THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 14, 1994 TAG: 9410140549
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
TYPE: Music Review
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
If you're in the mood for ``In the Mood'' and other World War II-era music, boogie-woogie over to College of the Albemarle.
A 1940s revue will be offered twice Saturday featuring band music and dancing that are representative of that period, plus film footage from USO shows.
``In the Mood'' stars Bud Forrest and his String of Pearls.
That is a lot of bandying about of Glenn Miller titles, but the man with the baton is more of an Artie Shaw enthusiast.
``I liked the drive of his orchestra as opposed to the sweeter sounds of the Miller band,'' said Forrest, who is completely divorced from the sugary sounds of Guy Lombardo, Jan Garber and their contemporaries.
Forrest is not a Miller, Shaw, etc. contemporary, but a youngster of 46 caught up in the '40s.
``I find the music fascinating. About six years ago I wanted to put a female singing group together, to duplicate that period,'' he said. ``Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy'' was hard to do without a trumpet, so I got a nine-piece band.''
Forrest travels the country with bands ranging from six to 17 pieces, depending on the setting.
The Elizabeth City setting is high - 16 pieces.
Forrest emphasizes that they do not play cover tunes, they do not emulate those bands using the same books used in days of yore.
But the flavor is retained.
``We have new arrangements of older tunes, big band medley snippets of the top stuff,'' Forrest said. ``We don't stray far. We have some new twists, but the general twist is comparable to the originals.''
A few songs are performed in their original versions, such as Tommy Dorsey's ``Opus Number One'' and Glenn Miller's ``American Patrol.''
Forrest takes what was done in the 1940s and puts it in a theatrical setting ``while keeping the concept of the big band,'' he said. ``We tend to be more vocally oriented.''
He had expert help in that department. It came from Vic Schoen, an arranger and conductor for the Andrews Sisters for two decades who also worked with other major artists.
Another big name Forrest called on was James Morris, the group's original director.
``He was founder of the Performing Arts Division at the Smithsonian Institution,'' Forrest said, ``and an original cast member of `My Fair Lady' on Broadway.''
Forrest is the show's pianist, producer and musical director. He performed with the United States Air Force Band and was a pianist for The Singing Sergeants, two of the armed forces most prestigious musical groups.
It is no surprise, then, that Saturday's show is designed to honor area veterans.
Last year, the USO designated his group as the official entertainment for the commemoration of World War II, a designation that began in September with a performance on the steps of the National Archives in Washington, D.C., near Forrest's headquarters.
``World War II,'' he said, ``was the last time all America was listening and dancing to the same type of music.'' MEMO: MUSIC REVIEW
``In the Mood''
A 1940s musical review starring Bud Forrest and his String of Pearls
will be presented at 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday in the COA auditorium.
Reserved seat tickets are on sale at the box office for $12.50. The cost
at the door is $15. Tickets are $10 each for groups of 10 or more. VISA
and MasterCard accepted. For more information, or to charge tickets by
phone, call 335-9050. by CNB