Grand Times Summer Activities - September 9, 2009
The golden voice of Tena Wilson teaming up pianist LaDonna Smith, creates a collaboration that is as elegant and smooth as it is free and exciting. Grand Times, for the grand piano and for the grand time had by all. Our music floats effortlessly from the keys, the voice, and the heart strings.
Grand Times loves to make the perfect music for all occasions, whether in concert, or an event, on your grand piano in your private living room, at a club, or elegant entertainment setting. Grand Times is a specialty at events & fundraisers, sacred ceremonies, weddings and memorials. We spent much time with the older generation over the summer, entertaining in assisted living communities, nursing environments, and even some SCALF Units. Tena considers this our "musical tithing," and there is truly nothing more satisfying and worthwhile than bring joy to the hearts and smiles to the faces of our elders, serenading them with their familiar music of "back in the day!" Classics like Lena Horne's "Stormy Weather" and Gershwin's "Somebody Loves Me", "Summertime" or the upbeat "Fascinating Rhythm" or "Chattanooga Choo Choo" to choo choo them on home, to fuel old memories, and light up the night with dreamy romanticism.
We always enjoy what we do, and it is a mission indeed to interpret some of the most stunning and beautiful melodies ever known to music. Smith's versatile performance style on piano brings out the many voices and colors of the instrument, in delicious delicate textures and backgrounds, as well as at times reveling in wild, or dramatic, improvisations. Tena's son, Tory Malavet, is in his own right an accomplished jazz and classical violinist, makes heads turn as he contributes to the repertoire of GRAND TIMES.
Our music never fails to capture the essence of the audience. Going with the flow of the specific event, we oscillate from background ambience to showcase," perhaps leading an inclusive, spontaneous sing-a-long, leaving the audience with a sense of joy and shared well-being! Need more than a duo? When Tory joins us on violin, or Jerry on guitar, we make swing jazz improvisation, colorful melodic orchestrations, and render popular classics with a sweetness that makes you want to cry.
GRAND TIMES creates a grand experience, music for the sake of beauty, memory, and compassionate care of the soul. We play & sing! And our heart strings do ring!
Some of our notable engagements recently featured several private parties on a very special Steinway, including the Magic City Women's Chorus, a social for Women Writing for a Change, Meredith Smith's 60th Birthday Party, Concerts, and Serenades for the elderly: The Oaks at Parkwood, Brookdale Place at Somerby, Chateau Vestavia, Mount Royal Senior Living. Grand Times also entertained at the Magic City Choral Society Annual Fundraiser. What a blast!
Appropriate and affordable. Grand Times would love to make the music at your wedding or ceremony sparkle with the beauty of music for all occasions. We invite you to consider having one of many Grand Times with us soon!
.