Brown & Pavarotti

I did not plan on updating this everyday or anything, but I just found out that Pavarotti died and again I am reminded of the wonderful opportunities I was afforded by working for the LA Phil this summer. I did not meet Pavarotti, or James Brown, but both have played at the Bowl before. I was lucky enough to see James Brown here last September, in one of his final performances, which I know Andrew, Dan, and Wes will all agree was absolutely spectacular. The energy he had was immeasurable, and the fact that he had it well into his 70s is amazing. I never saw Pavarotti, and to be honest was never a huge fan of opera, but I did meet/see Placido Domingo, one of the other 3 tenors early on this summer. His mere presence was daunting, imposing, and powerful. A large man really by measures of height, mass, and voice, but his personality and his overall energy that he exuded is hard to describe. I can't imagine what it would have been like to meet all 3 of the 3 tenors, let alone James and Pavarotti. I can only imagine that this particular performance was as amazing as it is to see replayed, and probably 100 times more amazing live.

My job here at the Bowl this summer has really made me appreciate the use of strings in all music, from classical to modern pop. They really are quite exquisite if used properly and James Brown "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" easily displays the power of the string instruments (I mean really, they're used in everything from Folklorico and Mariachi music to Soul, Rock, and Movie Scores). Coupled with Pavarotti providing echoing and equally powerful (though of obviously quite different) vocals. I mentioned this video to both of my bosses late last week and they both seemed to grimace at the idea that there was a recording of Pavarotti and Brown performing together and the thought of them even attempting to collaborate. I could not argue more against this sentiment. Brown's track "It's a Man's Man's Man's World, and his album "Soul on Top" prove to me that an exclusively R&B and Soul/Funk artist can easily incorporate and benefit from the use of string arrangements in their music (just look at the majority of Soul up through today with Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators), but there is also room for the "crossing-over" of other artists including operatic and classically trained vocalists and artists to combine forces with some of the most influential pop and rock artists of the past and today.

I'm sad I never had the opportunity to see Pavarotti live, but I'm so happy I managed to see/meet Placido. Although they are by no means the same, the work they created together was amazing, and I did see James, which the work he made with Pavarotti was equally amazing. I'm just sad the world had to lose two fantastic vocalists in James Brown and Luciano Pavarotti in the same year.