Gordon Productions presented a JAZZ AND STANDARDS - VALENTINE'S CONCERT for the 2005 Valentine's Day weekend. The concert was held Saturday, February 12 at 2pm and Sunday, February 13 at 7pm at the Hoogland Center For The Arts (Theatre 3). The show featured Mary Jo Curry, Gus Gordon and the Jane Hartman Trio.
Jane and her trio started the show by playing several of their favorite romantic jazz standards. Mary Jo and Gus joined them for the second half of Act 1 singing some Broadway duets and love songs ("You're The Top," "Suddenly Seymour," "It's Delovely" and "Old Fashioned Wedding.").
The second act featured some of the best loved romantic standards like "Unforgettable," "Our Love Is Here To Stay," "The Nearness Of You," "It Had To Be You" and "I've Got A Crush On You."
These songs have taken on new life in recent years, and have been championed by such performers as Michael Buble, Rod Stewart, Natalie Cole and Diana Krall.
Jane & Co. have been around the Springfield music scene for a good many years, and they just keep getting better and better. Hartman possesses a deep and sultry voice, which certainly added the trimmings to the trio's numbers.
When Gordon and Mary Jo Curry took their half of the program, the audience was delighted. Not only do both have superb voices, but they are superb actors. Being an actor enlivens the songs to heights 'only singers' cannot achieve.
Their duet on 'Where or When' was so fine. This old World War II song sounded fresh, new and meaningful. Gordon turned in a haunting 'Summer Wind' and Curry was at her very best (with Gordon) on 'I've Got You Under My Skin.' Curry's voice can sound like any instrument, from violin to trumpet, but always exciting. They wound up the show with Gordon's thrilling 'That's Life.'"- Maggie Boswell, The State Journal-Register.
