SOUNDTRACK: ART OF TIME ENSEMBLE-Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (2012)
The Art of Time Ensemble does many things although my exposure to them is through their string performances of rock songs
Led by Artistic Director Andrew Burashko, Art of Time Ensemble transforms the way you experience music. Fusing high art and popular culture in concerts that juxtapose the best of each genre, Art of Time entertains as it enlightens, revealing the universal qualities that lie at the heart of all great music.
Sarah and I saw a live show of this tour. And this recording is pretty much the same (I’m sure there’s some variations). It is more than just a symphonic version of the record. The Art of Time Ensemble created new arrangements of the songs. Purists might hate this, but it is lovingly created and made with a few extra orchestral moments thrown in.
This disc was recorded live in concert May 31, June 1 & 2, 2012 at the Enwave Theatre in Toronto
The disc opens, of course with “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Steven Page sings the song with rocking guitars and horns. There’s cool a capella moment with them all singing the “it’s wonderful to be here” moment. Before allowing the next song to start the band does the slow orchestra rise of notes at the end of the album. Clearly showing that while hey are staying somewhat faithful to the record, there will be surprises.
“With A Little Help From My Friends” has gentle swirling orchestral notes as John Mann (from Spirit of the West) sings. This song seems to be all about the orchestra as they take many liberties with the melodies and soloing moments.
“Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” Craig Northey sings this classic which is quite understated, especially in the chorus, when he sings falsetto and there;s minimal accompaniment. However, those three thumps before the chorus are as loud as anything.
Andy Maize’s gruff, weathered voice sounds great for “Getting Better.” But it’s Page’s harmonies in the chorus that make this song transcendent. “Fixing A Hole: is the first song that really changes the original. It has a kind of Kurt Weill cabaret/circus vibe with John Mann hitting some challenging notes. But the music is so sinister, it’s quite interesting.
“She’s Leaving Home” is achingly, beautifully sung by Steven Page. The backing vocals are perfect, too.
“Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!” has a few strange moments in which the bulk of the music cuts out for pizzicato strings or when the middle section features an extended waltz for Mrs K to dance. Craig Northey sounds like he’s singing through a megaphone but that seems unlikely. By the end, Northey also seems to be talking Mr. Kite down from his foolish behavior (“Oh, he;s falling”).
“Within You Without You” is the other song that Andy Maize takes lead on. On the original, the song is done in Indian classical style. This version has strings filling in with repeated melodies. Indian hand drums are used at the end and while I’m not certain, I think there was no sitar used, but the melodies on violin and voila do a great job of representing that sound.
“When I’m Sixty-Four” is very string-heavy and takes a bit before it gets the bouncey feel of the original. John Mann does a nice job with the song and the backing singers do a great job too. I’m only bummed that there’s no musical punctuation on Vera Chuck and Dave.
A long piano intro opens “Lovely Rita” before Steven Page takes lead vocals–a song well suited to him. The big surprise comes in the middle when there’s a lenghthy big band dance section including a muted trumpet and a real nor jazz feel. After the nifty trumpet solo there’s a clap along for the ending chorus.
The members all greet each other “Good Morning” before “Good Morning Good Morning” starts up, sung by Craig Northey. It’s one of the more rocking songs. At least until the swirling heavy guitars that open “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise).” There is a chorus of vocals singing with vamping from Steven Page.
The disc ends with “A Day in the Life” with Andy Maize on the first section (squeaking out that House of Lords line) and Craig Northey taking the faster part. Since the orchestra already did the end of the album much earlier the end of the concert is quiet, much more subtle.
The album is over but there are two bonus Beatles songs. “Penny Lane” sung by Steven Page might be noticeable for the trumpet getting the solo perfect.
The whole show ends with “All You Need is Love” with everyone getting a verse. There are a number of Beatles’ lines thrown in during the outro, like Page singing “I should have known better with a girl like you” and “All I’ve got is a photograph” (from Ringo).
This is a fun take on a classic album. And while I’ll always prefer the original, it’s nice for a change of pace.
[READ: April 11, 2016] “Soldier’s Joy”
I don’t quite understand the title of this story, but that doesn’t detract from my enjoyment of it.
The story is about a woman, Nana, and her much older husband. It opens with her relating to him a dream she had. In the dream, he sent her a love letter in which he stated how lucky he was “that you still want to live with me.” He laughs and says he is quite humble isn’t he.
In his dream he imagined that their friend Helen, a “preposterously impossible person,” was pregnant. Helen had hosted them the previous evening and her husband had been drunk and flirted with Helen’s nineteen year old daughter .
Later Nana called Helen to apologize for her husband and to commiserate about what they should wear to the next function at Libby’s house. Helen says not to worry sabot it, that all girls flirt. And of course, Nana remembers how she and Helen flirted with their college professor when they were in school and how, of course, he is the man who Nana ultimately married. (more…)
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I have loved Steven Page’s voice for decades.
I Just Read About That... 