# Marcus Shelby Orchestra at Zellerbach Hall Auditorium, May 2, 2014

[Cal Performances](http://calperformances.org/events.php?event=8678) presents _The Legacy of Duke Ellington: 50 Years of Swing!_ featuring the [Marcus Shelby Orchestra](http://www.marcusshelby.com/)  
2014-05-02  
[Zellerbach Hall Auditorium](http://www.calperfs.berkeley.edu/)  
[U.C. Berkeley, Bancroft Way at Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA  ](http://maps.google.com/maps?q=U.C.+Berkeley,+Bancroft+Way+at+Telegraph+Ave,+Berkeley,+CA++&hl=en)  
8:00 PM, Friday, May 2, 2014

[[2014-05-01-2|Back to the previous event]] ☸ [[:#section2014|Back to the 2014 yearbox]] ☸ [[:2014#may_events|Back to the 2014 event list!]] ☸ [[2014-05-03|On to the next event!]]


## Set One: The Legacy of Duke Ellington: 50 Years of Swing!

[8:06 PM lights down, announcements]

01. [8:08 PM] Perdido (w/Joel B?)  
[add Jules Broussard for next tune?]
02. [8:16 PM] Creole Love Call
03. [8:21 PM] ? Black & Tan Fantasy
04. [8:32 PM] ?
05. [8:39 PM] ? Boy Meets Horn
06. [8:43 PM] Take the "A" Train (featuring Matthew Szemela)
07. [8:52 PM] ? Tourist Point of View
08. [9:00 PM] ?
09. [9:02 PM] In My Solitude (featuring Faye Carol)
10. [9:09 PM] C Jam Blues (featuring Faye Carol)  
[set ends 9:27 PM]

## Set Two: Such Sweet Thunder

01. [9:45 PM] Such Sweet Thunder (reading)
02. [9:47 PM] Such Sweet Thunder
03. [9:48 PM] Lady Mac (reading)
04. [9:53 PM] Lady Mac
05. [9:57 PM] Up and Down, Up and Down (reading)
06. [9:59 PM] Up and Down, Up and Down
07. [10:01 PM] Madness in Great Ones (reading)
08. [10:05 PM] Madness in Great Ones
09. [10:07 PM] The Star-Crossed Lovers (reading)
10. [10:10 PM] The Star-Crossed Lovers
11. [10:12 PM] Sonnet to Hank Cinq (reading)
12. [10:15 PM] Sonnet to Hank Cinq
13. [10:18 PM] Sonnet in Search of a Moor (reading)
14. [10:20 PM] Sonnet in Search of a Moor
15. [10:24 PM] Sonnet for Sister Kate (reading)
16. [10:28 PM] Sonnet for Sister Kate
17. [10:32 PM] Half the Fun (reading)
18. [10:33 PM] Half the Fun
19. [10:35 PM] Circle of Fourths  
[show ends 10:40 PM]


## Performers

* Ryan Black: trombone;
* Danny Brown: tenor saxophone, clarinet;
* Mitch Butler: trombone;
* Ila Cantor: guitar;
* Scott Englebright: trumpet;
* Rob Ewing: trombone;
* Tom Griesser: alto saxophone, clarinet;
* Fil Lorenz: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet;
* Jeff Marrs: drums;
* Rafa Postel: trumpet;
* [Marcus Shelby](http://www.marcusshelby.com/): bass, conductor;
* Marcus Stephens: alto saxophone, flute;
* Geechi Taylor: trumpet;
* Joe Warner: piano;
* Patrick Wolff: tenor saxophone, clarinet;
* Mark Wright: trumpet.

### with special guest musicians

* Joel Behrman: trumpet;
* Jules Broussard: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone;
* [Faye Carol](http://http//fayecarol.com/): vox;
* Matthew Szemela: violin.

### California Shakespeare Theater

* Aldo Billingslea: actor/reader;
* Cassidy Brown: actor/reader;
* Catherine Castellanos: actor/reader;
* Tristan Cunningham: actor/reader;
* Gabriel Marin: actor/reader;  

* Corrie Bennett: stage manager
* Clive Worsley: director

## Notes 

Had a nice slow day today -- nice because I didn't feel pressure to get much done, so I could work slowly and carefully instead of having to rush. Carried that feeling forward through dinner -- just a simple salad with kale and garbanzos and cherry tomatoes and such. The drive down was easy enough and Ting used her usual magic to get us a parking spot on Bancroft just above the police department. Stopped at a boba place for dessert, then ambled on over to Zellerbach, walking in just before the crowd. Just exactly poi-fect!

So the first set was super-duper long -- almost 90 min! -- which is both good and bad. Good for generosity's sake, but bad in a couple minor respects: weird sound mix (no bass!?) for the first long while. Strangely incohesive too -- makes me think the band under-rehearsed this material -- it just wasn't nearly as punchy and crisp as I expected from a professional outfit. So overall, a mixed bag. At this point, I kinda feel like I should have gone to see Regina Carter instead ... going with the known good (based on TC's review of the recent Kuumbwa show). Oh well, ya takes yer chances...

Second set seemed considerably tighter musically -- as if these unfamiliar pieces had received the bulk of the allotted practice time. The actors bits -- brief monologues from each, with both opening and closing words from ? as _Puck_ -- were all quite well done, as could be expected from trained professionals, right? Anyways, I'm glad I stuck around, it turned out to be a fun night!

Lou Fancher's [[http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/the-marcus-shelby-duke-ellington-connection/|promo article]] for East Bay Express is worth a read too!

As a final comment, my timing/setlist above is a rather speculative take on the program notes ... take it with a grain of salt!

{{tag>music Marcus_Shelby_Orchestra Zellerbach_Hall_Auditorium Rob_Barics Marc_Bolin Gabe_Eaton Evan_Francis Danny_Grewen Tom_Griesser Darren_Johnston Scott_Larson Jeff_Marrs Mike_Olmos Joel_Ryan Dave_Scott Marcus_Shelby Adam_Shulman Marcus_Stephens TAGS_NEED_WORK}}

[[2014-05-01-2|Back to the previous event]] ☸ [[:#section2014|Back to the 2014 yearbox]] ☸ [[:2014#may_events|Back to the 2014 event list!]] ☸ [[2014-05-03|On to the next event!]]