by Kevin T McEneaney
The performance of TAKE3 in the Gardiner Theater on Friday night in the Pawling Concert Series at Trinity-Pawling High School was, by turns, ecstatic and electric. TAKE3, led by extraordinary violinist Lindsay Deutsch, offered a smorgasbord of musical genres and styles in unusual arrangements, blending bluegrass pop and rock classics with classical inflections, from excerpts of Bach to “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen. The energy and joy of the small ensemble projected an aura of infectious joy.
On piano Kyota Minami (from Japan who arrived the previous day) exuded liquid accuracy and immaculate clarity while Isabella Palacpac on cello grounded the trio with somber resonance and light-hearted humor. Both strings wandered about the stage to evoke humor and passionate intimacy with improvised ambiance.
At times, Deutsch played in a wide variety of spontaneous postures and dancing moves that were nearly gymnastic. Deutsch hails from Houston, Texas, and blossomed at her solo concert debut at the age of eleven; she won the gold medal in the World Junior Olympic Racquetball Championships in 1997. She has performed in concerts with leading violinists and symphony orchestras throughout the U.S. In 2018 she toured the globe as first violinist with Yanni from whom she learned to blend a wide variety of musical genres, putting her new musical arrangements into an ebullient immediacy for concert performances and several movie films.
They opened with a dynamic version of “America” by Neil Diamond which reminded the audience of past freedoms and civilized norms that contrast with the current political playground slide toward inhumane fascism. “Hallelujah” by Cohen was an affirmation of folkloric, secular democracy. “Natural” (2018) by Imagine Dragons was the song that put the band on the musical charts, a song about becoming less ruthless and calloused with time while one becomes aware that one needs to fight and stand up for oneself. “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King (2009, written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller), is an allegorical song about not being afraid, the allegory being either personal or political. A Beethoven mash-up depicted the anguished mastery of the composer. “West Side Story” also depicted the freedom to love anyone in the face of ethnic prejudice. “Game of Thrones” from the television series reminded the audience of intense political struggle.
After a brief intermission, they performed “Despacito” (2017) by Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi. This Latino love song in Spanish celebrates the deep passion of love.” “Thunderstruck” (1990) by AC/DC has not much in the way of lyrics, yet it remains a powerful evocation of thunderous angst by Minami on piano and Palacpac that nearly lifted me from my seat.
A lyrical version of “Amazing Grace” followed where Deutsch soared with ethereal grace. I found the “Cello Suite in D Minor” by J.S. Bach to be surprisingly interesting since it foregrounded the Celtic tunes on which Bach built. I could not identify the identity of “Pirates” which may have been a subtle reference to the current political scene.
A mash of Elvis song themes followed. Most of Elvis’ material was from Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Elvis only wrote one song in his life. An ardent tribute to the composer John Williams followed. “Misirlou” (“Egyptian girl”) by Theodotos Demetriades tells the passionate story of a Greek Christian man in love with an Egyptian girl, implying taboos of forbidden love with race, country, and religion.
For an encore, they performed “Orange Blossom” (2008) by JJ Grey and Moffro offering up another motif of forbidden love.
The excellence of the musicians was a pyrotechnic display of energetic blending and impressive delivery. All three performers attended Juilliard at the same time.
