Michael Hope Vocalist- Ocean City Sentinel Review

Hope and Ocean City Pops light up stage with Cole Porter tunes

By Ed Wismer, Ocean City Sentinel Critic
July 22, 2010

OCEAN CITY – Ocean City got some much needed rain last week, but the crowd at the Ocean City Pops concert on July 14 stayed dry. It began to rain in earnest after the crowd of music lovers dispersed for the night. Hopefully they made it home without getting drenched.

From the enthusiastic applause that night, it was obvious they came to see and hear Canadian vocalist Michael Hope. Hope is no stranger to Pops audiences. He attracts a crowd every time he performs here, and with good reason. When he is singing the tunes of Cole Porter, the audience has even more reason to rejoice.

Hope was joined onstage by 12-year-old violinist Brendan Zak, who gave a bravura performance of Sarasate’s “Zigeunerweisen” (Gypsy Airs), which had everyone doing the czardas in their seats.

Michael Hope hails from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where they have the world famous rodeo, the Calgary Stampede. Hope told me the annual Stampede was going on right now. The urbane, kinetic and witty Hope was born to sing the urbane and witty show songs of Cole Porter. Porter, who was from the farmland of Indiana, has something in common with Hope. Whoever would have thought that the tremendously talented Hope would come from the far west of our northern neighbor, but he does.

Hope is also blessed with a blotter-like memory for lyrics. That’s a good thing, as Porter wrote not only his own songs, but the lyrics too. What memorable words they are. Always devilishly clever and often naughty, Porter’s songs bring lots of snickers and occasional laughs. Some of the lyrics are hauntingly romantic, like “In the Still of the Night,” which was perfect material for Hope. Some of the songs are not as familiar, but are no less beautiful. “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” was one of those, and it got its full due from the tall and slender singer.

Hope brought his own charts and arrangements and they gave the orchestra a fresh sound. Those arrangements sounded like they were written for the brass section and Pops pianist Jeffrey Uhlig and they got lots of bounce from drummer Paul Pizzuti and percussionist Mark O’Kain.

Maestro Scheible and bassist Laura Russ gave the music lots of jazzy zip. The strings were smooth as satin, as usual, and helped to make Hope’s singing glide through “Begin the Beguine” and “I’ve Got Your Under My Skin.” He made many female hearts throb.

Porter’s naughtier side was on display when Hope sang “Love For Sale,” which was banned from radio for many years because it was considered too suggestive. Perhaps in that bygone era it was “Too Darn Hot,” a song from Porter’s “Kiss Me Kate” as well, a riotous number which Hope roasted to a turn.

Michael Hope moves well too. He is graceful onstage and doesn’t just stand there. I just wish he had sung another number from “Kiss Me Kate” as well, a riotous number by Petruccio called “Where is the Life that Late I Led.” The lyrics are a gas. They go, “Since I reached the charming age of puberty, and began to think of feminine curls, like a show that’s typically Schuberty, I always had a multitude of girls.”

Hope sang a medley of tunes from Porter’s “Can Can,” and one of my least favored Porter songs called “The Tale of the Oyster,” which he did so well that he made me appreciate it. He was joined onstage by a lovely singer named Allyson Pace, who has a big soaring voice. She and Hope were a good match.

Pace’s rendition of Rodgers and Hart’s “My Funny Valentine” was sweet and her sense of humor was evident when she sang a comic song called “The Physician.”

The orchestra had fun with Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Tahiti Trot,” based on Vincent Youmans’ “Tea for Two.” You had to hear it to know that a crazy thing it was. It was a genuine Pops night, and that sent everyone home humming pure Porter.