(Instrumental Pop Hits from 1958-1991)
7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 12, 2018
Greaves Concert Hall, NKU
A nostalgic evening of instrumental gold closes the KSO’s 26th season. Instrumental songs spanning jazz, Latin, R&B, rock, disco and pop were quite common on the Billboard charts in the 20th century. Many of these tunes found their way into advertising, theme songs, movies and even other hit songs decades after they hit the air waves.
In fact, one innocuous tune “Apache” by the Incredible Bongo Band in 1972 never really took off until hip-hop artists like LL Cool J, 2 Live Crew, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, and Kanye West sampled and incorporated the extended percussion break of the original recording into their music decades later. Jazz artists like Quincy Jones, Spyro Gyra, George Benson and Candy Dulfer also crossed over with wordless pop hits. Rockers Edgar Winter and Rush also hit it big with iconic instrumentals like “Frankenstein” and “YYZ.” (See complete playlist attached).
For decades, the KSO has developed small, specialized subsidiary groups (i.e. Newport Ragtime Band, Flood Wall Jazz Quintet) to authentically recreate/cover genres of music that are rarely heard in live performance today. To perform such a wide range of instrumental chart toppers, the KSO has assembled a septet of the finest studio and jazz musicians in the Cincinnati / Dayton area backed by a string section and a few extra musicians. The septet includes: Hal Melia, reeds, Scott Belck, trumpet and Dominic Marino, trombone, with rhythm section featuring Phil DeGreg, piano, Bradford Myers, guitar, Aaron Jacob, bass and John Taylor, drums.
Take mom and grandmother out this Mother’s Day Weekend for a true blast from the past as the new K-so Combo (it’s a tasty group) takes us back to a time when songs without words left a fond and lasting impression. The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra closes season 26 in Greaves Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, May 12, at NKU, Highland Heights, KY. Reserved seating tickets are $19, $27, $35 (children ages 6-18 are 50% off) and are available online at kyso.org, by phone — (859) 431-6216, or at the door.