American Rhapsody

Mandy Gaines, Tim Berens, and Michael Chertock at the premiere performance of American Rhapsody at The Ariel Opera House with The Ohio Valley Symphony.

The Pops orchestra show American Rhapsody draws its inspiration from the Great American Songbook, featuring masterpieces by George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Will Marion Cook and Duke Ellington.  The show features two world-class musicians as soloists, pianist Michael Chertock and jazz vocalist Mandy Gaines, and a sparkling set of arrangements by Tim and Louise Berens.

Mandy Gaines sings 5 new arrangements on this show, highlighting her swinging, soulful singing, and her spectacular ability to improvise vocally, aka “scatting.”  She sings Fascinating Rhythm, It Had To Be You, Bye Bye Blackbird, What’ll I Do, and a high-energy Cuban rumba setting of George and Ira Gershwin’s S’Wonderful that isn’t your grandmother’s S’Wonderful.

Michael Chertock performs George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.  Michael owns this masterpiece.  Having performed it 250+ times with orchestras around the world, his interpretation is born of years of study and practice.  Michael’s virtuosic technique makes Rhapsody in Blue sound relaxed and easy.

American Rhapsody features the Berens Pops Library edition of Rhapsody in Blue.

The orchestra is featured in five instrumental numbers on the concert:

  • The 10:10 to 1920  surveys music from the years leading up to 1920, with a Sousa March, a Joplin Rag, a One Step March by James Reese Europe, and the traditional When the Saints Go Marching In.  The piece is tied together by a train theme, which features a recurring train steam whistle sound in the winds.

  • Selections from In Dahomey  highlights the first musical written and performed by African Americans to appear on Broadway in 1903, In Dahomey.  Will Marion Cook’s music is a rich gumbo of late romantic harmonies and ragtime rhythm.

  • East St. Louis Toodle-Oo was Duke Ellington’s first big hit recording.  It was also covered by the band Steely Dan for their album Pretzel Logic. This arrangement is faithful to Duke’s original recording.  Musicians love playing this one.

  •  Yes Sir! That’s My Baby by Walter Donaldson

  • Always by Irving Berlin