Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton's Orch: Swinging Songs of Broadway

Wynton Marsalis' jazz orchestra turned to Broadway tunes; beloved, familiar songs.  These show standards were infused with a jazzy, surprising syncopation.  The numbers all came from musicals staged between 1933-1973 (except the Lion King.)  Musical dir/arranger & alto sax player, Sherman Irby, made the tunes go round & round. "I blow thru here - The music goes round & around.  The music goes down around below.  Listen to the jazz come out." (E Fitzgerald)  I've never heard such jazzy, bluesy riffs on B'wy tunes by legendary artists such as Richard Rogers, Jerome Kern, Leonard Bernstein, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter & Mel Brooks.  Mel Brooks' Broadway smash "The Producers"(2001) won a record breaking 12 Tonys.  Still, the peculiar pick of the irreverant "Springtime for Hilter in Germany" number was an odd choice.  Yet, it was my favorite of the evening.  Unrecognizable without it's laughable lyrics, this jazzy rendition was a beautiful musical number.  Brooks could use this music to soothe the savage beast in his "Young Frankenstein" film.  Jerry Bock's "Tradition" from Fiddler was anything but traditional allowing for the bookend familiar framing with a bold, brassy, sassy middle that was brilliant. "Grasslands Chant" from the Lion King offered an authentic, African tribal arrangement far more stirring & colorful than Elton John's score.  I also enjoyed Irby's arrangement of Sondheim's "You Could Drive a Pereson Crazy" which had a richer, bluesy interpretation than the number in Company.  The orch brought in vocalist Kate Davis on several songs which is where the concert went wrong.  Davis' worby singing was reminiscient of Bernadette Peters & Edith Piaf (though not meant as a compliment.)  Davis sang Berlin's "Moonshine Lullably" from Annie Get Your Gun and Rodgers' & Hammerstein's "Happy Talk from South Pacific.  Neither rendition charmed me.  Nor did I like Davis' singing of Cole Porter's "So in Love," from Kiss Me, Kate.  However, I enjoyed the concert for the ingenious arrangements by Irby & bandmates which put a sparkling spin on familiar Broadway tunes.  "And it comes out here" in a most delightful way.