Fabulous Music Club ‘Variety Show’

Last Sunday’s Cowal Music Club concert turned out to be an absolutely outstanding success, thanks to the talents and professionalism of the performers, - singers Gordon Cree and his wife Cheryl Forbes.

I have rarely heard so much laughing and heard such a magnificent, superbly prepared and highly entertaining programme, and I imagine Sunday’s highly appreciative audience will remember the concert for a long time.

The sheer variety of what was performed, all by memory, was actually quite astonishing,  with Gordon not only singing (he has a beautiful, rich Baritone voice), but also accompanying on the piano, playing trumpet and Post-horn solos (accompanied by recorded music), AND introducing most of the items, frequently with highly amusing anecdotes. It was really a two-person variety show of the highest caliber  -  the perfect antidote to a dreary winter’s afternoon outside!

The programme ranged from Vaughan Williams’ beautiful song The Vagabond to arrangements by Gordon including his zany version of the ever popular Neopolitan song O sole mio, with its title changed to  ‘O Saw-le Mio’ , in which he played with a violin bow on a saw!  -amazing!

Cheryl’s top-of-the range mezzo-soprano voice excelled throughout, and was beautifully controlled and where necessary remarkably powerful. I have never heard the ‘Habanera’  from Bizet’s Carmen, or Summertime from Gerschwin’s Porgy and Bess better sung.  She is one of Scotland’s leading singers at the present time, having sung major leading roles with both Scottish Opera and Opera Bohemia.

Other highlights in the programme included The Hippopotamus song by Flanders & Swan,  Side Saddle by Trevor Stanford (aka Russ Conway), I love a piano by Irving Berlin, The Post Horn Galop  (Koenig arr Cree), and the Finale –a very entertaining arrangement by Gordon entitled  Reflections on the Moon.

However, so enthralling was the entertainment throughout, that it was difficult to select ‘highlights’. No wonder so many of Gordon & Cheryl Cree’s concerts enjoy full houses- not least in Glasgow and Ayrshire, where they are currently based.

Cowal Music Club’s next concert is scheduled for Sunday March 22nd at 2.30pm, in Dunoon’s excellent Burgh Hall, when Steven Bingham (electric violin & looping) will perform.