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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><b>Sold out crowd well
entertained by Al Jarreau and The Cleveland Orchestra</b> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Roy Berko</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Entertainment Reviewer</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Known as “the voice of
versatility,” seven time Grammy Award winner Al Jarreau joined The Cleveland
Orchestra, under the baton of Larry Baird, to energize and please a Severance
Hall audience on Sunday evening.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The 72-year old Jarreau,
who has been heralded as “one of the world’s greatest natural resources,” and
“the greatest jazz singer alive,” scatted, crooned, used his voice as a musical
instrument, held conversations with the orchestra, shuffled around the stage,
involved the audience in sing-alongs, and generally had a great time as he let
forth with many of his best selling songs and some Broadway tunes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Though sometimes hard to
hear due to some mic problems in the first act, and his tendency to speak
quietly, it mattered not to his avid fans.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Smiling, with a perky beret
perched on his head, he sang stylized versions of <i style>Bess</i> and <i style>Summertime</i> from
PORGY AND BESS.<span style> </span>He did his own
take on a medley of songs from WEST SIDE STORY, including <i style>Something’s Coming</i>, <i style>Tonight</i>,
<i style>Maria</i>, <i style>I Feel Pretty</i> and <i style>America</i>.<span style> </span>He added his salute to Broadway by
adding songs from THE SOUND OF MUSIC.<span style>
</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Other selections included
<i style>Everything in Time</i> and <i style>God Bless America</i>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Baird, with flowing blond
hair, and a suede cowboy style jacked, looked more the leader of a band, rather
than a world famous orchestra.<span style> </span>His
informal style well fit the Jarreau style. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The orchestra members,
who seemed totally delighted with Jarreau’s presentation, a departure from
their usual repertoire, played with their expected proficiency, often playing
back up to the band, consisting of the talented Larry Williams (piano), Mark
Simmons (drums), and Chris Walker (bass).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Jarreau even added his
political views by commenting that he needed to talk to “Barack” to make sure
that we keep music in the schools.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Capsule judgement: All-in-all,<span style> </span>the evening was a love-n between Jarreau,
The Cleveland Orchestra, and the sold out audience.</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><b style><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino;color:black">JOFFREY BALLET and THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino;color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino;color:black">The Cleveland Orchestra and The Joffrey
Ballet will perform THE NUTCRACKER, Tchaikovsky’s magical work, for five
performances on November 29 through December 2 at the State Theatre in
Playhouse Square.<span style> </span>For information
go to <a href="http://playhousesquare.org">playhousesquare.org</a> or call 216-241-6000 or 866-546-1353.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Console";color:#0071ff">Roy Berko's commentaries
and reviews appear on <a href="http://coolcleveland.com">coolcleveland.com</a>,<a href="http://neohiopal.com">neohiopal.com</a>,<a href="http://artsamerica.org">artsamerica.org</a>,</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Console";color:#0071ff">and <a href="http://broadwaynews.com">broadwaynews.com</a>.<span style> </span>His blog is: <a href="http://www.royberko.info">www.royberko.info</a></span></i></p>