognition of that element of a James Taylor concert that makes it nonpariel – his stagecraft. We’ve never seen a musician who is as entertaining between songs as Taylor is. (The only one who came close was the late Dave Van Ronk.)