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Stars Fell On Alabama!
Jelani Eddington Live In Concert At The Showplace Of The South
4/28 Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ, Alabama Theatre
Birmingham, Alabama
August 4, 2004
Review by Ralph Beaudry, Associate Editor for Theatre Organ, the journal of the American Theatre Organ Society (as published in the July-August 2004 issue of the journal).
Jelani has certainly been a busy young organist recently, releasing back-to-back CDs--
first on the magnificent new Wurlitzer in Florida, (see the review of
Sarasota Spectacular in the last issue) and here he is playing the equally stunning, now 76-year-old, original installation Wurlitzer
in Birmingham's Alabama Theatre. This unique Spanish-Moorish theatre is justly billed as the
"Showplace Of The South" and the theatre and organ have been cover stories in the Journals of
December 1973 and September 1987. "Big Bertha," as the organ is affectionately called, is
Opus 1783, which was installed as a 4/20 "Crawford Special" when the theatre opened in 1927.
Some years back the house was threatened with demolition, but ATOS members and concerned
citizens were able to save the Alabama and its organ, which boasts having a one-of-a-kind
red, gold, and black console. Since 1968, ATOS members have completely restored "Big Bertha,"
given her lots of 'TLC', and quite recently enlarged her to a 4/28.
Over the years surprisingly few recordings have been made on Bertha, but those few have always
received the highest accolades. In reviewing Don Baker's LP of the Alabama organ, (in the
April, 1980 Journal) Stu Green referred to it as, "...a singing organ...(it's) scintillating."
Bob Shafter's review of Tom Hazleton's LP (in the January 1987) said "...this is truly a wonderful
instrument," and in his review of Jim Riggs' CD (September, 1996), he added "..The sound was
thrilling and yet when the organ is small, it is also beautiful and delicate." About Lew
Williams' At Last CD (September, 1996) we commented, "...no reverb needs to be added
to Bertha's recordings as the theatre has a completely satisfying natural roll-around sound."
In truth, as the late Jim Roseveare so often said about the organ in Oakland's Paramount
Theatre, the room itself is an essential part of the organ...and that is certainly true of
Opus 1783 and the Alabama Theatre!
From the opening notes of Jelani's console-riser, "Of Thee I Sing," you'll know you're in for a
musical treat--it's rich and full and has some unique Eddington touches. In addition many
will note that this disc has a certain sparkle one usually hears only in a live concert
performance. It should, for much of the program on this CD is from Jelani's September 28, 2003
concert performance, which was programmed into the organ's computer and played back under ideal
conditions for this recording. "Of Thee I Sing (Baby)" is this number's complete title,
but did you realize this somewhat Biblical sounding title is from an American patriotic
song we seldom hear today? It's a line from "My Country 'Tis Of Thee." Jelani's second tune
is another cheerful earful, for it's Harry Revel's "Wake Up And Live," which was a hit in
the UK before it became the title tune for a 1937 film which starred--I kid you not--Walter
Winchell and Ben Bernie--along with Alice Faye, who played the "Wake Up And Live" girl on
the radio program that was featured in the film.
New York's famous theatre critic Brooks Atkinson wrote that Kurt Weill is, "...the best writer
of theatre music this century." Nowhere is that more evident than in his alluring "My Ship"
which Gertrude Lawrence introduced in 1941's unusual musical Lady In The Dark. Jelani's
arrangement has a mystic, foggy opening that develops into a rich and gloriously romantic
melody before fading away to a whisper soft ending. Morton Gould's elegant "Pavanne" receives
a refreshingly different reading by Jelani, and then we have a 12 1/2-minute Celebration
Of The Grandeur Of Gershwin which includes "Love Is Sweeping The Country" (which also came
from Of Thee I Sing,) "Nice Work If You Can Get It" (which Fred Astaire first sang in the film
Damsel In Distress,) "Embraceable You," a generous portion of "Rhapsody In Blue," "I Got
Rhythm," and "The Man I Love" (which Fred's sister, Adele, introduced in 1924's Lady, Be
Good!) "Londonderry Air" opens with shimmering strings, and then features some of Bertha's
most exquisite voices. If you know this melody as "Danny Boy," you might be interested in
knowing that in 1909 composer/lyricist Frederick Weatherly wrote the words to "Danny Boy" and
set them to a melody that he had written! It was not a success. Then a relative in America
wrote to tell him that his poem was a perfect fit to the Irish peasant tune "Londonderry Air,"
which first appeared in print in 1855. One critic has written that it is "...the most beautiful
tune in the wolrd..." and you'll probably agree after hearing Jelani's superb interpretation.
After he left the organ bench in 1940, Sidney Torch became one of the leading conductors--and
composers--of what is usually referred to as "British Light Music." Jelani's next selection
is Torch's finger-busting "Fandango." (A fandango is a Spansih dance developed in the 18th
Century in triple-time accompanied by a guitar and castanets). Although written by the Danish
composer Jacob Gade, the next selection also has a strong Latin flavor for it's a fascinating
recreation (with some delightful, added Eddington touches) of George Wright's memorable
arrangement of "Jalousie." Although Wright recorded it on Richard Vaughn's 5-manual Wurlitzer,
that organ organ had only 21 ranks and, since its specification was quite similar to Bertha's,
Jelani's registrations quite accurately depict what the Vaughn organ would sound like in a
theatre!
The "magnum opus" on this disc is Jelani's breathtaking 18 1/2-minute medley of Leonard Bernstein's
West Side Story. When it opened in 1949, New York critics wrote "...(It's) one of the greatest
musical scores of all--jazzy, sparkling, lyrical, aggressive, beautiful, memorable--unlike
anything seen on Broadway before," and "...(It's) an incandescent piece of theatre" and "(it
has a) thunderbolt score." You'll say those things, too, as you listen to Jelani's wonderful
orchestral arrangements of the "Overture" followed by the "Jet Song," "Something's Coming,"
"Maria," "America," "One Hand, One Heart," "Tonight," "I Feel Pretty," "Mambo," and "Somewhere."
Although it starts with a whisper, its finale will leave you breathless. Bravo!
"We lived our little drama"
We kissed in a field of white
And stars fell on Alabama last night"
No visit to the Alabama Theatre would be complete without Frank Perkin's lilting
"Stars Fell On Alabama," which jazz trombonist Jack Teagarden introduced in 1934. Jelani's
first chorus is lushly legato, and the second chorus has a delightfully light beat. Finale time,
and it's another spectacular orchestral transcription. Spectacular is the right word, for
if you remember Walt Disney's 1940 masterpiece, Fantasia, you'll surely be able to
visualize those prancing hippopotami, undulating crocodiles, ostriches engaging in entre-chats,
and light-footed elephants in Jelani's 9-minute recreation of Amilcare Ponchielli's "Dance
Of The Hours." It well deserves another Bravo!
On all counts--the tonal splendor of the organ and room, the consummate musicianship of the artist
and his selections, arrangements, and registrations, plus the superb recording and excellent liner notes--
this disc receives an enthusiastic Must Have rating. (The liner notes include the organ specifications,
which need one very minor correction--the Toy Counter is not "exposed," the word should be
"expanded.")
To order this recording, Click Here!
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