Sinatra Centennial Celebration set at Schwartz Center Dec. 12
This Dec. 12 would have been Frank Sinatra’s 100th birthday. In honor of the occasion, Delaware’s premier Sinatra vocalist Sean Reilly and his six-piece Sinatra Centennial Orchestra, under the direction of well-known Delaware pianist David Zipse, will be performing Sinatra 101 at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Schwartz Center for the Arts.
Says Reilly, “We do more than just sing and perform the recordings Sinatra made famous, I tell the tales behind the tunes - why were they made, what occurred during the recording sessions, how the song came to be a Sinatra standard, etc., then we perform that tune. You know a song is just a song until it gets into Sinatra’s orbit, then it becomes a story. The audience loves the show as it gives them a renewed appreciation for these recordings."
Reilly's singing career really took off in 2009 when he won the Frank Sinatra Idol Contest in Hoboken, N.J. The event pays tribute to Hoboken's most famous son with a contest to see who is the best “Ol’ Blue Eyes.” Reilly says, “What a thrill for me! To win the Frank Sinatra Idol Contest in Frank Sinatra Park in Frank’s birthplace of Hoboken, NJ? C'mon now, try and top that!
“At the end of the competition, after I was declared the winner and awarded the Chairman Of The Board Trophy, all of us Sinatra contestants gathered closely and sang “New York, New York,” and to my wonderment as I looked over my right shoulder, The Empire State Building lights came popping on one after another!" said Reilly.
Reilly has been performing ever since, solo and as a duo with Zipse, and occasionally as a trio or quartet, but now they have kicked the act up a few notches with a larger band. "These songs call for horns. Sinatra always had a big band, and some of the best arrangers ever. We tried putting together a full big band with five trumpets, four trombones, five saxes and a rhythm section, and it sounded great! Unfortunately, it was not financially viable these days," says Zipse. "So we found some great charts for three horns - trumpet, trombone and sax - plus a rhythm section, that really capture the essence of the original recordings. Authenticity is important to Sean, for he feels the audience knows these songs, exactly the way Frank did them. So with great charts and some of the best musicians around, this band is hot! "
Reilly and Zipse premiered their show at the Milton Theatre in July to a sold-out house, and a repeat performance Labor Day weekend also sold out. “What a lovely sight,” said Reilly, looking at the words ‘sold out’ on the marquee at the theater. Zipse couldn’t agree more.
Tickets are $27 to $30. Advance ticket purchases are suggested. For more information and to purchase tickets, call 302-678-5152 or go to schwartzcenter.com.
