Soloist at symphony goes from nerd to cool
BY CHRIS SHULL
The Wichita Eagle

The Wichita Symphony Orchestra got its 2002-03 season off to a great start with a jazzy "Singin' and Swingin' " pops program Saturday night at Century II Convention Hall. The music that led off the concert, by Glenn Miller and Duke Ellington and directed by the always entertaining guest conductor Michael Krajewski, would have gone off without a hitch except for this really annoying sound guy.

He was testing microphones over and over before the concert even began, really bugging the diners in the high-dollar tables in front of the stage, and then, in the middle of the concert, he couldn't get Krajewski's microphone to work. He was a really annoying nerd, with his pants hiked up and a pocket protector full of pens and really thick glasses and a really grating, whining voice. He interrupted the music and took the microphone off stage and then blared "Test, test test, 1-2-3," and then he bugged maestro Krajewski to let him sing a song -- while disparaging the concert's sponsors -- KWCH Channel 12 (calling Roger Cornish Mr. Cornish-hen) and Koch Industries (Koch-a-Cola) just to get his way.

Of course, it was all part of an elaborate and hilarious gag pulled off by Krajewski and the Wichita Symphony's guest singer, Michael Andrew, who magically transformed from the nerdy sound guy to do a rousing rendition "New York, New York" a la Frank Sinatra right before the first half ended. It was a great bit of camp, and surprisingly emotional given the lingering mood after the Sept 11 anniversary.

Andrew returned in more traditional tuxedo for the second half to present a delightful tribute to Sinatra and singer Bobby Darin, singing the big hits of both stars with a familiarity that never dipped too close to pure imitation.

Andrew does have Sinatra's style down pat, though, from his husky, off-hand delivery to heady shout choruses always anchored by a tough-but-tender, can't-touch-this cool.

The Wichita Symphony was beefed up nicely by players from Andrew's regular swing band Swingerhead, with the instrumentalists playing the solos in hits such as "String of Pearls," "Moonlight Serenade" and "In the Mood" with just enough familiarity to recall the originals, then launching into nice, jazzy touches of their own invention.

Krajewski really is a gem. He plays along with the jokes and counts off music that can really play itself without a conductor, all for the sake of giving a laugh to the full house. He did, however, have a sweet moment in the spotlight as the pianist on Andrew's version of Sinatra's melancholy hit "One for My Baby."

It was a cool collaboration between singer and accompanist, and a nice acknowledgment that, behind the zaniness, excellent music was being made to kick off another symphony season.


Reach Chris Shull at 268-6264 or cshull@wichitaeagle.com.