Palm Court rekindles an era; Orchestra plays songs the '20s and '30s

Lynn Peppas / Tribune Staff
Entertainment - Tuesday, March 27, 2007 @ 09:00

Canada's Palm Court Orchestra - the Grand Salon - took Welland-Port Colborne Concert listeners back to the popular music of the 1920s and 1930s, with invigorating sound and a scrupulous attention to musical detail and style.

The 21-piece orchestra came out Puttin' on the Ritz and never looked back as they zealously played some of the most popular waltzes and tangos of those roaring '20s.

The Grand Salon orchestra, led by conductor Kerry Stratton, kept the music as traditional as possible by playing original arrangements for classic pop tunes such as Cole Porter's Love for Sale and the spirited Irving Berlin favourite, Cheek to Cheek.

The old-time colour of these pieces certainly hasn't tarnished over the years.

It sounded as brilliant as when they were first written.

Stratton said he'd had great pleasure researching the original scores at Paramount Pictures library in California.

During his investigation he unearthed a book, Arranging for Big Bands, that had been signed by Glenn Miller.

In fact, Maestro Kerry Stratton, shared a lot of interesting anecdotes with the audience during their performance and is as entertaining as the orchestra he leads.

With generous humour and wit, Stratton told to the crowd he felt like he'd "left the priesthood and joined a biker gang" with his Grand Salon gig.

Stratton usually does higher-brow conducting, such as with the Toronto Philharmonia and other orchestras worldwide.

Apart from his funny schtick, Stratton was a master storyteller. When he set up the Irving Berlin song, What'll I Do, he evoked a scene from the Great Gatsby, describing it with remarkable clarity and marvellous feeling.

His exuberance for the music and knowledge of the composers of the era was a great addition to the show. Stratton was a gem onstage.

Hats off to the sharp, tight, but highly animated playing style of the musicians in Grand Salon. In Nola, percussionist John Branwell nearly ran from drum kit to xylophone to perform his deft solo.

And whether the musicians were kickin' it up a notch in Charleston, or floating a lovely waltz like My Hero, they played with precision and emotional depth and made these wonderful classics even more memorable.

Versatile as well, they performed an explosive Light Cavalry Overture that was my personal favourite of the concert. Wonderful too were the dancers from Joli's Dance Studio, who came out and performed a sizzling tango, La Cumparsita.

Crisp, lightning quick movements, danced in precise synchronization, made these two irresistible to watch and make the piece come alive. Saturday evening's performance also marked the subscription renewal campaign for season members of the Welland-Port Colborne Concert Association.