Just saw Burt - Live for 120 minutes!

[bestlife]

One amazing evening that is hard to really put into words. Burt performed for over 2 hours straight - no intermission at the Fox Theatre last night. I was about 100 ft. away and I watched intensely as Burt played piano, conducted and sang. The audience was ecstatic shouting "Burt we love you" and he responded "I love you too!"

Please allow me to share what I observed:

1. The Fox Tucson Theatre is an intimate 1164 seat venue with world class acoustics. Burt stated he loved this theatre. The Fox is an old movie theatre that has been beautifully renovated - (Art Deco style) with a main floor and tiered balcony. This concert was jam packed - sold out!!!

2. Acoustics - balanced, extremely clear with controlled reverb. I was amazed at the clarity and volume - pretty loud - I could hear every instrument, the subtle tones of Burt's voice and the brilliance (brightness) of his 3 singers (2 females and one male).

3. His orchestra consisted of 6 members and 3 vocalists. (from memory, I may have missed someone in the orchestra).

4. No printed program (this concert was part of the Tucson Jazz Festival). I asked the usher what we could expect and he stated Burt will be performing for 120 min. without intermission and he will be talking a lot - he was right. Burt talked more than I have ever experience at his other concerts. This could be due to the intimacy you feel in this smaller venue and his desire to connect with his audience - we loved it. (He gave personal bits of information on certain songs before they were played).

5. The music was very diverse. There were his wonderful standards opening with a very powerful What The World Needs Now Is Love. He did medleys of the famous Bacharach/Warwick songs. Burt would then showcase a few popular favorites in their entirety. A favorite of mine, Windows Of The World was sung and played by his male vocalist with guitar was pure potent Bacharach/David. Burt stated, "now I know why I wrote this song for back then and today" (meaning the relevance to the Vietnam War Era and current world conditions). A transcendent selection that brought the audience to a complete silence was "Come Touch The Sun" with his trumpet and flugelhorn player creating notes that had to be heard to truly understand and comprehend Burt's genius and creativity. He stated this was the love song from the movie soundtrack Butch Cassidy...

6. Burt sang on many of his famous melodies including; A House Is Not A Home, Alfie, Wives And Lovers and more. The audience just couldn't get enough of the iconic songwriter softly singing/speaking the words and lyrics of his brilliant partner Hal David. The highlight of the evening for me was the many scores he had written for movies including: The Look of Love, The April Fools, Making Love, etc. Burt played a couple of selections from his later albums that reminds us of his uncanny ability to still capture the essence of the human condition with his complex and intense chord structures (God Give Me The Strength).

7. The evening ended with many standing ovations and his final selection of "Raindrops" of which he wanted the audience to participate, a sing-a-long (a first for me at his concerts). On a personal note, I felt as though I had been transported to another time and place where each of these "live" symbolic melodies were now truly mine to cherish forever. His timeless passion and love for his musical creations and the people that help him deliver them are felt with every gesture of his conducting and note that was sung and played. One amazing evening!

Side Note: I was fortunate to remember to ask our usher at the end of the concert if he was he able to see Burt warm-up before the show. He stated that 30 minutes prior to theatre opening to the public, he observed Burt alone and on stage at the concert grand. He was playing different pieces of his music for about 20 minutes. Wow-!!! just imagine.

[vincent.cole]

Bonjour bestlife;

Thanks for sharing your joy on seeing Burt in Concert!!!

I could feel the writtern words that you wrote about the show came through loud and clear!

The likes of Burt will never be heard again in anyones life time!

Take care;

Vincent