Paul Carmen & Orla GT8000
Paul Carmen
May 3rd 2008
Paul Carmen
Concert Pictures
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We had a really good turnout for our concert with Paul Carman who had driven all the way from Torquay to be with us.
A couple of lively numbers opened his spot Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree and Snowbird. Showing off the oboe and strings and displaying some beautiful phrasing we heard The Way We Were (Barbara Streisand).
Paul - along with many - has long admired the musicianship of Brian Sharp - and was referring to some of his Brian's magic organ concerts of some 30years ago - with More, set to a rhumba and then a jazzy style swing, Try A Little Tenderness (set to a red backdrop by Keith), Desafinado, Moonriver & finally Birth Of The Blues, all the while using the drawbars on the GT9000. And what an instrument it is! - There are still a great many Johnny Mathis fans out there, now around 75years old and still singing. One of his biggest hits was Misty, which Paul played for us using piano, strings, vibraphone and some late night sax.
Paul mentioned what "hardship" it is to visit the Orla factory in Italy, which overlooks the sea and the mountains. On one of his many visits he helped to produce the theatre organ voices, which he demonstrated with Lover, When You Wish Upon A Star, Portrait Of My Love set to a bluey/greenish background by Keith, before changing same to purple and blue for Deep Purple and Blue Moon, played in piano quartet style.
Next a lovely little tune composed by Paul for his current girl friend: Jeanette. We all remember the unique sounds of the Carpenters and with that Paul had us on Top Of The World.
Thus we had reached the end of the first half, time for refreshments and the raffle.
The second half started equally lively with some sambas in the shape of Quando, Quando, Quando & Brazil. Once again a red background for My One & Only Love. Time to jet off to the other side of the Atlantic and march along to the Washington Post.
Now it was request time, however, Paul was asking for styles rather than tunes, the latter to be of his choosing. He began by taking us back to the days of the Cliff Adam Singers and Sing Something Simple, before we settled down to Last Of The Summer wine & dancing to the Anniversary Waltz. Then it was time for a bit of Gloria, Gloria Hallelujah and the Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square. Some Latin for Besame Mucho and My Loving Heart and then The Entertainer. Amazing Grace and Rodriguez Guitar Concerto made an appearance, before we had some Hawaiian guitar music, swiftly followed by Red Roses For A Blue Lady. A bit o' Rock'n'Roll and to finish this selection Cavalleriana Rusticana. Another march to finish off the concert, this time the 633 Squadron.
Having enjoyed a thoroughly nice & relaxing evening, the audience were not going to let Paul go with the traditional Basildon encore. Choir sounds in the left hand with a guitar accompaniment and harmonica and rich strings in the right hand, Paul concluded his concert with Feelings.
Why not come along to a Basildon Keyboard Club Concert, you will be made very welcome, have a great evenings entertainment, a complimentary cup of tea or coffee with biscuits and of course experience the delights of live music played on top of the range electronic organs & keyboards by the best players.