Jelani Eddington at the Bristol Paramount,
June 7, 2003

Jelani Eddington first played at the Paramount in 1998, and gave a memorable performance. In the intervening years many changes have occurred with both the organist and the instrument. Jelani graduated from Yale Law School although he is not currently practicing law,  and the Paramount Wurlitzer has undergone extensive technical upgrading at the hands of crew chief Chet Rataski so that the instrument we heard on this occasion is considerably more refined in its tonal qualities and much more adaptable to the player’s needs.

Many organists upon taking up serious study of the theatre organ tend consciously or unconsciously to model their keyboard technique on one or other of the star performers such as Jesse Crawford or George Wright in the U.S. or Reginald Dixon in the U.K.  Although this gives the player certain high standards to emulate, it can be a hindrance to the development of his own personal style. Jelani Eddington has successfully avoided this trap, and approaches each item with his unique registrations and harmonic treatment.  His manual dexterity is impressive and reflects no doubt his piano training. Not content to rely on the swell shutters alone to create crescendo and diminuendo effects, Jelani combines shutter movement with registration changes to enhance the dynamic range.  He obviously made full use of the Wurlitzer’s multilevel piston settings during his recital,  with sounds ranging from  the soft whisper of a Vox to the thundering ful organ.  Nor did he leave the trems on constantly, but cut them off at appropriate times during his orchestral transcriptions.  His South Pacific Suite and the Orchestral Suite from Carmen were expertly arranged, and the Bacchanal from Samson and Delilah by St. Saens was a triumph of orchestral playing. The various standards comprising the remainder of his program were played with the same innovative styling which made even familiar numbers sound novel and interesting.

If I may raise just one minor criticism it would be that perhaps on occasion pieces can be “over arranged” more than they need to be. A melody such as the “Londonderry Air” needs little in the way of embellishment as it stands by itself as a beautiful musical gem.  But this is no way intended to detract from the skill and technical abilities of players such as Jelani whom we were privileged to hear at this concert.

Don Macdonald

Dave Wickerham at the Paramount Center Wurlitzer
Saturday October 25, 2003

For the final concert of the 2003 season our artist was Dave Wickerham from Wisconsin whose professional experience includes being featured organist at the Roxy Pizza Parlor in Las Vegas.  After several hours familiarization with the Wurlitzer Dave was ready to put on his show, and an outstanding show it was.

It has been pointed out more than once that with very few exceptions no music is arranged and published for the theatre organ.  Every performer must not only concern himself with arriving at suitable registrations but must indeed arrange the piece of music in its entirety in the three stave organ fashion, sometimes working from a piano copy, and often working from no copy at all. Our artist proved himself an expert in both fields in numbers ranging from Scott Joplin ragtime to John Bull's 16th century classical Rondo in G, in which piece the untremmed Wurlitzer arose magnificently to the occasion in rendering the complex score a delight to the ear.  I believe Dave laid to rest the long-standing debate as to whether classical organ training is a detriment to making best use of a theatre organ.  The answer is clearly a resounding No!

Rarely heard these days and given a sensitive reading with an almost elegiac introduction was the ballad "Yours is My Heart Alone" by Franz Lehar, which listeners of a certain age will remember under its original title as "You Are My Heart's Delight" made famous in the 1930s by the renowned tenor Richard Tauber.  After a medly of Gershwin tunes including a gently poignant "Summertime" the first half ended with the "Knightsbridge March" by English composer Eric Coates from his 1932 "London Suite", very familiar to English audiences on account of its use as the theme for the BBC topical program of that era "In Town Tonight."

Autumn Leaves, (not the Roger Williams version)  featured an appealing Glockenspiel ornamentation on top of a Tibia/Vox combination leading into frequent registration changes and a mellow string chorus at the end.

In his arrangements, Dave was able to inject welcome touches of humor by the use of nontonal percussions, especially in his "Silly Titled Tunes" medley including such numbers as "Goofus" and "Mairzy Doats." To this reviewer, the most astonishing and innovative registration was Dave’s bagpipe effect as part of his arrangement of "Amazing Grace." I could almost smell the heather in bloom!

Dave's classical abilities surfaced again in his "Requests" medley with a resounding rendition of the Widor Toccata, putting the Wurlitzer to the test once more which it passed with flying colors. His varied and imaginative performance was a fitting ending to the present series of organ concerts.

Don Macdonald

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