OPEK at Top of Pittsburgh’s Jazz Scene
Saxophonist Ben Opie and his band, OPEK, showed Friday night at Gullifty’s Restaurant in Squirrel Hill why they continue to be at the top of Pittsburgh’s jazz scene.
In a show that ranged from the music of Duke Ellington to that of Sun Ra, Opie performed on his woodwinds, but also on a hand-held synthesizer and a toy that he spun over his head to create sounds from the air.
The most important part of OPEK, though, is the cohesion with which it plays driving tunes such as Sun Ra’s “Mu” or a pretty set- closer from Ellington’s ballet, “The River.”
The 12-piece band also gave its own kind of life to the theme song from the 1974 thriller “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.”
This band changes shape and personnel frequently because of the schedules of its musicians. But its imaginative look at music never varies, which is the reason it attracts members that include sax star Lou Stellute, bassist Paul Thompson and trumpeters Ralph Guzzi and Chuck Austin.
That’s no doubt one of the reasons its presence is becoming more evident.
— Bob Karlovits
Pittsburgh Symphony
The final notes of the Pittsburgh Symphony’s 2007-08 season were played Saturday night at the Garrett Lakes Arts Festival in McHenry, Md. The Lodge at the Wisp Resort, which sits about 800, was packed for the classical program as it had been Friday night when Marvin Hamlisch conducted a Pops program.
The symphony’s resident conductor Lawrence Loh led a program of colorful music, starting with Hector Berlioz’ witty overture to his opera “Beatrice and Benedict.”
The artistic high point was provided by soloist Louis Lev in Sergei Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2. Lev, the orchestra’s associate principal second violin, had a distinctively warm-hearted interpretation that made the most of his tonally lustrous virtuosity.
The orchestra, which had been emotionally flat during the first half, opened up considerably in Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7 that concluded the concert. Despite the rousing conclusion, there were awkward moments, such as the pickup to the Scherzo and various woodwind passages.
The acoustics were undistinguished at best, and at worst suffer from a nasty boominess in the mid-bass that probably originates from the stage floor. The festival knows it needs a performing-arts center and is working to generate funding for it. But other development in the area, including both lodging and dining options, will be needed. too.
— Mark Kanny
Originally published by The Tribune-Review.
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