Dueling pianos with Vince Lee and Eric Svejcar
OCEAN CITY – Saturday night — appropriate for a repertoire of songs from the 1960s — the Ocean City Pops Orchestra hosted the trio that has carried on the Duprees name and doo-wop style. And the packed audience loved it.
The group’s traveling music director brought the small orchestra to life with a medley of tunes connected to the Duprees. No podium, no sign of Pops music director Vince Lee, but an outsized saxophone section, centered drum set, bass and lead guitars, and a smiling pianist-director graced the stage.
The entire evening worked through hits from the last 60 years. Tommy Petillo, the lead singer, set the night’s mood with “As Time Goes By” as Jimmy Spinelli and Shawn Stevens added “oo” and “ah” through the smooth harmonies. The three never stopped moving, swinging gently in old-fashioned synchronized steps. The orchestra provided sustained chords with just an occasional countermelody in the strings or a quick sting from the brass.
That brass section and the saxes provided solid accompaniment as well, underpinning “The Sky’s the Limit” and the dance-band sound of “Be My Love.” Electric bass licks introduced “Stand By Me” and the strings had a chance to shine on an interlude. Shawn Stevens took his turn with “More Than Yesterday.”
Jimmy Spinelli, at 66, had the moves. His “”All Night Long” featured unrelenting footwork. “Pennies From Heaven” was a lively connection to Philadelphia. “Mack the Knife” had drive.
A few covers rounded out the presentation. The theme from “Exodus” had the full orchestra and the three singers in modal harmony. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” was treated to doo-wop rhythm.
“You Belong to Me” concluded the nostalgic evening. The audience left singing “sha-na-na.”
Vince Lee and Eric Svejcar at the Keyboards
Last Wednesday, Sept. 4, the Music Pier stage was rearranged with the piano front and center, two electronic keyboards beside it, and Maestro Vince Lee dancing between podium and keyboards.
Lee opened at the piano with a spirited tribute to The Who—persistent eighth notes, brass interruptions and strings power. He reminisced about his college days when he and Svejcar first performed together. Svejcar continued the story. Then, from the piano, he sang a tribute to Billy Joel; Lee conducted so that Svejcar could riff, even singing a couple of “oh-oh”s at the microphone with him. The sax solo rounded out the set.
Lee, back at the piano, played a romantic favorite, one of Debussy’s “Arabesques,” a lush arpeggio-filled piano display with gorgeous orchestra. Again at the piano, he led the Pops musicians in a difficult arrangement of themes from “Sweeney Todd.”
The choices gave Svejcar a chance to sing some his own compositions, including a sensitive “Fairies Lullaby” from Shakespeare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Lee is obviously loved by the loyal Ocean City audience. This night displayed his multiple talents — arranger, pianist, energetic keyboardist. And the reward was a standing ovation.
The Ocean City Pops Orchestra has just two concerts remaining in the summer season, plus the annual Christmas show Nov. 30. Saturday, Sept. 14, Atlantic City Ballet brings dancers to the Pops stage. And Sunday, Sept. 15, the season closes with one of the Pops’ most popular soloists, Kristin Chenoweth.
– By RICHARD STANISLAW/For the Sentinel