by Guytano Parks
The Cleveland Orchestra kicked off its Holiday Festival 2013 at Severance Hall on Wednesday, December 11 with a Celebrity Series, one night only performance by multiple Grammy-winning recording artist Natalie Cole. The hall was beautifully decked with festive holiday decorations and featured lovely mood-enhancing lighting effects during the performance.
The Orchestra, augmented with local jazz musicians, was conducted by Gail Deadrick, Cole’s conductor since 2000, and joined by Cole’s backup band: Mahesh Balasooriya, piano, Edwin Livingston, bass, Robert Miller, drums, Tony Pulizzi, guitar, Dave Trigg, trumpet, Alessandro Alessandroni, keyboards, and Robert Yancy, percussion, in addition to background vocalists Lynne Fiddmont and Traci Brown-Baily.
Looking elegant and statuesque in a cream-colored gown, Cole slinked onto the stage to sing a dreamy and lush arrangement of Hoagy Carmichael’s Stardust, the first song in a diverse program of standards, R&B, Pop, jazz and Spanish songs. [Read more…]