In this performance, three talented musicians play some of Glenn Miller’s greatest hits. They consist of Brian Kellock on piano, Colin Steele on trumpet, and John Rae on drums. They're great fun to listen to and watch perform.
The spacious yet intimate feel of the venue allows him to really open up and let the sound of his trumpet roar
The only flaw in this show is that these three musicians are playing music that was originally played by a whole orchestra – featuring trombones, saxophones, double basses, and so on – and they're only a trumpet, a piano, and drums. So, if you’re rating their performance against the Glenn Miller Orchestra (which is hard not to do, given that it’s probably the music you’ve heard before and you’re probably looking to hear it recreated here), they might sound a little bit small to your ears. However, this would be an unfair judgment, given that they actually play Miller's music really well. That is to say, this trio sounds great for what they’ve got. Sometimes their playing is really tight, and they know how to get the whole room grooving.
Colin Steele is fantastic on trumpet. The spacious yet intimate feel of the venue allows him to really open up and let the sound of his trumpet roar – to huge applause from the audience. Unfortunately, there are other moments, particularly when Steele is singing, that everything feels a bit too much like a karaoke cover. Still, this isn’t the end of the world – in the few moments in which Steele sings, he manages to get the audience singing along as well. When he does this during a few of the big hits, the effect is electric and the sound expands throughout the room.
As for Brian Kellock and John Rae, they’re also both truly delightful. Kellock plays some fantastic solos and very few off notes throughout the performance. He also plays a solo cover at one point which is truly moving and can get the entire crowd dead silent. Rae, meanwhile, is totally in time throughout the performance – whooping and hollering when things were heating up, and letting loose some tremendous fills during the set.
Overall, this was a really pleasant performance to go watch. If you are a fan of Glenn Miller’s music, this trio packs a performance that is definitely worth your time.
