Brett Wales in concert at Basildon Keyboard Club
Brett Wales
December 6th 2008
Brett Wales
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A freezing night didn't deter members and guests from attending December's B K C concert featuring the man himself Mister Brett Wales. His latest CD entitled Magic has a track 'A Kind of Magic' which just about summed up the evening; magical!
With a stage reflecting the festive season, including a snow capped alpine back-ground, decorations, fairy lights and Christmas-tree Brett appeared in a smart blue frock-coat and yellow tie sporting his infectious grin. He said he'd now played his white Wersi Scala for nine years and how pleased he was to be back in Basildon.
Brett loves special effects and so to the opening number Folsom Prison Blues, to a steam train sound! This was followed by Tea for two, with clarinet and piano with a swing tempo, nice. Brett loves 'good music' and treated us to How can you Mend a Broken Heart produced in 1971 by the Bee Gees, using strings, sax and vocal backing, lovely. Next we heard In the Mood using a superb Big Band sound. Brett said his wife Katrina is always in a mood..! Moving swiftly on, we listened to ABBA's Super Trouper with bells, organ and electric guitar to a slow rock.
Using the drawbars, we heard Sleepy time girl to a slow swing, leading into These Boots, a Frank and Nancy Sinatra standard. Next came Red Roses for a Blue lady followed by Gilbert O'Sullivan's Clair with harmonica, bells and saxophone with a lovely orange and green backdrop, beautiful. Enjoying playing in the style of Klaus Wunderlich, Brett refers to himself as an Englishman playing a German organ with a Welsh name! Brett has two daughters, Bethany 9 and Sophie 4 with Bethany being the easy-going one. We were then treated to a dramatic Rimsky- Korsakov's Flight of the Bumble-bee, with authentic bee sounds!
Brett's favourite Christmas song is Elvis Presley's Blue Christmas which he played to Keith's 'electric blue' backdrop, smashing. Moving into Country Style, using guitar and drums we heard Blanket on the Ground a Billie Jo Spears standard. With the first half rapidly coming to a close, Brett gave us Duelling Banjos from the film Deliverance with great banjo and guitar sounds. Suddenly we heard, 'don't forget to buy my daddy's CD's'. It was young Sophie's voice recorded on the Wersi's Hard-drive. 'Enjoy the rest of the show', quipped Sophie, cheeky!
Having tucked into sausage rolls and mince pies and the raffle done, we saw Brett re-appear resplendent in a red suit and tie to play a Christmas swing medley of We wish you a merry Christmas and Santa-Claus is Coming to town and a selection of carols including Oh Little Star of Bethlehem, Mary's boy Child and Away in a Manger. To follow came some old favourites, White Christmas, Jingle Bells and Silent Night to a slow sway with children's voices.
In the style of Queen, we heard Its a kind of Magic with voices, electric guitar and drawer-bar sounds. The lovely Strauss's Blue Danube with French horn and pizzicato strings, strings, harp and flute to a floating counter melody followed.
Brett explained that he uses multi-tracking to enhance his performance and that he plays and records these in his own studio. The Wonder of You sung in 1970 by Elvis Presley came next played to a slow rock with the ooh's and aah's in the chorus. My Way written by Paul Anka and popularised by Frank Sinatra played to a theatre organ registration followed. Jazzing things up we heard Good Golly miss Molly to jive piano, organ and guitar.
The lovely One Moment in Time recorded by Whitney Houston for the 1988 Summer Olympics was Brett's final piece with slow strings, breathy sax and smooth piano. Of course Brett was not getting away without the traditional Basildon encore and to a brilliant Barn dance-Hoedown fiddle and 'yippees' we got With a Banjo on my Knee, Deep in the Heart of Texas and Coming Round the Mountain with the fiddles getting faster and faster!
Well, what an evening. Thanks to Keith who did a superb job on the lights. Thanks to the team and to all that turned out on a very cold night to hear a fabulous artist give us a cracking concert.
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.