“Allan Harris in Concert” reviewed by Julia W. Rath

****The masterful Allan Harris with his golden voice took to the stage in a one-time performance on July 13th as part of Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago’s Summer Concert Series. Singing a wide range of popular songs mostly from the 1950s, the crooner charmed his way into the hearts of his audience with perfect renditions of numbers once sung by such greats as Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Paul Anka, and the like. Often accompanying himself on electric guitar, Harris was dazzling in his performance. Backed by his brilliant accompanist and virtuoso in her own right Arcoiris Sandoval, the reimagination and rearrangement of once popular classics could not have been more brilliant! The audience was most definitely being treated to these two musical geniuses who instinctively feel jazz and blues in their gut—and have the ability to raise each other’s talents to a higher level.

Brooklyn-born Harris, with his trademark fedora (and a red and green feather), is currently on tour. On the day of his Chicago concert, we learned that he decided to give two of his regular band members a rest. Therefore, he enlisted a good friend to get him some local talent, and she could not have done a better job! Two highly skilled performers—Joshua Ramos on bass and Samuel Jewell on drums—filled the bill nicely, and they entertained us with their abilities to improvise and enhance cherished melodies.

Harris performed for well over an hour with a set list that included such songs as “Fly Me”, “L-O-V-E”, “Jeannine”, “Sunny”, and (his mother’s favorite) “Mona Lisa.”

Problematic, however, was the sound design at Lighthouse ArtSpace. Harris and his band deserved much better. There were too many moments when we couldn’t understand the words, and the various instruments should have sounded clearer and more distinct. Making the sound louder did not fix the muddy audio. The microphone that Harris used seemed like one designed for speaking rather than singing. Things were a bit better when Sandoval was the only accompanist on stage, as the sound system seemed to pick up higher notes better than lower ones. Basically, distortion made the concert far less enjoyable than it otherwise might have been. As a result, Harris found it difficult to involve the audience in clapping and swinging and becoming a part of a truly exceptional live event.

Full of love and admiration, Harris made a special point of mentioning that Sandoval will soon be marrying another band member, and he wishes her all the luck in the world. During the show, we also learned that the multitalented performing artist, composer, and music director might soon be doing something on Broadway. But for now, he is promoting his new CD “Live at Blue Llama” due out on July 28. A “meet and greet” with the entertainer took place immediately after the show.

Allan Harris performed at the Lighthouse ArtSpace, located at 108 W. Germania Place, in Chicago’s River North neighborhood.

The “Live at Lighthouse” concert series continues with Lenny White, Buster Williams, and Cyrus Chestnut on August 10th and Billy Hart, Yotam Silberstein, and Omer Avital on August 31st.

Tickets for each concert start at $35.

To purchase tickets, go to: https://www.lighthouseartspace.com/event/live-at-lighthouse-chicago?scrollToCalendar#/.

Note that tickets include a free welcome drink plus the Mozart Immersive experience at 7:00 p.m. The concert is scheduled in the same hall for 7:45 p.m. (or shortly thereafter).

For more information, please see: https://www.lighthouseartspace.com/artspace/chicago.