Pianist’s enthusiasm for holiday contagious
From donning an ugly Christmas sweater to regaling the audience with anecdotes of holidays past, Brickman seems to take pleasure in all aspects of the season.
Is there a happier pianist on the planet than Jim Brickman?
In his annual Christmas concerts, the Shaker Heights native often calls to mind a classically trained version of Clark W. Griswold, the famously Yuletide-obsessed character in the movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”
I mean that as a compliment: From donning an ugly Christmas sweater to regaling the audience with anecdotes of holidays past, Brickman seems to take pleasure in all aspects of the season. His enthusiasm is contagious, too.
During a performance Sunday afternoon at the Southern Theatre, Brickman’s upbeat attitude, combined with his serene, steady playing, made for perfect preChristmas entertainment.
The concert appealed for its sweet simplicity. The stage was tastefully adorned with curtains, a tree and a pair of pianos — one, the musician said, from his childhood — but Brickman’s smooth-as-silk playing made the biggest impression.
Brickman contributed vocals to “Even Santa Fell in Love,” an original composition charmingly introduced by the musician. The tongue-in-cheek lyrics about Santa Claus and his spouse included the line: “Mrs. Kringle feels a tingle in her heart.”
Electric violinist Tracy Silverman was featured on a medley of carols, performed in styles from bluegrass to metal that displayed the versatility of his six-string instrument.
Throughout, Brickman played up his Ohio roots, which were never more in evidence than during his engaging duets with Cleveland singer Anne Cochran.
Cochran’s husky, expressive voice was an asset to Brickman’s original pieces “The Gift” and “Simple Things.”
In the second half, Brickman accompanied a video of Kermit the Frog on a charming rendition of “The Rainbow Connection”; in the same vein, his interpretation of Vince Guaraldi’s music from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” was perfectly slow and soulful. Audience requests were also fielded, frequently to humorous effect.
At one point, Brickman joked about his music accompanying memorable moments in the lives of his listeners, such as a romantic dinner for two with “just the three of us.”
Anyone seeking a celebratory way to kick off the week before Christmas could have done worse than spending several hours with Brickman, his piano and his friends.