The BBC Concert Orchestra performs alongside an all-star cast in ‘The Big Blind’ - a noir-inspired jazz audio drama by Kurt Elling and Phil Galdston.
(Review by Lauren Bush/Photos © Tom Howard)
Cast:Clarke Peters Eddie Freeman, an older, African-American jazz saxophonistKurt Elling Jack Lewis, a young, up-and-coming jazz vocalistIan Shaw Tony ‘The Mongoose’ Bonilla, a mob-connected British talent managerDee Dee Bridgewater Veronica Legrand, a middle-aged, African-American talent managerCherise Adams-Burnett Jilly Radford, a young, African-American photographerJeff Ward Foley artist/announcerGuy Barker conductor/arranger
A “big blind” is a poker term that
describes a bet you have to make when you don’t know what the cards will show. The Big Blind, performed for it’s UK
debut at Queen Elizabeth Hall in the Southbank Centre, is based loosely on the
true story of Chicago jazz singer Joe E. Lewis who found out the hard way what
kind of trouble the music business could get him into.
The musical follows the career of
up-and-coming jazz singer Jack Lewis who ends up getting caught in a tug-of-war
between two crooked managers. Things get ugly and Jack gets hurt, his voice suffering
in the cruel attack. After hitting rock bottom, he seeks the help of his young
ingénue and finds a way to recover and express himself.
Kurt
Elling, the mastermind
behind this whole endeavour, grew up and worked as a jazz singer in Chicago and
felt inspired by the scene and the stories he knew so well. His love of radio
dramas as a child motivated his idea, paying homage to a time when those radio
plays were as popular as the music he sings.
After meeting Guy Barker while working on another song project, Elling realised he
would finally be able to turn his concept into a reality with the help of
Barker and his songwriting partner Phil
Galdston. The inaugural
production was performed at Lincoln Center in New York last year with a smaller
orchestra but this production would feature the entire (65 musicians listed in
the program) BBC Concert Orchestra.
Set up like a live radio drama, the cast
was comprised of Clarke Peters, who
narrated most of the show, playing Jack Lewis’ friend, confident and tenor sax
player. Dee Dee Bridgewater played
the endearing yet feisty manager and wife, Veronica Legrand. The villainous
money-hungry Tony ‘The Mongoose’ Bonilla was played by Ian Shaw and the ingénue bright-eyed photographer by Cherise Adams-Burnett. There was also
the special Foley Artist, Jeff Ward,
who was very interesting to watch, especially during the fight scenes. Elling,
of course, played the lead character, naïve Jack Lewis, falling for the bright
lights and too-good-to-be-true deals of Vegas. 
The production was inspiring. It brought
the whole audience into a world that’s long been forgotten. The massive
orchestral arrangements filled the hall with Barker’s beautiful arrangements.
Each performer had internalised the songs, channelling Elling’s distinct
writing style in their own way. Adams-Burnett carried the music so charmingly
bringing softness to her songs while still having such power in her voice.
Peters endearingly connected the audience with a sincere clarity in his role,
and Shaw and Bridgewater’s character development played on the love/hate
relationship necessary for a successful villain. They are both experts at
delivering the comedy and the drama of a lyric.
This project was a sold-out success. It
captured the nostalgia of the music, the era and the place perfectly and it was
wonderful to hear Elling’s voice, while in a different context, still just as
powerful, playful and flawless as usual. About Lauren Bush:
twitter: @laurenbushjazz
instagram: @laurenbushjazz
facebook .
All My Treasures
You can listen to the album here.
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Solid Debut ★★★1/2 stars ~Downbeat Magazine
Supremely Confident Vocalist, A mature and very experienced artist...
★★★★1/2 stars ~All About Jazz
Top 5 Finalist Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition 2016.
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