Quick reviews of recent events
Submit your own review or commentary to Events@CoolCleveland.com

Apollo's Fire: Come to the River @ St. Noel's Church, Willoughby 6/11 Early American music is directly descended from Elizabethan era British music, and even if you hadn’t previously realized that fact, the discovery can be pure pleasure. All you have to do is “Come to the River” with Jeannette Sorrell and her wandering band of musicians. The four vocalists are heading out on a wagon trip, and perform separately and together in various configurations along the way. There are humor, poignancy and surprises for everyone.

A jaunty Pennsylvania Barn Dance led to a saucy medley that included Old Joe Clark and I Wish I was an Apple, by the four singers who doubled as dancers, with the small cluster of musicians providing the happy, swinging background. Sandra Simon’s voice is ideally suited to these songs, especially when a bit of acting helps to convey the lyrics, as in The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night. There Were Three Ravens had a bit of Irish about it, so it segued nicely into a suite of traditional Irish tunes gorgeously played by Kathie Stewart, with a bit of help from the ‘band.’

Perched on benches at the front of the stage, the four—Sandra Simon, soprano; Abigail Haynes Lennox, soprano; Scott Mello, tenor, and Paul Shipper, bass, who also doubled on guitar—sang as they traveled. Willie, Prithee Go to Bed included a few coyote yips at the end, before they gave us Didn’t Leave Nobody but the Baby. Ways of the World and Dusty Miller featured the magic fingers of Tina Bergmann' on hammered dulcimer, accompanied by René Schiffer, cello, and Gary Stewart on guitar.

Arkansas Traveler was a return to the ‘grinnin and pickin’ entertainment of yesteryear. Mr. Stewart picked his banjo while being the backwoods humorist to Mr. Mello’s raw hayseed. All the corny jokes you might have once heard on “Hee-Haw” were just as funny here as they were then.

Mr. Mello and Mr. Schiffer joined forces for Old Virginny and The Girl Who Broke my Heart, a lament and love song with a great cello jig in it. The first half ended with a small drama enacted by the singers, to the music of Wild Bill Jones. Mr. Mello shot Mr. Schiffer dead (not really) but Mr. Schiffer ended up on the floor, anyway (having first carefully placed his cello on the floor where he wouldn’t collide with it). The Sheriff (in the person of Tom Frittate, stage manager) hauled Mr. Mello off to jail.

Twenty years later the second half picked up the story. No, it’s the other way around! Anyway, Johnnie, (in the guise of Mr. Mello) was still in prison stripes, even if he didn’t look a day older. Ms. Lennox, who was portraying his sweetheart MaryJane, sang the haunting Wayfaring Stranger, which led to part three Glory in The Meeting House, where violinist Rachel Jones demonstrated her fabulous skills as a fiddler. As the other musicians joined in, there were joyful foot stomps in the mix. Happily, Mr. Mello was able to shed his stripes--and shackles--for Amazing Grace.

Hold On featured a sermon by Mr. Shipper as the Preacher, after which there was a return to the singing in What Wondrous Love is This by Ms. Lennox and Ms Simon. Ms. Sorrell and her harpsichord then took the spotlight with a set of reels and other dance tunes. Ms. Stewart and Mr. Schiffer joined in.

Holy Manna and Brethren We Have Met To Worship featured the four singers in shape-note singing, unaccompanied, while Return Again and Savior, Visit thy Plantation included accompaniment.

Down in the River to Pray featured all the performers arrayed across the front of the stage (even the instrumentalists) to sing à cappella, and included audience participation. It was sort of Gospel meets Hootenanny! For an encore, the singers turned into dance mode again, joined by a woman from the audience. And a grand time was held by all!

Visit them online at http://www.ApollosFire.org.

From Cool Cleveland Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATroadrunner.com
(:divend:)