Schermerhorn Symphony Center in downtown Nashville was in full swing last night during Nashville Swings!, a big band show featuring Abby Burke and Mike Eldred with the wonderful conductor Albert-George Schram.
“Nashville Swings!” will be at the symphony center Jan. 17 at 7:00 p.m and Jan. 18-19 at 8:00 p.m.
Abby Burke, a vocal gymnist of the extreme was undeniably the shining star of the evening. This woman has pipes that are just hard to believe. With a personality to match the sweet and sassy vocals, this incredible performer is alone worth more than the price of the concert.
Along with Burke is Mike Eldred, no slouch himself, who has a voice that is sure to produce chill bumps on the warmest of souls. The epitome of "smooth", Eldred is the perfect accompaniment to the irrepressible Burke.
Backing up the extraordinary vocalists is Nashville Symphony and the Nashville Jazz Orchestra’s rhythm section, which makes for an incredible "big band" performance. The symphony has never sounded better or seemed more full of vim and vigor, as they are led by the always smiling and vivacious Schram.
Songs featured in the concert include Burke's Peggy Lee influenced version of "Come Rain or Come Shine", a duet between Burke and Eldred of a song called, "Birth of the Blues" and Glen Miller's "Moonlight Serenade", as well as tunes by icons like Cab Calloway, Cole Porter and George Gershwin.
It is a head-bobbing, shoulder-swaying, toe-tapping evening of music, sure to get your metabolism hopping. So much fun, in fact, that my 18 year old grandson absolutely adored it and it was his very first symphony concert attendance. What a great way to get your kids excited about the symphony, and get them to sample a diversity of music.
Check out the Nashville Symphony website for tickets, reservations and information about a plethora of events coming up this year.
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