Music 10-08-2008

Michael Bublé

On October 4, 2008 at 8:00pm, I saw Michael Bublé at the Bi-Lo Center with my best friend and his mother. He played seventeen of his best songs with his jazz ensemble. The band consists of three trumpets, three saxophones, two trombones, a clarinet, a piano, a bass, drums, and guitar. The bongos and keyboard were used on select songs that called for them.
He started off his concert with my personal favourite song I'm Your Man which was composed by Leonard Cullen. This song has a very sly sound to it. The start is very instrumental with a trumpet duet and a solo for the saxophone. The lyrics were sung very smoothly and each note was anticipated. Then the trombone is added along with the clarinet. The beast is kept very steady with the bass and drums. There were some loud, pulsing 'shouts' in the music. There was a lot of repetition in this song for the music. I loved this piece because, not only is it my favourite song, but the difference it has from other songs. It makes you want to dance dramatically and fall to your knees singing along.
Composed by Franco Migliacci, Johnny Mercer, and Henry N. Mancini, It Had Better Be Tonight began with a saxophone solo and the trumpets echoed them. The piano is very homophonic with Michael during the song. There are also loud blasts of instruments throughout the work. The key change towards the end causes the beat to become smoother. The song is very salsa like because of the spice the bongos put into it. I didn't like this song too much because it was hard to understand and very messy to me.
Sway was definitely a crowd favourite. It was composed by Norman Gimbel and Pablo Beltran Ruiz. Again it had a salsa feel to it. The bongos and trumpets have a definite importance in this song. The sound is very loud for a majority of the time, but there is one break in the song for a few seconds. The trumpets lines are repeated the whole song. The music gives you the vision of swaying and dancing to the music. The music is fast the whole time. The mood is very vibrant and upbeat. It's pretty dissonant the, especially when the key changes. The piano is made very loud so as to match the dynamics of the rest of the instruments.
Me and Mrs. Jones was composed by Gary Gilbert, Kenneth Gamble, and Leon Huff. The whole song is very flowing. The bass starts off and keeps the same steady beat throughout the whole song. When the key changes close to the end of the song, the brass are introduced. The song is extremely consonant. The song gets loud during one instrumental section, but goes back to the soothing music at the chorus.
Sung by many different artists, Fever was composed for Michael Bublé by Eddie Cooley. The song has a bass solo for most of the song. When the brass are introduced, dynamics increase. The music makes you feel the fever rising as the song goes on. The end of the song goes back to the solo bass as Michael ends the song. The brass gives one last blast at the end. I love this song when Bublé sings it because the blasts from the brass give the song it's flame.
After talking to a small girl in the audience, Michael sang Call Me Irresponsible which was composed by James Van Heusen and Sammy Chan. Again the song starts with a bass solo. As this work continues on, the trumpets slowly get louder. The song is very bouncy and has you tapping your foot. The bass repeat the same notes the whole time. The piano has a very significant part in this song so that it will continue to flow. The most recognizable thing about the song is the dominant sound of the bass.
Probably the most interesting song, I've Got The World On A String was especially composed for Bublé by Harold Arlen and Ted Coehler. The drums, piano, and bass start this piece off while the band shouts the first line of the song addressing Michael personally. The key changes to and from the tonic key several times. In the middle of the song, the saxophone has a solo. By the end of the song, the band is singing the ending lines. The last few seconds is a quick crescendo and blast of brass. I liked Michael sharing the vocals with his band. I think that it's always important to share the main spotlight with the men who make him who he is.
Johnny Christopher, Mark James, and Wayne Thompson composed Always On My Mind. The piano and bass are the only instruments used during the song. I deemed this work to be a basso continuo with vocals. The whole song is consonant. The theme is very apologetic, yet, hopeful. The piano gives you the feeling that Michael is trying to give you. The brass are never added into this piece. The song is soft and slow the whole time. I like this song because it has a way of clearing my mind.
Lost was composed by Alan Chang, Jann Arden, and, the man himself, Michael Bublé. The piano has a solo in the beginning, but the drums are added eventually. The brass, again, are left out. The dynamics vary greatly throughout, but it's mostly quiet. There is a very soothing feel to this song. The vocals blend into the music and it flows nicely. I like how the lyrics and music match and work together to make a great song. This song is the song that I listen to at night while I'm sleeping. It helps me to relax and be happy.
A great song composed by Anthony Newly and Leslie Bricusse is Feeling Good. Michael starts the song off with a vocal solo. Then all of the instruments are introduced at once with a huge mixture of blasts from each. When they've all done that, the bass and piano have a short solo with Michael. After the first chorus, all of the instruments come back in. When the instrumentals have the large solos and the key changes, the trumpets have crescendoing waves. The bass gives the image of Michael walking through the world he's describing, and the trumpets show his limbs moving and acknowledging each specific detail. Michael has to to a lot of run improvisation. I love this song because I can really sing and feel great.
Home was composed by Alan Chang, Amy Foster-Gillies, and Michael Bublé. This was a number one song when released. The drums, guitar, bass, and piano are the only instruments used for Home. The way the guitar is played gives a sort of country sound, but the bass keeps the jazz alive. While listening, you feel a desire and longing to be with your loved ones at home, and that's what the song is about. The consonance helps to sooth the soul and the relative softness of the song keeps you relaxed and thinking of your home. There is a steady tempo and everything ends in a cymbal fade. I like this song because it's so true about everyone wanting to be home and around those you love.
Composed by the very same Alan Chang, Amy Foster-Gillies, and Michael Bublé, Everything was another huge hit. The piano and guitar share a solo in the beginning. The song has a different sound for each verse. The beginning has a cutesy sound of young love. When the drums become a bit more prominent, a more adult feeling takes over. The mood represents an innocent love that grows into a strong bond between Michael and his woman. I liked this song because it related to me as a young woman in love.
Frank Magine, Phil Spitalny, and Walter Hirsch composed Bublé's version of Save The Last Dance. With another salsa type song, the bongos are used once more. The bongos and piano start and then are imitated by the brass. During the first verse, there is an acoustic guitar solo. In the middle of the song, there is a short rest for all of the instruments. There is a sound of chimes used to portray 'sparkling wine'. There are many things that are repeated over and over again. Then at the end, the beginning musical phrase is repeated for a final time. The bongos and bass are really the heartbeat of the song and keep everything going. The beginning starts soft, but everything gets louder as the song progresses. This song is really energetic.
How Sweet It Is was composed by Brian Holland, Eddie Holland, and Lamont Dozier. In my personal opinion, the music in this song sounds like a train. When Michael sings the word 'stop' the music has a brief rest. The music has three different trumpet parts. Two are solos and the other one plays with the rest of the band. The tempo never changed in this song. The trumpets get louder with each verse and have a solo with Michael to help emphasize the words he's singing. I like this song because my best friend and I dance around and sing along to it all of the time in our cars.
The duo Dean Kay Thompson and Kelly Gordon composed That's Life. There is a black female choir to help give the beginning of the song a gospel sound. The piano's piece is very jazzy and complicated. The saxophone plays a very significant part with the brass. When Michael sings about not quiting the choir emphasizes him by repeating his words. The trumpets play short, small blasts here and there towards the end of the song. This song was very interesting because I got to watch everyone get involved. The crowd clapped along with the song.
Freddy Mercury composed the first encore song Crazy Little Thing. There is a dominant drum part in this song. I get the feel of him trying to be like Elvis. The trumpets repeat their lines with a few extra things thrown in. The bass plays an extremely important piece. The guitar sounds very bluesy. The trumpets do a sharp run down and up when Michael finishes the chorus. During this run, the trumpets crescendo. There is a guitar solo in the middle of the song. Then the run again. After that, the bass drum is used to give a dramatic effect, and lets Michael emphasize the chorus. The crowd also claps along. When the key changes, the piano comes in and everything projects their sound more. I don't like the end of this song because it ends so abruptly.
The last song performed by Michael was Song For You which was composed by Leon Russell. The feeling you get from this song lets you know that he's done something wrong. It has a depressing sound almost. Then the piano sympathizes with Michael in a solo. When he begins to talk about his girls importance, you can feel his hope that she'll still love him. After the key change, the saxophone has a solo begging for her forgiveness. A dramatic sense comes out when he tells her what she means to him. When the dynamics get louder, he ends on an off key that leaves you waiting for more. The saxophone ends the song in a solo. I don't really like the off key at the end. I want to hear more.
I loved every aspect of the concert. I was disappointed when he didn't sing my favourite song, but I think that he made up for it. I was able to dance with my best friend to our favourite songs. We both are singers and love Michael Bublé. There weren't any mess ups that I noticed. I didn't think that there would be, because it is jazz and improvising is an important aspect of jazz. You need to be able to distinguish the trumpet and saxophone to really get attached to the music. I enjoyed this concert and all of it's perks.