Grammy Award winner, Emmy Award winner, Tony Award nominee, Hollywood heartthrob, and all around dreamboat Harry Connick, Jr. took over Wolf Trap’s Filene Center last night. The talented musician, who’s been performing since the age of five, blended jazz, funk, pop, masterful piano playing, and traditional standards with his jazz band for a sold out crowd. “We will play so much music, you’re not gonna like music anymore,” he teasingly told the crowd. And play music they did!
Connick performed music from all parts of his recording career, and with such style and fun that one couldn’t help but smile the whole night. Connick’s stage presence and clear love of performing was infectious. His trombonist Lucien Barbarin sang vocAdd Mediaals with Connick as they both danced and shimmied across the front of the stage to a song Connick described as “dirty, burned gumbo with a sock in it.” The two played off of each other so much, it was as if you were looking in on a private, hilarious joke between the two. You were in on the fun as much as they were. Connick’s charm and charisma on stage throughout the evening also made more than a few women lose their heads as he shook his booty across the stage.
Connick sang the title song from On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, which he starred in on Broadway in 2011. As the band members started the introduction, Connick quipped to the audience, “I like this song so much I can’t wait for the introduction to be over.” He also delighted the crowd with a When Harry Met Sally medley, the film for which he composed the soundtrack and was subsequently skyrocketed to fame. He also collaborated on some gospel music with guitarist Jonathan DuBose, Jr., broke out a bit of funk improv, more standards, songs from his new Mardi Gras party music album, Smokey Mary, and a ton of other songs. The audience clearly loved every second of it.
Connick also introduced his father, his “hero, and one of the reasons [he keeps] doing music” to the stage, and Connick, Sr. performed “Bye Bye Blackbird” with his son at the piano. It was a sweet performance, and when they finished their duet, Connick, Jr. kissed his father and led him off the stage.
Connick ended the night with “Just the Way You Look Tonight” and “Come By Me,” a piece that showed off his serious piano playing skills. When he finished, the audience jumped to their feet, screamed, and clapped as the curtain went down. A few minutes later, Connick reappeared in a different shirt (his previous black button up had been soaked through) and encored his way to the end of the night.
Harry Connick, Jr. played for one-night-only on July 5, 2013 at The Filene Center at Wolf Trap -1645 Trap Road, in Vienna, VA. For future performances and Information, call (877) 965-3872, or check their calendar of events.
https://youtu.be/mOPK3iouyHU
Harry talked a little about seeing a concert recently (a big “sexy Brazilian”) and then sang a ballad from the show that was hauntingly familiar but for the life of me I can’t recall enough to look up. Can anyone help me find that song?
The song Harry sang was “This Nearly Was Mine” from South Pacific. :-)
Ohhhh thank you so much Nancy. Thank you.