A Return To Nostalgia: String of Pearls Review (w/ audio)

Posted by Maria Miaoulis in Bickford Theatre, Morristown, NJ, Recaps & Reviews

July 13th, 2010   2 Comments »

Sue Halloran, Jeanne O'Connor and Holli Ross make up the String of Pearls vocal jazz trio

Holli Ross, Sue Halloran and Jeanne O'Connor make up the String of Pearls vocal jazz trio. PHOTO CREDIT: Judy Jalbert / ionaprint.com

As the female vocal trio took the stage last night at The Bickford Theater wearing leg and neck braces and sporting crutches, I thought, “Uh-oh, I’m in for a long night.” My fears were somewhat confirmed when the group started singing “Crazy People” and overdramatizing their “injuries.”

But once they took the props off (all done as a sort of gag to support member Holli Ross who recently underwent surgery) and launched into numbers such as “A String of Pearls,” “Mr. Sandman” and “Sukiyaki,” it became obvious why String of Pearls has achieved the worldwide following that it has.

For older audiences, the trio’s repertoire offered a stroll down memory lane of 1930s “girl groups” and timeless jazz standards. For younger listeners, it was a chance to learn about the singers that paved the way for String of Pearls such as the Boswell Sisters and the Andrews Sisters. Even more amazing still was their distinct style, blending vintage with modern vocal jazz and adding elements of pop, bebop and Brazilian.

Highlights included a brief foray into the 1970s with a Carole King medley and a sensual, slow paced interpretation of the Ella Fitzgerald classic, “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” with Ross doing a terrific impression playing the trombone using her mic. Hard core jazz fans were also treated to pieces including “Professor Bop” and “Doodling.”

Never taking themselves too seriously, Holli, Sue and Jeanne kept the audience entertained throughout the night with light banter, laughter and charm. Their encore performance of the World War II hit, “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” was the perfect way to end the night.

String of Pearls performs across the US and abroad, so there are plenty of opportunities to see them live. If you’re in the mood for swing, style and superb musicality, visit their website for more information.

Listen to a sample of String of Pearl’s cover of the Andrews Sisters’ “Bie Mir Bist Du Schon”:

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Listen to a sample of String of Pearl’s cover of Cab Calloway’s “Minnie the Moocher”:

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  • HSWRoss

    I’d like to thank Maria Miaoulis for this wonderful post and Judy Jalbert for her captivating photo. We just love to perform at the Bickford Theater and feel at home enough to show our silly side. Many thanks to Bruce Gast and all of you who made this such a successful evening of music and entertainment. We are truly inspired by our audiences and eager to see you again soon. ~ Holli Ross

  • Maria Miaoulis

    Why thank you! I can’t tell you how honored I am that you took the time out of your busy schedule to write these kind words. Founder D.A. Gutierrez first came across your music and suggested we go to this performance. The show was truly amazing! We can’t wait to see String of Pearls live again soon!