Alex Foster, bandleader and woodwind whiz, led the charges into the special-dark chocolate vibe of “Midnight Sun.” Sweet, yet darkly biting, it ended with an elegant splash. The eleven-piece Orchestra eased into the proceedings with a double shot of cool. By setting rearranged Charles Mingus jazz compositions to his own quirky and heartbreaking words, this not-so-unique approach to lyricism has been done before (read: Joni Mitchell’s 1979 record, Mingus), but who knew Costello could sound so damn good and pull it off so well? Never without a challenge, the bespectacled post-punk icon has taken a novel turn as jazz crooner. The very definition of the term “Renaissance Man,” Costello has remained true to his word: that his legacy promises to leave only the most inspired music in its wake and the evolving certitude to pursue whatever turns him on the most has so far proved realistic. From the experimental days of recording My Aim is True on off-days at the cosmetics factory, to his current, stately position as UCLA’s 2001 artist-in-residence, Elvis Costello is a portrait of musical diversity.
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