As part of the Blue Note Jazz festival, Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson performed at New York City’s Highline Ballroom before a sea of gray-haired fans enthusiastic about doing the hippy hippy shake to classic hits like “California Girls,” “Help Me Rhonda,” and “Heroes and Villains.” The first half of Monday night’s performance was like a greatest hits tour while the second half [after the brief intermission] was a complete run down of his most recent album, Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin, a collection of George Gershwin songs that Wilson converted into Beach Boys-esqe tunes. As Wilson sang these Gershwin songs the mood lighting came on and Highline Ballroom transformed into a Blue Note Jazz club annex. Listening to Brian Wilson’s doo wop version of “Summertime” was truly an enchanting experience. Brian Wilson is one of the great composers of the last 100 years, and watching this musical legend up close and personal at Highline Ballroom is an experience that audience will take with them for the rest of their lives.
Click Here to read Justin Tedaldi’s interview with Brian Wilson on The Examiner.
Photo Courtesy of www.brianwilson.com