Encores for Moore

Press, 1 May 1978, Page 6

Encores for Moore

By

NEVIN TOPP

There were lots of Oliver Twists at the James Hay Theatre on Saturday evening — they kept asking for Moore.

And Moore is what they got. Four encores by the Dudley Moore Trio, who got a standing ovation from the audience.

Variety was the emphasis that Dudley Moore gave the concert, which he described as "horrible bits of Winifred Atwell, overtures of punk rock, and pieces from “Penthouse” magazine.”

Moore did not need to worry about his concert being boring, as he extended the range of talking and music from frivolity to serenity.

An example was substituting "bodies” for "Paris” in “I Love Paris in the Springtime" and then playing

“Georgia” in a wistful manner.

This ability to raise and lower the tone of the evening at will was much appreciated.

His two backing musicians. Peter Morgan, on double and electric basses and Chris Karan, on drums, were equals to “Dud” on the piano. In ’’Tricotism,” Dudley Moore’s legs pounded away under the piano, before allowing Peter Morgan a solo on double base. Morgan began to call in time to his solo, and Moore proceeded to undercut the w’hole act by indicating that Morgan had been drinking.

Parts of the concert should have been renamed “Spike Jones murders the classics” because of Moore's ability to take such a piece as Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 play it off-key

or .exaggerate it in “And the Samp to You.” More than just a jazz pianist. Moore was able to take jokes much further than would ordinarily be accepted and still be funny.

As the concert progressed, he relied less on humour and more on playing; and the serious pieces earned him his laurels; “Cornfield," “Flamingo” and “Someday He Will Come Along.” Moore also showed his class on a Fender Rhodes electric piano with “Horizons,” which also featured good use of lighting effects. His use of the electric clarinet in “Sunspot” was not so definite, with the bass and the music too loud.

Except for this minor ouibble, the Dudley Moore Trio would be welcome back at the James Hay Theatre tomorrow.