Fringe 2023 The Burt Bacharach Songbook theSpaceUK 22nd August Review
The Burt Bacharach Songbook at theSpace @ Symposium Hall is a new show at this year’s Fringe from Night Owl Productions and something a little different too as this one features songs by a composer who preferred to write for other singers (and for films and other media) rather than perform them himself.
I have to admit that this review might be a little bit biased as Burt Bacharach (b 1928 – d 2023) is one of my favourite composers, and with lyricist Hal David they wrote some of my favourite songs, and often these songs were specially written for one of my favourite singers Dionne Warwick. There is something that so often makes a Burt Bacharach song instantly recognisable as his work. Perhaps it is his often strict use of meter, his liking of changing keys and timing in a song when you least expect it, or just even his use of melody, or a combination of all of this, but whatever it is, it created some of the most memorable songs of the 1960s and beyond.
What songs do you even select from his catalogue of music for the limited time of a Fringe show? I would not like to be doing that selection, but there were more than a few classics in this set list including “Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head”, “Alfie”, “This Guy’s In Love With You” (written for his wife to be, Angie Dickinson), “What Do You Get When You Fall In Love”, “The Look of Love” and more.
Burt Bacharach songs are full of surprises for any singer or musician who is going to perform them and for this show that task falls to Angus Munro, Maia Elsey and The Night Owl Band.
Maia Elsey is a singer who is obviously comfortable with these songs, including the always difficult to get right “Alfie”, and Angus Munro, who was also playing saxophone tonight, obviously has a love of jazz music and knows when to just be on that count or just behind it as a vocalist to get the best out of any song. This is also the first time for a show that I have seen this combination of the Night Owl Band working together more like a Jazz ensemble, and with Angus and Maia upfront many of the subtle little changes and humour that Burt Bacharach infused into his songwriting had a chance to be heard tonight.
You do not get to make mistakes performing any music or songs by Burt Bacharach as everything is so wonderfully crafted that they will stand out immediately. and although these were re-arrangements to suit the line-up on stage, everything worked as it should do.
Review by Tom King © 2023
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
I have to admit that this review might be a little bit biased as Burt Bacharach (b 1928 – d 2023) is one of my favourite composers, and with lyricist Hal David they wrote some of my favourite songs, and often these songs were specially written for one of my favourite singers Dionne Warwick. There is something that so often makes a Burt Bacharach song instantly recognisable as his work. Perhaps it is his often strict use of meter, his liking of changing keys and timing in a song when you least expect it, or just even his use of melody, or a combination of all of this, but whatever it is, it created some of the most memorable songs of the 1960s and beyond.
What songs do you even select from his catalogue of music for the limited time of a Fringe show? I would not like to be doing that selection, but there were more than a few classics in this set list including “Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head”, “Alfie”, “This Guy’s In Love With You” (written for his wife to be, Angie Dickinson), “What Do You Get When You Fall In Love”, “The Look of Love” and more.
Burt Bacharach songs are full of surprises for any singer or musician who is going to perform them and for this show that task falls to Angus Munro, Maia Elsey and The Night Owl Band.
Maia Elsey is a singer who is obviously comfortable with these songs, including the always difficult to get right “Alfie”, and Angus Munro, who was also playing saxophone tonight, obviously has a love of jazz music and knows when to just be on that count or just behind it as a vocalist to get the best out of any song. This is also the first time for a show that I have seen this combination of the Night Owl Band working together more like a Jazz ensemble, and with Angus and Maia upfront many of the subtle little changes and humour that Burt Bacharach infused into his songwriting had a chance to be heard tonight.
You do not get to make mistakes performing any music or songs by Burt Bacharach as everything is so wonderfully crafted that they will stand out immediately. and although these were re-arrangements to suit the line-up on stage, everything worked as it should do.
Review by Tom King © 2023
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com