Michael Berkowitz Conducts Broadway Tribute with David Burnham/LC Powell

The conductor and drummer extraordinaire, Michael Berkowitz conducted the Santa Rosa's Pop Orchestra in a tribute to Broadway tunes featuring Broadway alums David Burnham and LC Powell at the Luther Burbank Theater.  Berkowitz has been conducting the Pop Orchestra for fifteen years and this performance was his swan song with the Orchestra.  He's conducted numerous other orchestras including the Boston Pops and London Symphony and conducted for Sarah Brightman and Marvin Hamlisch.  As a drummer, he's performed for Liza Minnelli, Elton John and Henri Mancini.  The performance got an off kilter start with the orchestra's off-key overture from "Oklahoma".   David Burnham's first number "Something Coming" also had a rocky start with missed lyrics.  The wobbly start was short lived and followed-up with a program packed with great highlights.   Burnham's crooning of "Luck Be a Lady" was better than Sinatra.  It was obvious to see why he's been cast in numerous Broadway musicals.    LC Powell's lovely voice was more appealing when sung in duet with Burnham.   Their voices blended beautifully and they made magic happen with "They Can't Take That Away from Me" and "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning."  Ironically, Burnham joked boasted his nephews consider him cool because he's been portrayed as an animated character in, and when LC Powell appeared, she personified Jessica Rabbit.  The other three outstanding numbers were the one's where Berkowitz put his baton down and picked up his drum sticks.  His playing was incredible and a concert featuring on drums would be something I wouldn't miss "Come Rain or Come Shine."  Berkowitz closed the show on the drums with "Sing, Sing, Sing".  He told us that Hamlisch was bent out of shape by the favorable attention grabbing press he received for his performing the number on his show.  Berkowitz hadn't performed the number since and since he was stepping down, he was going to step out, strike up the band and play, play, play!  It was almost like being in love.