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Post by jackiejunkies on May 9, 2017 3:51:45 GMT
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Post by jackiejunkies on Dec 2, 2017 0:36:42 GMT
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Post by jackiejunkies on Dec 2, 2017 4:06:00 GMT
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Post by jackiejunkies on Dec 3, 2017 23:44:42 GMT
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Post by jackiejunkies on Dec 4, 2017 23:19:15 GMT
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Post by jackiejunkies on Dec 4, 2017 23:46:47 GMT
www.facebook.com/groups/TeamJackieEvanchoUSA/permalink/1636320586429712/Concert Review by: Matthew Jefferson Jackie Evancho (feat. Peter Kiesewalter) LIVE @ The Modell Lyric in Baltimore MD [12/3/2017] It was a calm night in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. The parking garage, across the street from the Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric, had open lots at 4:28 PM EST. Early as can be, there was still some time to have dinner around the corner (not too far from the venue). Anyway, fast forwarding to the admission part (with my prepaid ticket in hand), the Lyric’s auditorium opened at around 5:28 PM EST. I was just in time to find my seat: Row “D,” Seat “118.” While waiting for the show to start, Mr. Evancho (Jackie’s father and tour manager) quietly appeared on the right hand stage checking to see if some people arrived. [That was one “Easter Egg” I spotted prior to the beginning of the program. Apparently, I recognized him from the Aug 9 2017 TLC special “Growing Up Evancho.”] He disappeared for a few minutes before approaching on the left hand stage (when several more people showed up). A slideshow of handpicked photos (of Jackie, her family members, Sarah Brightman, Andrea Bocelli, Muhammad Ali, Robert Redford, and a few others) were projected above the whole set. Peter Kiesewalter had a Steinway piano placed on the left hand stage away from a few pedestals for the string players. Two pillars, propped in the centerstage, held vases of flowers. One of the pillars had a transparent cup of water on top (for Jackie to drink every 1-2 songs). The show began with “Lovers” (from the 2004 film “House of Flying Daggers”). Classic! Jackie, holding her sparkling microphone, entered the stage in a white sparkling dress. “...There was a field in my own town, Where we always played hand in hand...” Then, if I remember correctly, there was a 3-4 song medley she and the ensemble played. Awww yes. That was when she included “O Mio Babbino Caro,” “Con Te Partirò” (Bocelli song), and “When You Wish Upon a Star” (from Disney’s “Pinocchio”) in the same medley. Pretty cool feature. It made me feel as if I was at a Grateful Dead concert. One cool song transitions to the next. In contrast to The Grateful Dead, where instrumental solos occur between songs, Jackie introduced the song titles (each with a short message or a personal story). I like how she connects stories with whatever repertoire she chooses to sing. Even I do the same (when playing for select venues such as nursing homes), [but that’s another story for another time]. There was a David Foster song she even included. Unfortunately, I don’t remember exactly which one from the top of my head. It might have been “To Where We Are” because she did mention “New Jersey” and “David Foster” somewhere in the program. [ ]
Somewhere in the program... “The Way We Were” was added. That was the song Barbra Streisand recorded for the film of the same name back in the 1973.
“The Impossible Dream” was added in the first set. Two favorable “Phantom of the Opera” songs were sung: “Music of the Night” (Track 2 on “Songs from the Silver Screen), and “Think of Me” (Track 1 on “Awakening”).
After “Think of Me” was sung, a 20-minute intermission occurred.
The second set contained a mix of Christmas and contemporary music. That time, she appeared in a red outfit.
“I’ll be Home For Christmas.”
“The Christmas Song” - (the one that goes... “...Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose...” Prior to the start of the song, Jackie noted that the name of that particular song was actually called “The Christmas Song.”
“White Christmas.” “...I’m dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know...”
“Set Me Free” - (a song that was featured in this past summer’s Beijing Horse Show: “Troy”).
“All of the Stars” - (originally by Ed Sheeran for the 2014 film “The Fault in Our Stars”). It was a surprise to hear that song. Her version was my college song back in the Fall of 2015. Just by listening to it makes me want to belt it out. In fact, in the second refrain of the song, Peter Kiesewalter sang lower harmonies while Jackie sang the main melodies. Nicely well done.
During the second set, Jackie took a break off stage while Peter Kiesewalter played a jazzy medley of songs from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (1965). Songs from the medley included (but not limited to): “Linus and Lucy,” “What Child is This,” and “Christmas Time is Here.” For the first time ever, I have heard Charlie Brown music in a Jackie Evancho concert. That’s so awesome. It sure was a special treat. 👍 Imagine what would happen if Peter and Jackie shared the piano and performed a 1-piano 4-hands improv of Tran Siberian Orchestra’s “Wizards in Winter” (with the strings ensemble accompanying them, and Bob Weir making a surprise cameo doing a guitar solo or two, and Jumaane Smith doing a trumpet solo or two, and a guest drummer pounding the drums on a rotating platform similar to the one in those Newsboys concerts). Now, that would have made the audience clap to the beat and roar and scream from the top of their lungs. [[That would have been nice to see in the years to come. But anyway, the whole Vince Guaraldi medley was tremendously “terrific” and “off the charts.” Bravo to Peter.]]
Jackie came back on stage, and eventually sang a Don McLean song: “Vincent.” (AKA: “Starry Starry Night”).
Later on the program, she included “O Holy Night” (which was said to be Mrs. Evancho’s favorite Christmas hymn). “...O Holy Night the stars are brightly shining, It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth...” Jackie sang that so beautifully.
Toward the end, “Believe” (from the 2004 film, “The Polar Express”) was sung.
The crowd applauded and provided standing ovations for Jackie and the other performers. Thanking the audience, and blowing some kisses, she walked off the stage for a brief second before returning reappearing and singing her encore song: “Nessun Dorma” (the same song Luciano Pavarotti and Ava Maha had done). “...Nessun Dorma! Nessun Dorma! Tu pure, oh Principessa Nella tua fredda stanza...”
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Supplementary visuals, matching the moods of the songs in the program, were projected while Jackie belted out powerful diction and phrasings. Throughout the entire concert, as I did during the Aug 1 2017 Cool Spring Preserve Performance (feat. indie artist Lucia Valentine), I quietly mouthed along the lyrics to the songs Jackie sang. The songs were recognizable, catchy, and easy to follow. Her interaction with the audience was very good. I just wish there was a packed house. There weren’t that many people in the theater on that Sunday evening. Other than that, the whole concert was tremendously the best “early” Christmas present I have ever asked for this year. And I thank Jackie for coming back to Baltimore. Someday, she must definitely come to either the Weinberg Center, Baker Park, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Shepherd University’s Frank Art Center Theater, Opera House LIVE in Shepherdstown (WV), Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in Hagerstown (MD), Frederick Coffee Company, Beans in the Belfry in Brunswick (MD), or maybe the Capital One Arena in DC (where Dead & Company recently played about two weeks ago). And see if Tre Principesse or ViVA Trio want to come down and join her.
She never ceases to amaze me. She was the highlight of my weekend. Merry Christmas to Jackie and her family. 5-STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!!!
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To me, this beautiful music stuff is food for the brain. I'll always be hungry for all that. And check out some other related artists who have the same talent as Jackie Evancho. There's Ava Maha, Katie Marshall, Susan Boyle, Andrea Bocelli, Sarah Brightman, Scarlett Quigley, Tre Principesse (Anastasia Lee, Tatiana Marie, Agne Giedraityte), ViVA Trio (Katya Tchoubar, Anna Bateman, and Erin Fisher), ViVA Choir, Siobhan Owen, Lucia Valentine, Nicole Scimeca (from the Broadway version of “Anastasia”), Nadine P. Simmons (who recently appeared on “Put Me On Steve”), Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Jumaane Smith, Chanticleer (the vocal ensemble), Three’s Company (Dr. Scott Beard, Dr. Yu-Hsuan Liao, and Dr. Laura Renninger), Andrzej Rozbicki (of Celebrity Symphony Orchestra), Julien Benichou (of the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra), The Sicilian Tenors (Aaron Caruso, Elio Scaccio, and Sam Vitale), Dead & Company (Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, John Mayer, Bob Weir, Oteil Burbridge, and Jeff Chimenti), etc etc etc.
[[The reason for the inclusion of both “Lucia Valentine” and “Dead & Company” is because a majority of their songs tell many stories. Bob Weir and Lucia Valentine can tell stories in song form (just like Jackie). As in the case of Jackie Evancho’s “Two Hearts” album, the second disc features some songs Jackie wrote (and each one told meaningful stories or parallels based on some of her personal experiences).]]
What’s next on the agenda? Will there be a theatrical concert film (featuring Jackie and her whole family forming a family ensemble similar to The Brady Bunch, collaborating with others [such as Tre Principesse, ViVA Trio, ViVA Choir, Peter Kiesewalter, Jumaane Smith, Lucia Valentine, Ava Maha, Nicole Scimeca, Nadine P. Simmons, Andrzej Rozbicki and the Celebrity Symphony Orchestra, and Dead & Company]? It would be like “the 21st Century Woodstock” in on the big screen.
Anyway, I would like to congratulate Jackie, Peter, and the string ensemble, for providing such a wonderful concert at the Lyric.
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Post by jackiejunkies on Dec 5, 2017 23:59:44 GMT
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