New Jersey Stage 2015 - Issue 10 | Page 134

INSIDE MUSIC by Rosemary Conte Rock is to Jazz, as Night is to Day! And How We Enjoy Both With the proliferation of tribute bands from the Beatles to Frank Zappa, audiences in NJ and the Metro Area can be taken back in time any day of the week. Who doesn’t enjoy the mental reliving of youthful romantic moments and the sonic energy of “back in the day?” It’s awe inspiring to see a period show like Glen Burtnik’s tributes to John Lennon, The Who, and Summer of Love, for instance. As lovers of classic rock we want it to be note for note, authentically performed. We’re amazed at the musicians’ ability to create live, the material that NewJerseyStage.com came out of recording studios decades ago. We want all the parts, pieces, shadings, and energy to be there. A tribute audience may not be able to imagine the labor that goes into the transcribing of music and weeks of rehearsals required for a production that faithfully represents the songs of an era. And only the most proficient musicians can pull it off. Contrast that with a live jazz performance and you go 180 in the other direction! The way of thinking, the language, the jargon in jazz and rock, the preparation and the execution of the music are very 2015 - ISSUE 10 134