COURT HOUSE- The Jersey Shore Pops, directed by Linda Gentille, offered a rousing concert, Sat. Aug., 20 at Middle Performing Arts Center. With a beefed-up horn section, one of the night’s crowd pleasers was Fat’s Wallers “This Joint is Jumping.”
Gentille, with her grand piano front and center stage, visited the music of Billy Joel. Stevie Wonder, Roger Williams, from whom she received music lessons and her mentor, Liberace. She received a standing ovation for Tocatta and Fugue in Gm.
Jim Yester, an original member of The Association, sang “Great Balls of Fire,” while offering an extra hand on the piano to create Jerry Lee Lewis’ frantic style. Trumpeter Clifford Buggs offered more than one tasty solo.
Gentille charmed the audience with three costume changes and some witty banter. Her playing was the crowd pleaser demonstrating one-handed playing and a medley of 10 songs called out by the audience. The more than two hour concert visited genres from jazz to classical to Barry Manilow hits. Her solo pieces showed amazing technique.
Gentille was also the arranger of many of the evening’s songs. In it’s second season, the orchestra’s audience was fuller and enhanced by a video screen that offered close ups of Gentille’s flying fingers.
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