The Seattle Rock Orchestra—helmed by artistic director Scott
Teske, conductor Kim Roy, and creative director Emily Westman—hopped, skipped,
and jumped up to Bellingham this evening for one hell of a show. Joining forces
with the Whatcom Symphony for the second year in a row, the pair played the
perennial hits of Motown, and the results were nothing short of magic.
The night opened with a soulful “Heard it Through the
Grapevine”, and the rest followed suit. Vocalists Annie Jantzer, Ernest
Pumphrey, Otieno Terry, and Miranda Zickler (of Bellingham’s Rabbit Wilde) floored
with high-reaching harmonies and powerhouse solos, incredible range and gritty,
rhythmic groove. The performance was authentic to the era but peppered with a
subtle spin, and Emily Westman’s arrangements were stunningly
well written.
The performance tapped over twenty hits, including
“Heatwave,” “ABC,” “Higher and Higher,” and “Papa was a Rolling Stone”, and
showed off what these guys and gals can do. Which is, of course, a lot.
Each vocalist consistently killed it in solo and harmony. Terry’s
“Let’s Get it On” and “My Girl” were especially notable—his fantastic range can
go from falsetto and back in a second, and navigates harmony and melody like
it’s a cakewalk. Ernest Pumphrey held down both tenor and baritone, and his
tone and ability to reach and project is truly gifted; “I Can’t Help Myself”
(among several others) was a stunner.
Zickler sang Diana Ross, Queen of Motown, like nobody’s
business and her take on “You Keep Me Hanging On” was inspired. Her style
swings from sweet to Joplin-esque gravel without batting an eye and the genre
crossover was awesome. Annie Jantzer’s solos, especially on the epic “I’ll Be
There” were absolutely jaw dropping. She has a powerful, unique command of the
voice you’d be hard-pressed to replicate. The quartet’s mash-up of “Stop! In
the Name of Love” and “Reach Out!”, was a soulful tour-de-force and capitalized
on the buckets of talent available on stage.
The Orchestra was, of course, absolutely wonderful. The
WSO/SRO team never fails to make great music together-- “Papa was a Rolling Stone”, and its myriad parts and effects,
particularly showcased this dynamic, and Teske and Westman’s grooving rhythm section
blended well with the Symphony’s expansive bass and percussion.
This was a fantastically fun show. Aisle dancing abounded.
People participated in “Shout!” a la Animal
House. The Marvin Gaye encore brought down the house. There was explosive laughter and smiles. What better way to
end a magnificent performance?
The SRO’s next gig is a tribute to Neil Diamond on Mother’s
Day weekend in Seattle. Moms, kids, dads, and grandparents, grab your tickets and don’t
miss out on this amazing group! Find more info here.
