Hearty homecoming for kid from Thunder Bay

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This article was published 23/04/2022 (1325 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Ah 1-2-3-4! Life came full circle Friday night as legendary singer/ bandleader/composer/arranger/multi-instrumentalist Paul Shaffer lived out his childhood dream of performing with the first orchestra he heard as a starry-eyed kid growing up in Thunder Bay.

The final offering in the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra Pops series, led with gusto by Julian Pellicano, featured the dynamo in a pair of weekend concerts billed as a “symphonic journey through (Shaffer’s) musical life,” from his roots studying classical piano through pop, rock ’n’ roll, funk, jazz and soul.

The 72-years-young New York City-based artist and member of the Order of Canada is best known for his astonishing 33-year tenure as music director for Late Night with David Letterman and the Late Show with David Letterman, among other accomplishments.

After a dramatic flourish by the orchestra, the consummate showman burst onto the stage to regale the mostly older crowd of 554 of how he became “galvanized” to follow a musical career after hearing a then-touring WSO perform in his hometown in 1964; as well as planting the seeds for his ongoing series of symphony shows, which has included stops in Vancouver, Pittsburgh, and Long Beach.

Shaffer, with the energy of a man half (or more) his age, commands attention as a natural raconteur, his anecdotes laced liberally with self-deprecating humour and wisecracks. The 160-minute (including intermission) show often felt wild and wooly, with Shaffer, often grinning like a Cheshire cat, even popping down on his knees during Bittersweet Symphony, à la Al Jolson, or channeling the charm and wit of late American jazzman/lyricist Dave Frishberg during a medley of When You’re Young and in Love and Love Don’t Love Nobody.

Other highlights include All Our Dreams Are Coming True, and a deliciously twangy The Lonely Surfer showcasing band mate Jo Caro strapping on an unusual six-string bass. Cast Your Fate to the Wind, by Peanuts jazz composer/pianist Vince Guaraldi, became another, proving that Shaffer’s impressive jazz chops — with a particularly strong left hook — are still going strong. Also noteworthy was his over-the-top dramatic theme from Exodus. Additionally, Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker will never quite sound the same again after a clever mash-up of ballet meets boogie woogie.

A special, rare treat in this town became hearing Motown legend Valerie Simpson with the WSO now led by guest maestro J. Ernest Green; the vocalist a powder keg of talent who packed a punch with her every post-intermission stage appearance, including her own song penned with late husband Nickolas Ashford, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough. That the 75-year-old artist could belt out her numbers, including a show-stopping Stay with Me (Baby), while spinning, bopping and twirling on sky-high pointy stilettos makes one want to immediately ditch their flats.

However, there were several cracks and structural problems in this show’s foundation. Hearing more personal stories of how a dreamer from Northwestern Ontario achieved international stardom on the late-night circuit — and beyond — would have been welcomed. This series of shows, particularly in Canada, are also essentially a homecoming for Shaffer, especially in our fair city, 700 kilometres northwest from Thunder Bay — and these are the types of things audiences lap up eagerly.

Significant balance issues with the orchestra and especially Shaffer’s amplified, six-piece band situated among the WSO players often overpowered the musician’s piano/vocals, except during his more exposed solo breaks and slower ballads.

Audiences also adore topical references, and it would have been easy to have framed the night’s penultimate number sung with Simpson, It’s Raining Men — a hard-thumping disco hit originally co-written by Shaffer and Paul Jabara for Donna Summer in 1982 — with the city’s own weekend deluge.

How incredibly poignant — and powerful — had Shaffer graced us with a simple, more classically inclined piece from his youth (Bach, Chopin or Mozart come to mind) to more fully illustrate how our formative years shape us forever. This was a lost golden opportunity that would have underscored the entire theme of Shaffer’s homage to his musical roots.

As expected, the audience leapt to its feet at the end, demanding an encore that did not materialize. Still, this show originally slated for the “Before Times,” provided the chance to witness up close and personal one of Canada’s most remarkable musical success stories; a proud son clearly thrilled to be returning to his home and native land.

The (in-person only) concert was set to repeat Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Centennial Concert Hall, with ticket info at wso.ca.

Holly.harris@shaw.ca