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Cool, man: Fresno Phil channels The Rat Pack with jazzy concert

By Donald Munro - The Fresno Bee

Thursday, Feb. 07, 2013 | 04:46 PM

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But the three performers do go a long way toward recreating the ambience and patter of the three.

"I think of it as an elegant Rat Pack concert with the looseness of a Las Vegas show," says Young, who appeared on Broadway in such shows as "Seussical" and "Ragtime." He currently stars in "Vegas! The Show" at the Saxe Theater in Las Vegas.

Smith, the third member of the trio, is making his debut as Frank Sinatra on Saturday -- actors in "packaged" shows as this one often rotate in and out of the roles -- but he's watched lots of video clips of Ol' Blue Eyes and is ready for his part in the scripted show.

And if Smith, a Broadway veteran and a New York University faculty member, could ask Sinatra one thing, what would it be?

"How could he sing so much while smoking and drinking?" Smith says with a laugh.

As far as Honda, the City College professor, is concerned, there are two things about the "Rat Pack" concert that will stand out. The first is the opportunity to meld the jazz sound he loves so much with a big orchestra.

"It's a different situation when you have the addition of the strings in particular. It adds a color to the jazz band that's always been attractive," he says.

And the other is purely personal. Honda's daughter, Marissa, will be playing with the Fresno Philharmonic for the first time. Now studying for her master's degree in oboe performance at the University of Southern California, she will play oboe and English horn in Saturday's concert.

"It will be the first time she and I will perform together as professionals," Honda says.

That's just about as cool as Frank Sinatra singing "My Way."

Concert preview

"The Rat Pack: A Symphonic Celebration," 8 p.m. Saturday, Saroyan Theatre, 700 M St. fresnophil.org, (559) 261-0600. $20-$75

Post-concert party: A no-host bar, food and live jazz played by selected orchestra members will immediately follow the concert.


The reporter can be reached at dmunro@fresnobee.com, (559) 441-6373 and @donaldbeearts on Twitter. Read his blog at fresnobeehive.com.

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