Now this was one I was looking forward to: the professionals of the RMC Band, specifically their rhythm section, playing The Beatles. Let's face it, everyone loves the Beatles. So this was two vocalists, male and female, and a few vocal ring-ins at times, with piano, two guitars, bass, drums. One guitarist did a tenor flourish for one tune. The songs were not always those expected, so we got Drive me car and Rocky Racoon along with Blackbird , Norwegian Wood, Yesterday and the like. And the music was not always a direct Beatles take, so Got to get you into my life was the funky drive of Blood Sweat and Tears, John Farnham was mentioned in relation to Help, Drive me car was a vocal quartet with beatbox and bass vox and two voices from Bobby McFerrin. Nice one that and playful. Norwegian wood started with solo e-bass, all slap and tap, nothing at all like Paul's Hofner, and Blackbird had the most delightful jazz piano stylings. Pianist Anthony later admitted to me some borrowings from Brad Mehldau. It was pretty obvious and also glorious. So these were not cover Beatles but takes on Beatles. I can find that difficult if not adequately sympathetic. The Beatles wrote telling and touching stories with wondrous melody so The Voice stylisms can be insensitive. Maybe it's my personal preferences, but I don't find that with influences from Mehldau or McFerrin. So be it. But these are such well trained musicians, playing constantly, investigating one of the greats of pop. Nice stuff.
The Rhythm Section of the Royal Military College Band performed a Beatles tribute at Wesley. The band comprised Wes Tagaloa and Angie Currington (vocals), Richard Hibble (guitar, tenor), Sam McDonald (guitar), Anthony Tenikoff (piano), Jake Egan (bass) and Toby Brown (drums).
No comments:
Post a Comment