Concert featured ‘everything under the sun’

Another season of Border Concert Association shows ended April 10 with the appearance of singer Kathy Wagner and pianist Rich Ridenour on stage at Backus Auditorium in International Falls.
In a show appropriately titled “Everything Under the Sun,” Wagner and Ridenour kept the audience buzzing with an eclectic performance that covered all the bases musically.
It’s not often that a Bach prelude, a Scott Joplin rag, and the theme song from “The Three Little Pigs” appears in the same program, but Wagner and Ridenour included these—and much more—in their quest for everything under the sun.
The audience relaxed under the spell of Wagner’s rich, powerful voice and her warm personality. She was silky smooth in her sultry version of Gershwin’s “The Man I Love,” jazzy and energetic in Irving Berlin’s “I Love a Piano,” and just plain silly in “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf.”
Wagner is one of those rare singers who has the remarkable ability to switch musical gears almost instantaneously, and this wide range of styles has garnered critical acclaim for her across North America.
Meanwhile, Ridenour’s accompaniment to Wagner’s vocals was lush and lavish, filled with complex jazz improvisations. He brought an energy and passion to the piano that was apparent right from the concert’s opening number, Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag.”
Ridenour showcased his amazing keyboard technique in “The Banjo,” a piece that attempts to imitate the sound of a banjo. His blazing speed was nothing less than astounding.
The centerpiece of Ridenour’s solo performance, however, was saved until the second half of the show.
His interpretation of George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” was played with such energy and raw power that Ridenour literally was bouncing off the piano bench.
And should Ridenour ever decide to retire from the concert stage, he would have no trouble launching a second career as a stand-up comedian.
His jokes, one-liners, and stage asides were delivered with the timing of a pro—and certainly contributed much to the relaxed, easy-going atmosphere of the show.
Wagner and Ridenour brought a bit of everything to this year’s final Border Concert—warmth, laughter, and the reminder that good music comes from anywhere under the sun.