 "Photo: Ryan Joyce and Diana Nearhos")
From the first drum solo to the last trombone slide, BC bOp!'s latest musical creation, FacebOp!, proved just as addictive as its namesake. The jazz ensemble's Saturday night, two-and-a half hour concert at Robsham Theater featured an eclectic mix of jazz, blues, swing, boogie woogie, and Latin pieces performed by 24 top-notch instrumentalists and vocalists. The nearly sold-out show was the ensemble's 21st spring concert and was led by conductor Sebastian Bonaiuto and vocal director JoJo David.
The show commenced with the lively, upbeat sounds of Matt Catingub's "Blues and the Abscessed Tooth," which featured intricate piano, tenor sax, and alto sax solos. Afterward, the vocal section took the stage and performed "Smack Dab in the Middle" with superb performances by vocalists Jeanette Hall, A&S '10, and Brendan Quinn, A&S '11, and freshman tenor saxophonist Gregory Fortunato, A&S '11.
One of the night's musical highlights was a jazz-quartet performance of the classic Beatles hit "Something," which featured a tour-de-force accompaniment by pianist and local high school senior Matthew Aucoin and an outstanding trombone solo by Jonathan Romiti, A&S '08. The first half of the concert also included a beautiful a cappella performance of "I'll Be Seeing You" and a brilliant solo by award-winning vocalist Shelbi Thurau, A&S '09, in the classic melody "Blues in the Night." The first set concluded with Jimmy Van Hausen's 1950s hit "Here's That Rainy Day," featuring a vocal solo by Brendan Prout, A&S '09, and Phil Wilson's "Basically Blues," characterized by syncopated rhythms and a melange of complex piano, trombone, tenor sax, and trumpet solos.
The second set opened with the Gershwin classic "I Got Rhythm" with a stunning, modern-jazz-infused solo performance by junior Michael Minkoff, A&S '09, on drums and yet another show-stopping solo by pianist Michael Aucoin. The BC bOp! vocalists returned to the stage to sing a graceful a cappella version of "Come Home," followed by a soulful, Fausto Papetti-like solo by tenor saxophonist Benjamin Tress, A&S '08, in the familiar tune "Body and Soul."
Perhaps the most memorable moment of the night came when vocalist Cara Campanelli, A&S '09, performed a virtuoso rendition of Arthur Hamilton's "Cry Me A River." Her deep, rich voice traveled beautifully through Robsham and if you had closed your eyes, you might have thought you were listening to the likes of Ella Fitzgerald or Peggy Lee. Afterward, freshman vocals star Brendan Quinn, A&S '11, joined Campanelli in a fast-paced performance of "Cloudburst" accompanied by the BC bOp! instrumentalists and vocalists. The concert closed with the sexy Latin rhythms of "La Almeja Pequeña" and a full big-band rendition of Aretha Franklin's "Climbing Higher Mountains."
As the concert finished, the audience gave BC bOp! a well-deserved standing ovation for their truly phenomenal performance. Matthew Gibbons, A&S '11, said, "It was one of the best big-band performances I've seen in long time."
Anna Kozlowski, A&S '11, said, "Wow, what a show. The a cappella just sent shivers down my spine."
The audience also included a number of faculty members, including philosophy professor Brian Braman, who said after the show, "I've been going to see these shows with my wife for over 10 years, and this is one of the best performances I have ever attended."
After the concert, the BC bOp! performers shared what it was like on stage. Trumpet player Steven Bass, A&S '11, said, "It was definitely quite a thrill. The adrenaline was just rushing and we gave it all we got."
Saxophonist Emily Reeves, A&S '08, explained, "Being my senior year, to be honest, I couldn't think of a better way to end it. The people were great, the energy was great, and we went out to have a good time tonight and we certainly did."
Conductor Sebastian Bonaiuto said, "Tonight was very exciting. I'm very proud of the whole ensemble. I especially cherished the time I spent with the departing seniors and I'm very sad to see them go. They really made a strong contribution and we will never forget them."
As BC bOp! looks forward to its next performance on Saturday, April 16 at O'Neill Plaza with BC gospel choir Voices of Imani, the talented musicians and vocalists can update their Facebook statuses to reflect the successful completion of yet another outstanding performance.
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