“We are coming back to Geelong again and I can’t wait!”
If you are a fan of the iconic American sound of the 1940’s and you didn’t manage to make it to ‘In The Mood’ in 2016, now is your chance, and, at the best possible time as this years tour will be mark its Silver Jubilee (25th anniversary).
In the lead up to In The Mood’s whopping 18 date tour of Australia, Forté managed to catch Bud Forrest, the man who started the show 30 years ago, for a quick chat about what fans can expect and for the punters that don’t love swing music, why you should.
“Why is it that there is so many celebrities that continue to perform this style of music?” remarks Bud, “Bette Midler, Harry Connick, Michael Bublé, Rod Stewart, Christina Aguilera, the list is endless…
“They are all people who grew up listening to that kind of music and still perform it to this day, so, to me that says a whole lot about why this music is universally accepted. It has certainly stood the test of time.”
Speaking of standing the test of time, Bud also weighed in on the origins of the show.
“I’m a trained classic pianist. I grew up on Beethoven and Bach, but I’ve always loved musical theatre; I did a lot of theatre work around America in my early days. I just loved the power behind that style of music and I was in Washington at the time and I found three women who also loved to sing the soulful/swing style and we went from there, it was about five years after that we turned it into a touring show,” he says.
“We started with just me on piano and then we added drums and bass and then we added more musicians and singers and dancers and bigger bands. So the sound, the combination of my theatrical background and my love the music and the meaning of the lyrics and melodies all led me to gravitate towards showcasing this era.
“I think the reason why the show may have lasted all these years is because we present the music in a thoughtful and meaningful way, which means there is something in this show for everybody.”
Bud also made it very clear, this isn’t just a show for people wanting to reminisce on their youth. Instead it is a show for anyone and everyone.
“It’s a family show that’s set for all generations. You’ll see grandparents with their kids who are also with their kids and then they go home and they talk about what the music has meant to them in their lives. There is a hugely emotional response when the audience hears these songs; regardless of if they are up-tempo or romantic or sentimental.”
‘In the Mood’ will be making its way to Geelong for a one night only intimate performance at Costa Hall on November 3.
Written by Alex Callan