Brooker/Winter in New York
(December 2016)
Elizabeth Bryson, for
BtP
Photograph (c) Express Image Photography
The
Paul Winter Consort has been performing Winter Solstice concerts at the
magnificent Cathedral of St John the Divine in New York City since 1980. This 37th
annual celebration was titled ‘Bring Home the Sun’. This particular review
encompasses the evening concerts of 16 and 17 December, 2016.
The
concert began with Paul Winter standing high up in a rear alcove of the
cathedral with a spotlight on him as he played a plaintive solo melody on his
soprano sax. This striking and moving opening set the tone for what would be a
remarkable musical and visual experience.
Gary
Brooker was the special guest for this particular Winter Solstice concert. He
came out early in the concert and performed A Salty Dog, accompanied by
the wonderful Paul Winter Consort musicians. As the resonance in this cathedral
is already quite expansive, hearing the addition of Gary’s soulful resonant
voice in this sumptuous aural setting was exhilarating. Following A Salty Dog
was An Old English Dream – with a humorous introduction by Gary both
evenings referring to Stonehenge and the winter solstice ‘… If I was in England
I’d be at Stonehenge now with three blankets on my head … and a pipe …’; the
following evening ‘… one day the stones will rise and they’ll put a roof on it …
and call it Trump Towers …’. The song was again performed with the Consort and
towards the end Paul Winter offered up a brief but exquisite interlude (on his
soprano sax) of Elgar’s richly melodic Nimrod from The Enigma
Variations.
In
addition to some amazing music throughout the evening the audience was also
treated to The Forces of Nature Dance Theatre – wonderfully gifted dancers and
percussionists. They made their first appearance coming up the centre aisle of
the cathedral. The percussionists were wheeled in on top of a steel-framed cart
and the dancers followed in vibrantly colored West African garb, dancing to the
powerful rhythms provided by the percussionists.
Paul
Winter offered periodic commentary throughout the evening and talked at various
times about George Martin, to whom the concert was dedicated. The first Winter
Solstice concert took place very shortly after John Lennon was murdered in New
York in December of 1980. Paul Winter referenced this and Gary Brooker’s
friendship with John Lennon before again introducing Gary, who performed the
Beatles’ In My Life. His vocal was straightforward and somewhat wistful.
During the Saturday evening performance Gary sang the first line of Hey Jude
at the conclusion of the song, repeating a second time, ‘make it better’.
Another
member of the Paul Winter Consort was the gospel singer, Theresa Thomason. Her
voice was captivatingly pure, versatile, beautifully soulful and dynamic. She
was greeted with very enthusiastic rounds of applause after nearly every song
she sang. One particular song (which was performed in the second half of the
concert), The Silence of a Candle (written by Ralph Towner, from the
George Martin-produced album Icarus) was especially moving.
The
final musical selection before intermission was the Paul Winter Consort’s
mesmerising and strikingly visual performance of Journey through the Longest
Night. This particular piece incorporated a giant ‘sun’ prop that was
wheeled down the centre aisle and eventually rose higher and higher into the
rafters, subsequently being joined by Scott Sloan adding rhythmic enhancement
with the massive sun gong.
Early
in the second half of the concert Gary Brooker returned to the stage to perform
Conquistador with Paul Winter playing the original trumpet part on
soprano sax. This time, along with the accompaniment of the Consort, the Forces
of Nature dance troupe also returned. Not long into the song they took to the
stage in fringe and bell bottoms and danced in vibrantly-choreographed synchrony
around Gary and his piano. Once again, Gary’s vocal was very strong, as were the
dancers. The Forces of Nature Dance Theatre would take the stage at various
other times during the second half of the programme – right until the very last
notes of music were played. Their talent and energy cannot be over-emphasised.
Each
musician in the Paul Winter Consort had virtuosic technique. The long-time
’cellist with the Consort, Eugene Friesen, as well as keyboardist Paul Sullivan,
were particularly notable in their individual solo spots as well as in
accompaniment.
As the
show moved towards the end, Paul Winter again introduced Gary Brooker to the
stage. After a brief chamber orchestral introduction Gary followed, with piano,
and sang A Whiter Shade of Pale. The song was greeted with enthusiastic
appreciation and, at the conclusion, rapturous applause. Among many highlights
of the concert, this was surely one of the ones most embraced by the audience.
Drawing
to a close, all members of the evening’s programme gradually took to the stage.
Gary Brooker and Theresa Thomason sang Silent Night as well as Auld
Lang Syne (in the latter Gary encouraged the audience by gesturing several
times to join in the singing). In keeping with the majestic and inspired
staging, an imposing metal (or that’s what it looked like) Christmas tree
decorated with various gongs, chimes and other percussive instruments was
wheeled to a prominent place on stage.
As with
the ‘sun’ prop making a dramatic appearance at the end of the first part of the
programme. An ‘Earth’ prop was wheeled in up the centre aisle in similar fashion
to also rise to the rafters. When it arrived at the top, the lights were dimmed
and Paul Winter encouraged the audience to sing a ‘Howl-alujah’ chorus. There
was a loud response of howling and baying – eerie and humorous at the same time!
The
singing and dancing continued as the audience exited the cathedral. Gary danced
around the Christmas tree of percussion with various members of the dance
troupe. It was a brilliant artistic night embracing spirituality, thought and
optimism. This was an experience that left a large majority of the audience
leaving the cathedral with a smile on their faces – quite appropriate.
Thanks, Elizabeth
Procol dates in 2016 |
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