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Crescendo Ignace "Iggy" Jang |
TOTO joins in
symphony’s season
finaleIt's rock 'n' symphony time with the Honolulu Symphony Pops! And I really mean it: For this weekend's season's finale, maestro Matt Catingub is bringing us TOTO, one of rock's greatest bands.
Do you remember when hits such as "Hold the Line," "Rosanna" and "Africa" took the world by storm? I remember my brother blasting his radio while I tried to practice my violin. Now it's my turn to practice their songs.
TOTO's visit to Hawaii is special for two reasons: Honolulu marks the last stop on the band's world tour, and this is the first time the group will perform a full concert with a symphony orchestra.
Pops Series Finale
Honolulu Symphony Pops with guest artist TOTO; conductor Matt CatingubPlace: Blaisdell Concert Hall
In concert: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Tickets: $25 to $70
Call: 792-2000 or Ticketmaster at 877-750-4400
Rock bands mixing it up with orchestras are nothing new. Chances are you caught us jamming with Yes last fall. But in TOTO's case, the band wanted to perform with us first, because of Matt's reputation for writing great charts.
TOTO has been around for more than a quarter-century and hasn't let up much since bursting onto the scene. The band's arrival in the late '70s gave the industry a shot in the arm at a time when disco was on its last legs and the music scene was sluggishly moving into a new decade. If you wanted more traditional rock, bands such as Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were in vogue, but little new music had captured the interest of music fans.
It all changed with TOTO's first, self-titled album. A combination of rock rhythms, disco and even jazz influences propelled singles such as "Hold the Line," "I'll Supply the Love" and "Georgy Porgy" up the charts. Believe it or not, in the midst of practicing my Mozart, I was able to pick up a few tunes from these guys!
TOTO's new standards in pop-rock earned the band a 1978 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. You could argue that TOTO's style paved the road for the '80s New Wave sound and the second British invasion of bands such as Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Depeche Mode and the Cult, and even American rockers such as Guns N' Roses.
TOTO went on to win six Grammys, with "TOTO IV" capturing Album of the Year. In the years following hits such as "Rosanna" and "Africa," the band had some inevitable personnel changes: Members such as Steve Lukather went their own way, releasing solo albums and working with other rock stars. New singers were featured in the "Fahrenheit" album, and also on some of the tracks for 1990's "Greatest Hits" compilation.
The band experienced tragedy in August 1992, only a short time before the release of "Kingdom of Desire," when drummer Jeff Porcaro died of a heart attack after an allergic reaction. The music world mourned the death of a man praised not only as the best drummer around, but also a wonderful human being. Realizing how much they missed the distinct TOTO sound, new and old band members united for a ninth album, 1995's "Tambu."
The new millennium began with a Grammy nomination for "Mindfields." And in "Through the Looking Glass," TOTO's latest release, band members put their own signature on Bob Marley's immortal "Could You Be Loved."
By the way, do you know how the band got its name? You could say that it's a variant of lead singer Bobby Kimball's name -- he was born Robert Toteaux -- but it's a lot simpler. If "The Wizard of Oz" crosses your mind, you've hit the bull's-eye. Porcaro thought it was a name that would be easy to pronounce and remember. Coincidentally, "toto" in Latin means "all-encompassing," so it's a great name for a band that embraces a range of musical styles.
Don't forget that Mother's Day is Sunday. The Honolulu Symphony is preparing a special Mother's Day concert with eight of Hawaii's brightest kids performing as soloists. They're the winners of our Hawaii Youth Concerto Competition, open to students statewide.
It's our own "American Idol," and this year more than 50 talented students entered. Each devoted hours to practice in order to compete for the chance to perform with a symphony orchestra. The program includes works by Mozart, Ravel, Vivaldi, Prokofiev, Sibelius and Chopin, and it's a terrific showcase of classical music.
See you this weekend!
Ignace "Iggy" Jang is the Honolulu Symphony's concertmaster. His column will appear on the Monday prior to each concert of the season to illuminate works to be performed. E-mail comments and questions to Jang at suggestions@honolulusymphony.com