John Hiatt and The Combo at Ravinia Festival
John Hiatt is a well-known and accomplished songwriter. He’s written songs for just about everyone under the sun, and a number of them have been hits – at least on the country charts.
Music Reviews
An Evening With Mandy Patinkin & Nathan Gunn
Ever the stylist tenor who loves patter songs, word-intensive and emotionally explosive songs – Mandy Patinkin never sounded better. Nathan Gunn, the powerful baritone and classical opera star easily breezed through his varied assortment of tunes that included cowboy songs, Broadway tunes with a sampling of pop and folk tunes
Lyle Lovett & His Large Band at Ravinia
God damn I like Lyle Lovett. He’s a real craftful songwriter. His songs are funny, bitter, poignant, satirical – sometimes all at once. They are a celebration and satirization of the decadent and depraved segments of our society through joyous absurdity. He’ll cut a record with some of the funniest songs you’ve ever heard, and right next to ‘em will be stuff to make you bawl your eyes out. And live, he’s even better.
The Student Prince
Featuring the golden tenor from William Bennett , as the Prince, and the fine soprano from Danielle M. Knox, as Kathy, Light Opera Work’s production of the classic 20th Century Romberg gem is spirited, glamorous looking and stunningly well- sung affair. The fun begins as Karl Franz, (William Bennett) the prince of the (fictitious) German kingdom of Karlsberg heads to University of Heidelberg for an education and to experience the ‘real world’ filled with male bonding and a few beers. Romberg’s “Drinking Song” was a Prohibition 1924 hit song!
Rufus Wainwright – Ravinia concert
I went to Ravinia last Sunday hoping for a good show, good music, and maybe something supremely interesting: the CSO was also billed, after all, so presumably they would be performing together. And, indeed, they did. The CSO began the evening with the overture to Beatrice et Benedict by Berlioz; they then went into Mendelssohn’s scherzo and nocturne from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. All were excellent – exactly what you would expect.
Puccini’s Tosca in Concert at Ravinia Festival
Tosca contains Puccini’s best known lyrical arias that were in good hands with the golden, richly toned vocals from fabulous opera stars such as Patricia Racette as the celebrated singer, Floria Tosca. Salvatore Licitra, as the Tosca lover Mario Cavaradossi made his smooth tenor sour to new heights while the venomous Bryn Terfel’s baritone deliciously sang his treachery as he yearns for Tosca.
Theo Katzman & (((LOVEMASSIVE))) Live at Schubas
The three of them immediately launched into several new songs, presumably on the debut album Theo’s recording right now, each of them very strong and containing what one has come to expect from Theo: good lyrics, nice hooks, excellent chord progressions. Theo writes like he talks, so the colloquial nature of his lyrics make the songs very approachable while remaining catchy and smart.
Glasvegas, Live at the Bottom Lounge – Part 1
What about the show? Well, it was good. Damn good, really. First we had to wait a minute, until the stage had sufficient fog. But then they took to the stage, James Allan with a thick, white, glowing mic cable, like something out of Bladerunner.
Ravinia: Robert Pland and the Band of Joy
Robert Plant is an interesting choice for the Ravinia Festival. On the one hand, he and his bandmates Jimmy Page, John Bonham and John Paul Jones defined behemoth self-indulgent rock in the ‘70s as Led Zeppelin. However, he’s now surrounded himself with massive names in country, folk and bluegrass and creates music that is, if not calm, complacent.
Ravinia: Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
Ravinia is the perfect venue for Wynton Marsalis, who has concentrated his career on education and outreach almost as much as on music. Jazz at Lincoln Center has a year-round education & outreach program, geared towards giving children opportunities they would not otherwise have.