MUSIC REVIEW
ASO pops concert a win for Gershwin fans
I like a Gershwin tune — how about you? Then you’ll love the Arkansas Symphony’s “Here to Stay, a Gershwin Experience” — music by George, lyrics (where appropriate) by his brother Ira.
Opera/cabaret/musical theater singer Sylvia McNair is the Pops Live! name draw. But Saturday night at Pulaski Academy’s west Little Rock Connor Performing Arts Center, pianist Jeffrey Biegel was the big star for fantastic anchor performances of Rhapsody in Blue (with some additional Gershwin ornamentation and a few extra Gershwin bars you won’t hear in most versions) and the third movement, “Allegro Agitato,” from Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F major.
Biegel also tossed off one of George Gershwin’s early ragtime hits, a very familiar tune with a not-so-familiar name (“Rialto Ripples”).
Biegel and McNair, who delighted with solo performances of “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess and “The Man I Love,” came as part of a pops-concert package with David Snyder, pianist, singer, conductor, narrator and orchestrator/arranger of most of the pieces on the program.
Also on the bill was singer-tap dancer-snare drummer Danny Gardner, whose biggest hits of the evening were mostly playing Fred Astaire (particularly in “‘The Half of It, Dearie,’ Blues” and “Slap That Bass,” the latter with solo bass slapper Joel Schnackel).
The package also includes a selection of photographs, home movies and audio clips on loan from the Gershwin family, including George playing the opening measures of “Strike Up the Band,” which Snyder, conductor Philip Mann and the orchestra finished off.
Snyder and Gardner also formed the other parts of enjoyable duets and trios with McNair — “’S Wonderful,” “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” and “They All Laughed.” Gardner tapped ( and drummed) his way through the penultimate number, “I Got Rhythm.”
Who could ask for anything more? Well, maybe they could have played American in Paris.
McNair, Biegel, Snyder, Gardner, Mann and the orchestra will do it all over again at 3 p.m. today at Pulaski Academy, 12701 Hinson Road, Little Rock. Ticket information is available by calling (501) 666-1761 or online at arkansassymphony.org.