CONCERT PROGRAM
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
March 22nd, 2025 I 3:30 + 7:30pm
The Venice Symphony Jazz Orchestra
Peter Barenbregge, Music Director
Michael Andrew, Guest Artist
I’ve Got The World On A String
Cole Porter I Get A Kick Out Of You
Cole Porter
I’ve Got You Under My Skin
Cole Porter Night And Day
George & Ira Gershwin
I’ve Got A Crush On You
Johnny Mercer / Harold Arlen That Old Black Magic
Jimmy Van Heusen / Sammy Cahn
Ain’t That A Kick In The Head
Irving Taylor / Ken Lane Everybody Loves Somebody
Bart Howard Fly Me To The Moon
Frank Loesser Luck Be A Lady
INTERMISSION
Billy Byers Come Fly With Me
Jimmy Van Heusen / Sammy Cahn Ring-A-Ding-Ding
Cole Porter In The Still Of The Night
Harold Arlen One For My Baby
Fred Fisher Chicago/My Kind of Town
Dean Kay / Kelly Gordon That’s Life
Ray Henderson Birth Of THe Blues
John Kander New York, New York
Today’s performance will be approximately 90 minutes in length.
The box office is open before the concert and during intermission. Late arrivals will be seated during musical breaks in the program. Please silence your cell phones during the concert.
Food and beverages are not allowed in the concert hall. Please visit the information tables in the lobby. Enjoy the concert.
Dear Friends,
Welcome to Saturday’s electrifying performance of “The RatPack Returns!” We are thrilled to present the extremely talented Venice Symphony Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Pete Barrenbregge. Adding to the magic, we are honored to welcome legendary vocalist Michael Andrew - famed headline singer and bandleader of New York City’s Rainbow Room – who will transport us with the timeless sounds of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and other beloved crooners.
When we first announced this concert back in Summer of 2024, the response from you, our incredible audience, was so overwhelming that we had to add a SECOND performance! Your enthusiasm for jazz and swing inspires us, and we are excited to share even more with you in the upcoming season.
As part of The Venice Symphony’s 2025-26 Season, we’re unveiling an exciting new identity for our jazz orchestra: The Venice Symphony Big Band! This fresh new series will feature three spectacular shows, guest vocalists, and an exciting musical lineup, further expanding our repertoire and bringing you the best of big band and swing.
But that’s not all- we’re also debuting a brand-new Chamber Series, featuring four intimate concerts at the Venice Community Center. These performances will bring you closer to the artistry of our musicians in a more personal, unique setting.
Look for all these exciting concerts and more in our new season brochure, arriving in your mailbox in early April. Make sure to visit our website or call our office to make sure we have your updated contact information. Thank you for joining us and for your support!
Enjoy the show!
Warm regards,
Christine Kasten, President/CEO
The Venice Symphony
GUEST ARTIST
For 2 years, Michael Andrew was the headline singer and bandleader at the world famous Rainbow Room atop Rockefeller Center in New York City where he entertained audiences nightly and hosted a live Radio Broadcast, “LIVE FROM THE RAINBOW ROOM.” He was the band-leader and singer at Merv Griffin’s “Coconut Club” in The Beverly Hilton in California. While on “Larry King Live,” Merv called Michael Andrew “one of the great singers of all time.”
A frequent symphonic pops guest artist, Michael Andrew has appeared with symphonic orchestras in Akron, Albuquerque, Birmingham, Charlotte, Melbourne (FL), Houston, Jacksonville, Long Beach, Missoula, Orlando, Pasadena, Philadelphia, Providence, Palm Beach, Palm Springs, San Antonio, Sarasota, and other cities across America.
His self-written musical comedy, MICKEY SWINGERHEAD & THE EARTHGIRLS was a hit with audiences and the press. The hit show led to the formation of his band, SWINGERHEAD, which remains a favorite among audiences and has toured extensively throughout the country.
Michael also formed the THE ATOMIC BIG BAND, an 18-piece band that has performed in Hollywood for the premier of the Warner Bros. movie, POSEIDON, and his bands continue to play engagements from Presidential Inaugural Balls to high society fundraisers. Mr. Andrew leads these bands in performances at private events and alongside symphony orchestras, and at festivals and concerts coast to coast.
Michael performs in musicals and comedies in Regional Theatre from Shakespeare to Cole Porter. On the other side of the curtain, as a composer, lyricist and book writer, he’s created shows paying tribute to the writers of the “American Songbook” including Johnny Mercer, Sammy Cahn, and the Gershwins. And composed or performed his music for motion pictures including “Heart Breakers,” “Inglorious Bastards,” “Mad Hot Ballroom,” “Bobby Jones – Stroke of Genius,” and “The Five People You Meet in Heaven.” He’s orchestrated and produced music for several theatrical productions including Mitch Album’s new musical “HOCKEY” and the new children’s musical, “INTERSTELLAR CINDERELLA.”
Michael Andrew starred in the world premiere of the new musical, THE NUTTY PROFESSOR written by Marvin Hamlisch and Rupert Holmes, directed by Jerry Lewis. He received rave reviews from the press including: “…terrific lead performance”-Time Magazine; “…astonishing…” -The Tennessean; “Andrew creates his own glittering path…” -ArtsNash; “Star-Making…Andrew’s virtuoso performance is startling in its complexity…clearly this is a role he was born to play.” - Broadway World; “One of the best talents to come down the pike in 50 years” - Jerry Lewis
THE VENICE SYMPHONY JAZZ ORCHESTRA
Peter Barenbregge
Len Pierro
Kenny Anderson
Dave Winterhalter
Tom Ellison
Jeff Woolridge
John Castleman
Bill Karow
Paul Murtha
Gary Shutes
Joe Offner
Stan Wilkerson
Teddy Arnold
Peter Barenbregge Music Director
Alto Saxophone 1
Alto Saxophone 2
Tenor Saxophone 1
Tenor Saxophone 2
Baritone Saxophone
Trumpet 1
Trumpet 2
Trumpet 3
Trumpet 4
Trombone 1
Trombone 2
Trombone 3
Trombone 4
Judi Glover Piano
Norman Johnson Guitar
Blake Eberhard Bass
Frank Carroll Drums
