By Michael P Coleman
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| Photo courtesy of Jeff Klaum |
My parents raised me to believe that life was, in the end, fair. Sometimes, I’m reminded that it’s really not…
like when virtuoso pianist Jim Brickman tells a near-capacity crowd at the Crest Theatre in Sacramento last night that he thinks of himself as a songwriter.
Yeah, that’s what Brickman had the nerve to do, during well-timed, often hysterical and always heartfelt banter between songs during the Sacramento stop of his annual holiday tour. Don’t get it twisted: Brickman’s written lots of original songs that will be sung and played for generations, and he performed a few of them last night. But how can anyone be that freaking good at playing the piano and not consider himself first and foremost a pianist???
Brickman is this generation’s Liberace (Google him), a consummate showman and a flesh-and-blood Schroeder who plays the piano with boyish abandon. In concert, he sweeps his fans up in a Yuletide whirlwind of holiday joy, which is echoed in the name of his current tour and CD, Comfort & Joy.
It’s Brickman’s 20th annual holiday tour, so he’s been at it for awhile, which is part of the reason that he’s so damned good at what he does. His holiday recordings are an annual part of Christmas celebrations in the homes of his legions of followers, and last night he absolutely thrilled a few hundred of them at the Crest.
Brickman’s two hour show included accompaniment by vocalist and Broadway star John Trones, who was one of the night’s very pleasant surprises. I’d never heard of Trones (nor had many in the audience, which he and Brickman joked about on stage), but after just a few seconds of his first song, I realized that’s been a grave shortcoming on my part. When Trones stood in for Johnny Mathis (who has the guts to do that??) during the show’s second half and delivered a pitch-perfect “Sending You A Little Christmas,” we knew we were in the presence of greatness.
Ever since Brickman gave his original Christmas hit, “The Gift,” to the world well over a decade ago, I haven’t been able to imagine celebrating the Christmas season without his music. Every year, around the time I hear his gorgeous arrangements of songs like “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” or “Angels We Have Heard On High,” I’m tempted to buy a baby grand and sign up for piano lessons.
Then I traipse over to a Brickman holiday show, listen to a few more songs, and soberly realize that I simply don’t have enough years ahead of me — let alone raw talent behind me — to ever play them that well. So among other things this Christmas, I’m thankful for my stereo in my great room and my tickets to see Jim Brickman live. If Brickman is performing in a town near you this holiday season, you should seriously consider treating yourself to both.
Thanks, Mr. Brickman. And have yourself a merry little Christmas.
Tickets to see Jim Brickman live, information on his current Comfort & Joy tour, and a collection of his CDs are available at jimbrickman.com.
This feature was written by Sacramento-based freelancer Michael P Coleman.
One day, Jim Brickman is going to call him up on stage to sing with him. Before that happens and he gets too famous to talk, connect with him at michaelpcoleman.com or on Twitter.
