By Joyce Kryszak
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-925547.mp3
Buffalo, NY –
The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is having company this Sunday - lots of it. The BPO will be joined on stage by dozens of musical guests presenting everything from Bop to Bassie to Beethoven. It is all part of the second annual "Concert From the Heart" to benefit the Food Bank of Western New York.
Classical music is what most people expect to hear when they settle down for a concert in the world renowned Kleinhan's Music Hall. But on Sunday night, this symphonic sound will get a little kick.
Buffalo music legend Lance Diamond is only one of the musicians who will be rockin' the stage and putting the BPO through its paces. There will be jazz and Barbershop, R&B and Big Band and just about anything in between.
These diverse musical genres are not usually heard on the same stage - much less with a symphonic orchestra. The Old School B Boys bring their Motown groove to the mix. Bass singer Marcus Brown said having the BPO as their back up band is a thrill.
Performing with an orchestra was not necessarily a life long dream for some of the musicians. But all the groups jumped at the chance once it was suggested. George Scott has had a little experience with conducting himself. He leads the George Scott Big Band. But Scott said, playing with the BPO - now that's a big band.
It sounds like a pretty cool idea. But how do you keep all those diverse musical styles to sound like awesome jamming instead of clashing?
It helps if you have a really experienced conductor. Paul Ferrington has been with the BPO as a conductor for 26 years. He said the musicians can play anything. And Ferrington said they can improvise with the best of them. But he said it does take a little coordination when the orchestra improvises with groups that do not always follow a score, such as jazz groups.
Other musicians performing in this benefit concert could not agree more. The Old School B Boys baritone Duane Maydun said the R&B group knows how important it is to learn to work together. Maydun said it is a musical art that is, unfortunately, being lost along the way as individual acts replace singing groups.
But he and the others said they want that idea of coming together for the Concert from the Heart to transcend the music.
They want the music to help connect with community on many levels. The hope is that audiences who have maybe never heard the BPO, will come to hear them perform with musicians they do know, such as Joyce Nixon or Van Taylor of Taylor Made Jazz. And that just maybe the classical music crowd will head on over to the Colored Musicians Club or other venues.
Taylor said they need also to get the message across that music can be a force for good in the community. And he said this benefit for the Food Bank is a good place to start.
All of the musicians are donating their time and talent for the concert, including the BPO musicians. All proceeds from the concert will go to the Food Bank.
Tickets to the open seating concert at Kleinhans are $25 each, although group rates are available. Tickets can be purchased at the door. People are encouraged to bring canned food donations. The pre-concert entertainment begins at 6:00 P.M. Sunday, with the main concert beginning at 7:00 P.M. For more information you can call the BPO at 885-5000.