OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Pops Orchestra with Maestro Vince Lee on the stage of the Music Pier Sunday night was a clear indication that summer had returned. And the orchestra returned with a wow! Their dynamic playing charmed the sold-out audience and supported 67-year-old soloist Brian Stokes Mitchell in a program of standards and Broadway excerpts. Mitchell has what must be a crowded wall of awards and he still has the pipes.
As lone soloist on every one of the 13 selections, Mitchell’s winsome smile and clever stories carried the audience. The primary appeal was his amazing variety. Advertised as a “leading man baritone,” he showed that side of his talent on “Stars” from “Les Miserable” and Ragtime’s “Wheels of a Dream,” among several show tunes.
For “Getting Married” from “Company,” he sang everybody’s part, complete with some high-powered patter, striking tonal contrasts and delightful self-deprecating humor. “How to Handle a Woman” turned him into an even better version of Richard Harris.
Except for an extended solo by pianist-arranger Ted Firth, Mitchell sang without an intermission or other break. His interspersed stories tied the music to his own life experiences, such as the birth of his son as he sang “What a Wonderful World.” Other introductions described the songwriters’ connections, like Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life,” the jazz standard with Duke Ellington and others. Mitchell’s sweet falsetto fit the free improvisation from Firth.
For “I, Don Quixote,” from “Man of LaMancha,” Mitchell shifted to an exaggerated deep voice and pantomimed sword-fighting windmills. As one of the two encores, “The Impossible Dream” brought the audience to its feet with another rich baritone rendition. And the crowd would have stayed for still more encores from this high-energy sustained-talented performer.
As with other guest soloists, Mitchell complimented Lee and the Ocean City Pops Orchestra, noting the limited rehearsal time. Indeed, that quick preparation is testimony to the precision conducting of Lee and the superb musicianship of each individual player — musicianship that will be showcased in next Sunday’s performance.
The next Pops concert is 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 29, featuring the orchestra itself. The versatility and high talent of Ocean City’s resident musicians will go on what Lee calls a “whirlwind tour of the wide variety of genres” that have distinguished this city’s shining jewel. Tickets are available for this and the complete summer’s playbook at the Music Pier and online.
– By RICHARD STANISLAW/For the Sentinel