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Kansas City's Online Journal of the Performing Arts

It might be easy to dismiss the Heartland Men's Chorus performances last weekend as campy fun, but that would be a great disservice to these gents who can actually sing!  The flash, pizzazz, and humor were just an added bonus.

Their British Invasion spectacle-a better term for the proceedings than "concert"-opened with a very funny introduction by chorus member Mike Sigler as Queen Elizabeth set to the strains of "God Save the Queen."  Many of the jokes throughout the evening were at the expense of the 'inauspicious occasion' of Artistic Director Joseph Nadeau's fortieth birthday.  A Beatles medley arranged by Tim Sarsany followed the opening pomp and circumstance.  John Edmonds' lovely tenor perfectly suited the solo in Lennon's "Let it Be."

Herman's Hermits' "This Door Swings Both Ways" was performed with just enough tongue-in-cheek, double entendre and wink-wink-nudge-nudge panache.  I expected the stage to be flooded with panties and designer boxer briefs during Tom Jones' "It's Not Unusual."  That was one of the few missed humorous opportunities of the evening.

Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven" would have benefited by transposing it to a lower key as the delicateness of the original came off too strained in the arrangement.  The James Bond Collection was overlong even though the golden  Bond "ladies" tried to rescue the set from some early botched trumpet licks and flat saxophone playing.  The ending "Live and Let Die" was performed with that McCartney inflection that makes the tune so memorable and gritty. 

The Elton John medley that ended the first half, boasted the most difficult music of the night and the best arrangements.  Sir Elton's music is not easy by any stretch.  While the pitch suffered on "Goodbye Yellowbrick Road" the men more than made up for it by nailing "Candle in the Wind's'" tricky rhythms.  "The Bitch is Back" was fun when certain members pointed out the "bitches" in the ensemble - all performed with catty good natured-humor.  The prerequisite sequined jackets, neon boas and lit-up sunglasses made their appearance in the over-the-top "I'm Still Standing" closer. 

After intermission the group went Down Under with a BeeGees Medley.  Some of the polyester leisure suit clad dancers were quite nimble - although at one point I felt sure one dancer was about to tumble into the pit!  A subset of the chorus, the Heartaches performed Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" well, but it did not match the energy of their first half feature, the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction."

Soloists Jedidiah Kruger (in a Susan Boyle impersonation that had the crowd roaring with laughter and applause), Kelly Marzett (featured in the Boy George medley) and Jeff Williams (in a mash-up of "Careless Whisper" and "Father Figure" by George Michael and Wham) were all suited for their solos and performed them like seasoned pros.  But Mark Lechner stole the show with Monty Python's "Every Sperm is Sacred."  Playing to a diverse, gay-friendly, sold-out crowd, how could it not bring the house down!  The pièce de résistance was a phallic rainbow streamer-covered drum major mace. 

Closing the concert was the Spice Girls "Wannabe."  It was somewhat of a letdown compared to the rest of the concert.  It just lacked the previous numbers' energy.  (Perhaps it was due to Scary Spice's stiletto boots!)

I thoroughly enjoyed the Sunday afternoon show; and having never been to one of the Heartland Men's Chorus performances before, this was a perfect introduction.  I am looking forward their June performances.

REVIEW:
Heartland Men's Chorus
British Invasion
Saturday, March 27 &
Sunday, March 28, 2010 (Reviewed)
Folly Theatre,
12^th and Central Streets, Downtown Kansas City, MO
www.hmckc.org

By Lee Hartman

Editor-in-Chief; Traditional and New Classical Contributor

Lee Hartman holds degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City (D.M.A., M.M.) and the University of Delaware (B.M.). At the University of Delaware, he received a Dean's Scholar position enabling him to pursue an individually designed academic program combining music education and composition. At the University of Missouri-Kansas City he served for three years as the Assistant Director to Musica Nova, the conservatory's new music ensemble, while teaching a variety of composition classes.

In 2007 he was invited to both the Iceland Academy of the Arts in Reykjavík, Iceland and the Sichuan Conservatory in Chengdu, China to give lectures and master classes in composition. In the summer of 2009, Hartman served as an orchestra manager for the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble and Aspen Opera Theater Center for various performances. He serves on the National Executive Committee of the Society of Composers, Inc. as Submissions Coordinator. His primary composition instructors include James Mobberley, Chen Yi, Zhou Long, Paul Rudy, John Beall, and Jennifer Margaret Barker. He currently teaches music theory at the University of Central Missouri and general music classes at Park University having previously taught at UD (2007–08) and UMKC (2006–07).

His compositions can be found at http://www.leehartmanmusic.com