Saw Harry Connick Jr last night...

trumpettyler · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 9:28 am Post subject:

What a band! Just an unbelievable show last night. The smallish amphitheatre was the perfect venue, and his rapport with the crowd really made it a fun show. There were a lot of seats in the reserved section down front that were empty. So to security's dismay, he told people from the back to come on down and take the seats! Talk about a mad rush...

The lead player was a monster, but I didn't have a program to get the lineup of his touring band to see if it was Roger Ingram or not. I recognized the soloists, but of course, no mention of the lead player. By the way, I don't think I've seen a band full of that much talent in a long long time.

Does anyone know how to find the band roster that is touring this summer?
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Hero of the Day · Regular Member Joined: 28 Feb 2004 Posts: 96 Location: NC

Hey!

I was there last night too! I live in Durham so I made the trip. It was a great show. I kinda wish he would have played more of his old stuff...more swing stuff. But yea the band is killing. I was sitting in the grass on the left (if you're facing the stage) side. I had my binoculars to check out the trumpet players. I didn't think it was Roger Ingram...unless he has gotten really old and fat since the last time I saw him. I'm not criticizing him..but I only heard him miss one part of a phrase. The double C's at the end were frightening. The best part of the show, imho, was Leroy Jones. He is amazing. His tone is so ...hard to describe. Cliffordesque. I was surprised at the amount of sustained high notes he played and how good they sounded. I was also really impressed by the black trumpet player on the lead guy's right (if facing stage). His solos were hot and this one phrase he was playing lead (the lead guy was resting I guess) and it sounded better, imho, than the lead guy.

I'm not gay..but damn. Harry has got some major sex appeal.

Vessehune · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 10:18 am Post subject:

It wasn't Roger. I think he is still out sick so he hasn't been on the tour. He will rejoin the tour when he is feeling better. I hope that will be well before he gets out here. I can't wait!!!

Larry Smithee · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 4399

Yeah, but how was the singer?

jazz_trpt · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 12:17 pm Post subject:

I saw Connick on a TV segment (repeat) last week and Mike Karn was playing tenor with him (soloing) -- is he on the tour? (Tall guy, early thirties, very short hair.)
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trumpettyler · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 12:40 pm Post subject:

Harry was ok

What I wouldn't do to have a fraction of his talent. The piano skills, the voice, and he wraps it all with that cool New Awlins vibe. He was very funny last night, and really stretched some tunes out. Made a great joke about 'turning up the piano volume like Elton John!"

I dug Leroy too. His tone was so different - was he playing a cornet? He definitely smoked. Great show.

trjeam · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 5:08 pm Post subject:

yeah harry is very talented.. i've seen on tv and man the band is smoking hot.. that guy sure has alot of showmanship
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mark936 · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 6:35 pm Post subject:

So what I'm hearing is that the show is worth seeing just based on trumpet and instrumentalist solos?

Enough solos to go home satisfied?

c cup · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 8:34 pm Post subject:

I saw Harry last week in Spartanburg. Fantastic show. The band was great and Harry was very funny. The Auditorium was next door to Krispy Kreme. Someone brought several boxes onstage and the rest of the night they ate doughnuts, threw donuts, talked about donuts. It was just a great band having a great time. He introduced the lead player as Bob Johnson. I wondered if Harry did all the arrangements. They were very strong and I thought better than his last tour. His playing seemed better also. But the band was smokin big time.

rlspitzer · Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2004 4:54 am Post subject:

Harry's coming to Hampton Roads the end of this month. Man, I can't wait to see them!

trumpettyler · Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2004 5:36 am Post subject:

I don't think I'd focus on just the solos to justify whether or not to go to see the show. While they are impressive, my enjoyment came as a sum total of everything the show has to offer. Full big band, small combo, solo piano, great vocals (but not on every song). It's just a bunch of top shelf musicians having a blast playing great music.

As for arranging the music, I think Harry does it all. He patented this system using an Apple computer where he writes and arranges the music on his computer, and each of the players has a video screen in place of a folder of music. They are reading their music on screen, and they even have control over 'page breaks' for their individual part. Also, no pages to turn, etc. It also creates nice mood lighting when they turn down the lights. All you see is this blue-ish glow coming back at the players from the screen/stand. There is some info about the patent on his website. They have been using it since his 1999 tour.
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highnote · Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2004 8:47 am Post subject:

THe lead player was Walt Johnson who is filling in for Roger....

tptman · Regular Member Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 28

[sarcasm] Walt Johnson, eh? Yeah, that guys ok.[/sarcasm]
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