Review: NY Pops Enchants With GET HAPPY: THE NELSON RIDDLE SOUND at Carnegie Hall

Nelson Riddle, the legendary arranger/orchestrator/composer is largely responsible for what we think of as the sound of The Great American Songbook. His arrangements and orchestrations for artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Johnny Mathis, Rosemary Clooney, and Doris Day, created for the Capitol label defined the sound of the 40s, 50s, and 60s. He is responsible for resuscitating Sinatra's career and turning him into the legend he became. Riddle is the creator of the "Rat Pack" sound, composing scores for Robin and the Seven Hoods and Ocean's 11 among dozens of other films. He won an Oscar for the score of 1974's The Great Gatsby in addition to 3 Grammy awards, two of them for his album collaborations with Linda Ronstadt that revived his extraordinary career shortly before his death in 1985. It's hard to overestimate his importance to American popular music.

Steven Reineke principal conductor of the NY Pops had planned a concert last year in celebration of the centennial of Nelson Riddle's birth, Unfortunately, Covid had other ideas. But lucky for us, that concert, GET HAPPY: THE Nelson Riddle SOUND, finally took place last night in the Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall. It was worth waiting for. Reineke and the Pops were joined by Broadway star, Capathia Jenkins (Caroline or Change, Fame Becomes Me, Newsies) and up-and-coming jazz singer/pianist Tony DeSare for two acts of Riddle's most popular arrangements. The special treat of the evening was an appearance by Christopher Riddle, Nelson's son who is the current conductor of the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. Mr. Riddle led the Pops in several of the charts.

The first act concentrated principally on Nelson Riddle's early years, focusing a good deal on Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. The Pops opened with an arrangement of Harold Arlen's "Get Happy" before welcoming Capathia Jenkins for some Ella Fitzgerald standards. She gave us "Strike Up the Band" and They Can't Take That Away From Me" both by the Gershwins, and "All the Things You Are'" and "Jump for Joy" by Jerome Kern and Duke Ellington respectively. The Pops gave us a great instrumental of Rodgers and Hart's "The Lady is a Tramp" which is the first arrangement Riddle wrote for Frank Sinatra. It was the perfect introduction for Tony DeSare, who gave us two more Sinatra perennials, "I've Got the World on a String" and "Nice 'n' Easy." He next gave us the famous string arrangement created for Nat King Cole's "Mona Lisa" and Dean Martin's hit "Ain't That a Kick in the Head." The first half wrapped up with a duet between Jenkins and deSare of Gershwin's charm song "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off."

Act 2 opened with guest conductor Christopher Riddle leading the Pops in the iconic theme song to the television show Route 66. Tony DeSare returned with two more Sinatra tunes, the iconic " I've Got You Under My Skin" and the more obscure "It Happened in Monterey," both with maestro Riddle. DeSare then gave us a treat, sitting at the piano and playing his own tune "Paris Always Will Have You" that he orchestrated in Nelson Riddle's style. It was a highlight. Steven Reineke returned to conduct a sizzling instrumental of Irving Berlin's "Let Yourself Go." He then welcomed back Capathia Jenkins who gave us two more delightful Ella Fitzgerald/Gershwin tunes in "Fascinating Rhythm" and " Our Love Is Here to Stay." The high point of the evening was Ms. Jenkins's version of "When You Wish Upon a Star" that Nelson Riddle created for Linda Ronstadt's third album of standards. The opening bars scored for strings and flutes was like welcoming an old friend. The concert ended on a high note with Jenkins and deSare performing "Zing Went the Strings of My Heart." This was the famous arrangement Riddle created for Judy Garland's legendary appearance at Carnegie Hall. It was a beautiful full-circle moment.

The Pops were in fine form, with many members of the orchestra getting to show off their solo jazz chops. Capathia Jenkins was elegant and delightful as always and Tony DeSare brought a suave charm to the evening, Both are consummate musicians and engaging performers. Every tune on the bill was expertly performed and the Pops couldn't have sounded better. In my opinion, the concert concentrated a little too heavily on Riddle's swing arrangements and spent a good deal of time on the careers of Fitzgerald and Sinatra to the exclusion of some of the other amazing artists Riddle created charts for. There was also a bit of sameness in some of the program. With the exception of "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Let Yourself Go" most of the tunes were in the same tempo. But this seems like carping when the music is as good as it was. It's churlish to complain about hearing Riddle's monumental work played by an orchestra as fine as the NY Pops. They are one of the great treasures of our city and I am always grateful for an opportunity to experience the artistry.

For more information on the NY Pops, go to newyorkpops.org. To learn more about Capathia Jenkins, visit capathiajenkins.com. Check out Tony DeSare at tonydesare.com. For more great shows at Carnegie Hall, go to their website, carnegiehall.org/

To post a comment, you must register and login.