Doc Puts On Good Show

by Marilyn Nason, The Post-Star, July 3, 1972

Doc Severinsen is an excellent showman.

The 5,000 who saw him Saturday night at Saratoga Performing Arts Center had the pleasure of viewing a real “sleeper.”

He combined extraordinary trumpet-playing with some commendable vocalizing, monologues a la his mentor, Johnny Carson, and a fast-paced, uptempo show as good as any at SPAC in the past seven years. He even played the spoons.

And his sartorial splendor was something to behold, as one would expect. He switched into about eight outfits, ablaze with sequins, bright colors, harlequin prints and fringe, fringe and fringe.

One outfit, he said, was made by his wife, Yvonne, a blue fringed vest, vertical striped pants and pale blue silk flouncy shirt.

Another member of the Severinsen family, daughter Nancy, was one ot 10 members of Today’s Children. Singing, dancing, racing around the stage in an engaging way, they proved an excellent vocal group.

Music was provided by Severinsen’s Now Generation Brass of 11, most members of the “Tonight” orchestra. Several came downstage for solos and were master musicians without a doubt. But Severinsen is not to be topped as a trumpet player. He really turned it on Saturday night and this seemed to appeal best to the well-dressed, largely-adult audience.

In fact, the audience never did warm to his attempts at humor, obviously preferring to hear his music.

Severinsen, unlike all too many “names” appearing at SPAC, was onstage from the start to finish of the program. Too often the stars prefer to use second acts for the first half, then perform for less than an hour for the second half of the program.

But not Severinsen, he worked the entire two and a half hours and the audience loved it. At the end, he got the familiar SPAC standing ovation, now a trademark of the amphitheatre.

Last night, Melba Moore starred with Martin Braverman.

SPAC is dark tonight. The Juilliard Acting Co. opens its initial season with “The School for Scandal” in the Spa Summer Theatre at 8:30, with repeat performances nightly through July for the repertory company.