Two very different musics

It simply doesn't get any more pompous, cliched, or over-the-top than the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. And that's just the way the audience loves it.

Yesterday's shows in Grand Rapids were the almost culmination of the Christmas tour (a stop in Detroit finishes it). If you've not seen a show by the TSO, think of the hair metal bands of the 80s. Give the drummer a set twice as big as the norm, make sure the guitarists (count 'em, one, two, three!) are seriously skilled, put two keyboardists on the stage. Now add a string section (thank you Grand Rapids Symphony) and, oh, about nine singers. And a narrator.

There's your musical muscle. But it's much more than that. How about enough fog to make a small cloud bank, lasers that could destroy the starship Enterprise and a couple Klingon birds of prey, spots, strobes and other lighting effects that cause optical illusions, moving trusses also filled with different lighting effects, a beautiful starry sky (!), and so many pyrotechnics the audience could feel the heat? One word comes to mind: WOW! Actually, it's more like wow, as the totality of it all was so overwhelming.

Musically the tunes hold together better than on disc. Again, it's the show that matters, with the guitarists, lead violinist, and singers (the girls at least) running and skipping the length of the stage and the wings, showing up in the audience, on the back stage, descending from the rafters, or strutting on the other moving wings to play, sing or shimmy directly above the audience. Did I mention wow?

Amazing, exhilarating, and hilarious. One note: those of us who are follicly challenged have no hope of joining the band. But if you're looking for great fun, with the additional fillip of supporting a good cause (the shows raised over $17,000 for charity in GR), it's hard to top it.

Yesterday also brought sad news, however, with the death of Dr. Billy Taylor. Not only was Taylor an influential jazz musician, on a par with Duke Ellington and McCoy Tyner as a pianist and bandleader, and the composer of over 350 songs, he was without doubt the foremost jazz educator around. Not only as an actual instructor, but in bringing jazz to the masses and demystifying the music.

For many years he was a featured regular guest on CBS's Sunday Morning with Charles Kuralt. He also was a regular radio commentator. He was instantly recognizable with his oversize glasses and his friendly demeanor made him accessible to all, from the most erudite musician to the most naive jazz neophyte. He will be missed, and the world, jazz in particular, is the poorer for his loss.