Rudy Salvini
Icono Clast
The problem with superlatives is that there's nowhere to go from them.
This evening's performance by the 17-piece (5/4/5/3) Rudy Salvini Big
Band at the Lake Merced Boathouse (every Third Sunday, $15/$25,
unfortunately concurrent with Mike Pyle's Lakeside Swing) was
astounding. It was an absolutely thrilling three-set performance of
familiar, and lesser-known, Big Band classics.
Rudy always opens with "What's New". This evening, its
performance was absolutely perfect and perceived by the pin-drop
audience. I doubt that it's ever been played better by anyone!
The swinging numbers swung harder than we have a right to
expect. I believe that the presences of drummer Dave Rokeach and
bassist Dean Reily were largely responsible.
The work of the many soloists surpassed their usual musicality
and creativity causing frequent cheers and screams from us dancers and
listeners. "Moten Swing" was simply awesome and Rudy's Pflügelhorn
work in "A Child Is Born" was beautiful.
"One O'Clock Jump" closed the evening resulting in a
thoroughly deserved standing ovation.
I've been following this band around almost since its inception about
40 years ago. I'll continue to do so for it's very rewarding.
When I got home, I learned that, at the same time, a movie scene was
being shot at the Regency Ballroom with many local dancers in a '40s
period piece. Oakland television station KTVU long-time reporter Bob
McKenzie is a fine dancer himself and an excellent Swing dancer but I
didn't see him in the scene.
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A San Franciscan who never says "No!" to an invitation to dance!
http://geocities.com/dancefest/ http://geocities.com/iconoc/
ICQ: http://wwp.mirabilis.com/19098103 IClast at SFbay Net