Keyboard woe
only glitch in
Tennille love fest

Review by John Berger
Star-Bulletin

Two "captains," one Tennille, a malfunctioning keyboard and Honolulu Pops conductor Matt Catingub were the components of an interesting but uneven performance Friday as Toni Tennille performed with the Honolulu Symphony.

Two captains? Kapena was featured prior to intermission; and front man Kelly DeLima explained the group's name is Hawaiian for "captain." The other, of course, was Tennille's husband, Daryl Dragon, who came on at the end of her set.

The Captain & Tennille closing set was something of an appendage to Tennille's current repertoire of classic American pop songs, most dating from well before 1955 and the dawn of rock. Each was beautiful. Catingub and the symphony provided excellent support.

Tennille looked terrific in a revealing red dress but sounded hoarse and coughed several times between numbers. She came through beautifully when she started singing. "Blues in the Night" was an absolute delight, and her treatment of "Teach Me Tonight" was nicely done as well.

The chemistry between Tennille and her fans was evident when they added the "whoopee" in "Makin' Whoopee" without being prompted. Tennille maintained that magic connection throughout.

She took time to share the stories behind the pop standards she loves. Most folks under 55 probably think of "Teach Me Tonight" as Al Jarreau material. Tennille told of hearing Johnny Mathis sing it years ago and wondering with girlish innocence what the "X, Y, Z's of love" might be.

It was a glorious trip through the music of another era, but it was hard to shake the nagging awareness that the Captain would be joining her for a "first ever" symphonic arrangement of "Muskrat Love."

Everything felt great when Dragon finally appeared. Then the show crashed to a halt when Dragon's electric keyboard went dead. A comic bit? Unfortunately not. Almost five minutes dragged by before the keyboard came back.

An abbreviated version of "Muskrat Love" segued into an equally truncated treatment of "Do That to Me One More Time." Oh well.

Time was running out when "Love Will Keep Us Together" was presented in slightly longer form as the third and final Captain & Tennille number. It was OK as the show closer but did not have the old-time edge of the original. All in all, Tennille's "Blues in the Night" was the brightest moment.

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