reaction to last night's PBS program

[Steve Schenck]

Well, I was disappointed, but probably because I didn't have realistic expectations. The performers were all OK, I think. Probably the best vocal rendition, for me, was Rumer's take on "A House is Not a Home." And Stevie wowed everyone with his harmonica take on "Alfie." But at times I felt like Burt's songs were reduced to Karaoke versions. For music of his depth, an orchestra was really needed; but of course, you can't fit an orchestra into the East Room of the White House, so what can you do... I thought the song selection was good, but without an orchestra, none of his marvellous "orchestral" instrumental pieces could be performed. The final chorus of "What the World Needs Now" was obviously unrehearsed. The performers came out not all knowing the words, or knowing when and how they were going to end. A bit shabby, to my thinking, for an event of this signficance... Burt gave a worthy and beautiful acknowledgement of Hal David's irreplaceable contributions to their "oeuvre" but hardly anyone else did. It was as though it were a tribute to Burt Bacharach, and not the team of Burt and Hal. If ever the Kennedy Center Awards sees fit to honor them, we might hear what we all hope for.

[ron hertel]

"Elephant In The Room" for me was the glaring absence of Dionne Warwick! (her name was not even mentioned!) ......... Couldn't get "security clearance"? ..... Give me a break! ......... Burt and Eunice David were very gracious and Stevie Wonder's harmonica take on "Alfie" was the highlight of the program!

[Steve Schenck]

You know, Ron, I wanted her to be there but because I, too, had read something about a security clearance problem, I wasn't expecting her to be there. Though, for sure, it's hard to imagine why there would be a problem with her clearance. Could it have been that she didn't want to be there?

[Bill Minnick]

Befitting comment at pbs.org regarding Stevie's performance on 'Alfie'...

HumbleStudent

I just had one of the thrills of my musical life, watching Stevie Wonder sing Bacharach/David's "Alfie"....anyone who knows this tune recognizes the harmonic complexity of the piece (especially anyone who has ever attempted to perform it)...but what Stevie did on the chromatic harmonica, winging the melody and dancing all the way around and through the changes, with Bacharach (and Hal David's wife) right there before him...I want to tell you...to say that was a special moment....well, please listen for yourself.Do not doubt this....gods walk among us.

http://www.pbs.org/inperformanceatthewh ... /video.php

[vincent.cole]

Here is my take on the show!

I rated the show about a 7.5 out of 10. Stevie Wonder had the highlight performance with Alfie!

They should of gotten Chris Botti to do the 'Look Of Love'!

The lady who sang, 'Any One Who Had A Heart' was nice. But if Josie James had sung it, everyone would have been on their feet clapping for 5 minutes or more!!!
Then they would have banded Josie from singing again @ the White House, because the roof would need major repairs (lol)!

In my judgement, Burt's core band should have been show cased! end of story! 'A House Is Not A Home' should have been sung by Josie, Donna & John! Then that wonderful instrumental ending!!!

To bad Hal David was not there to share the experience of a life time of great lyrics!!!

And where was Dionne Warwick?! Was she on the no fly list!!!

For such a prestige award they could have done much better!

Thank goodness I will be seeing Burt in Louisville KY on Friday, June 22, 2012 and really see the Silver Fox and his band truly give a great concert!!!

[gillanddon]

Yes Vincent .. I agree Burt's showcase band with his great singers should have been with him and Hal at the Whitehouse. I understand Dionne's absence .. she has just given a super interview in Dublin and says how thrilled she was that 'her boys' have got the award and how proud she is of them .. I believe this is how she feels and I think she didn't expect or want to perform there as, as I've said before, they see themselves as artists in their own right. Dionne has always been 'generous' with her fame and tends to see the greater picture. No more so than with Whitney and her huge success.

[GehVorbei]

I thought the story had been well established by now. There were two ceremonies and two concerts with the same lineup with one exception - Dionne. On Tuesday night there was a ceremony and a concert at the Capitol with exactly the same lineup as on Wednesday at the White House. PLUS Dionne singing "What The World Needs Now" and "This Girl in Love With You".

On Wednesday she was not at the White House. The media reported it was because she could not get security clearance from the Secret Service.

[vincent.cole]

Bonjour GehVorbei;

It's nice that Dionne was @ one of the events!

But Dionne should have been @ the White House!!!

Take care;

Vincent

[GehVorbei]

Yes, because the secret service apparently didn't allow her in. For whatever reasons: The Miami drug arrest? The longtime Gianni Russo association??

[An Enormous BB Fan]

Dionne Warwick is not a security risk. That makes zero sense, I'm sorry. It's beyond idiotic. What is she going to do, come into the White House with a bomb strapped to her body? Would she have a gun under her dress and then start shooting. Do you see how nonsensical this is? What is the real story?

I agree with Vincent, and I thought the same thing while watching the show: Why weren't Burt's long-time singers, John, Josie and Donna not there? They should have been there. Makes no sense, sorry. You could reply by saying that Burt didn't produce the show and therefore it was out of his hands. C'mon! More nonsense!

Along with Burt, Stevie Wonder is a true musical and lyric-writing genius. To have 2 geniuses in one room like that is thrilling. Stevie made everyone else look like amateurs, sorry to say. His "Alfie" was incredible. And his version of "Make It Easy On Yourself" gave the song a whole new life. You could see that Burt was loving every minute of it. I think he was even a bit surprised at how great Stevie's version turned out.

Now for some criticism: I did not like Rumer's hand-waving while she sang the song with her eyes shut. I thought it was very amateurish. She should definitely watch tapes of Dionne. I thought Rumer's presentation was cringe-worthy.

Regarding Lyle Lovett: Would you say that when he sang "Always Something There To Remind Me" that this was a great singing voice? Mediocre at best. And what was up with those faces he was making? You shouldn't be singing a song like you're smelling garbage. This is the best they can do?

The lady who sang "Anyone Who Had A Heart" didn't thrill me. She missed a chord change on the piano, too.

I thought Arturo Sandoval was excellent!

Mike Myers was okay, but why not have Tom Jones there singing "What's New, Pussycat?" Why not have Aretha there singing "Say A Little Prayer"? Why not have B.J. Thomas there singing "Raindrops"? Why not have Jackie DeShannon there singing "What The World Needs Now Is Love"? You're going to have Rumer and Lyle Lovett instead of these great people who have been associated with Burt and Hal for all these decades?

I also was very upset that this honor came so late in their careers that Hal couldn't even be there. Again, he gets the short end of the stick, so to speak. I'm praying for Hal every day. I'll say it again: Hal could write anything! From "Question Me An Answer" to "One Less Bell To Answer", he could do it all.

Even with all these criticisms I had, I still loved the show. Thank god Stevie was there! And it warms my heart to see Burt and Hal receive honors like this. And President Obama's remarks were wonderful. And when Hal gets better, they should do it again with him there and with Dionne the Terrorist there!

[steveo_1965]

Thank you all for the reviews and thoughts, I enjoyed them, although I haven't seen the show yet...

[pljms]

Of course, a show this short could never even come close to doing justice to Bacharach and David's amazing output. However, I liked Rumer's performance and found it very touching and I can see why BB's a fan. I also enjoyed Diana Krall and Cheryl Crow. I had to smile at Michael Feinstein's comments before he eventually got around to talking about B&D. I don't think any of us needed reminding of Gershwin's achievements in what was after all a tribute to Bacharach and David and you'd never guess he's a Gershwin fanatic, would you? He did a passable 'Close to You' but I don't think B&D is his bag at all.

[GehVorbei]

I think they actually did a pretty good job putting together a group of people with mostly clear BB/HD connections. And include some contemporary big-sellers like Diana Krall and Rumer to be attractive for a wider TV audience.

As far as Lyle Lovett is concerned, I never understood his particular appeal. But Burt must like him, because he worked with him on "Walking Tall".

P.S. And the White House security clearance DW story though absurd is the story the media has been reporting even in advance of the whole event. She got it for the Capitol but not for the White House.

[Martin Johnson]

Yes, I enjoyed Rumer's performance as well. She has a lovely tone to her voice and the priceless gift of being able to communicate emotionally without straining too hard and by just sticking to the melody. She's obviously a woman of taste because she was on BBC TV last week performing a Jimmy Webb song and with the great man accompanying her on the piano.

[blueonblue]

Quite beautiful......


"blue"