Holiday tradition
Mannheim Steamroller concert an annual event
When musician Roxanne Layton decided to study recorder at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, she probably didn’t anticipate she would one day be touring the United States playing the traditional early-music instrument. h In 1991, Layton had a job making recorders at a music shop in Brookline, Massachusetts, when, by happenstance, she heard a radio promotion for free tickets to a performance of Mannheim Steamroller. h The group, founded by Ohio native Chip Davis in 1974, solidified its status as a leading crossover act with its highly synthesized performances that freely mingle the genres of classical, rock and new age. h As part of its new Christmas tour — its first since before the pandemic — Mannheim Steamroller will return to Columbus for a performance at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 in the Palace Theatre. h Back to Layton: Thirty years ago, she not only won tickets to the show but, after a trumpeter playing with the group stopped by her shop, also got an invitation to attend a rehearsal. Impressed by
Layton’s playing — as well as her ability to play both the recorder and percussion instruments — Davis invited her to perform on
Mannheim Steamroller’s next album. And four years later, she became part of the tour.
“(Davis) said, ‘Do you want to be the newest member of Mannheim Steamroller?’” said Layton, 58. “And I said, ‘Of course. I would love that.’”
And 26 years later, Layton is still making music with Mannheim Steamroller — and her holidays are still booked every year except last, when, due to the pandemic, its usual Christmas tour didn’t take place.
“The silver lining for me was that I spent Christmas and Thanksgiving with my family,” said Layton, who lives on Cape Cod.
But Mannheim Steamroller and its enthusiastic audiences are part of her family, too.
“Honestly, we have been selling out,” Layton said of the response to the current tour, which kicked off in mid-november.
“People are excited,” she said. “They’re really wanting to get back to some sort of semblance of normalcy of going to concerts, celebrating the Christmas spirit. I’m looking around (and) everyone’s decorating earlier than usual. We’re always out here 10 days before Thanksgiving, but people are hungry for it.”
Those who attend the concert on Dec. 3 will feast on the usual heaping of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas music, which includes blazingly bold interpretations of holiday classics.
“Chip writes with this amazing beat that just goes forward and forward and forward,” Layton said. “I feel like we cover a whole bunch of genres. We can access the orchestra, beautiful ballads — ‘O Holy Night,’ ‘Silent Night’ — and then we can rock it with ‘Deck the Halls,’ ‘Angels (We Have Heard on High).’”
The concert will feature performances of every song heard on the group’s first holiday album, the immensely popular 1984 record, “Mannheim Steamroller Christmas.” It was the first of numerous widely popular holiday albums that would forever link the group with Christmastime.
“Chip’s arrangement of these (songs) are just amazing,” Layton said. “For instance, ‘O Holy Night’ (has) a part where this horn comes in, and I cry every night when I’m playing the bells. A tear comes down and the right side of my head starts vibrating.”
A tear or two is likely to be shed by the group’s devoted fans, too.
“We’re not doing an autograph line this year because of (coronavirus) protocol,” Layton said. “But we hear these beautiful stories of how (Mannheim Steamroller) is part of the family, part of the trimming of the tree, or if a loved one is sick, they’ll play the music, or maybe even at funerals. It’s just very special to people.”
tonguetteauthor2@aol.com