On Saturday, April 16, amidst a sold-out, standing room only audience, Cortney Chyme and the collaboration of over a dozen talented singers, musicians and dancers, put on a show that those in attendance will never forget. Billed as a Night of Live Music and Dance, Buffalove Revue rocked the Foundry Suites with a cornucopia of entertainment.
“This is the most random set list ever,” Cortney remarked after opening the show with an energetic cover of Demi Lovato’s, Confident before showing off her vocal range by breaking into All About That Bass.
Drawing from both her classical music training, her operatic style and her love of rock and pop culture, Cortney, along with recording artist Ryan Kaminski and Art Voice Best Male Vocalist Double Nominee Zach Carr, wowed the audience with a musical set that ranged from a duet from Phantom of the Opera, and Disney Love Songs in Medley, to classic Rock/Disco hits such as Pat Benatar’s Heartbreaker, to Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive, and modern hits by Lady Gaga and Beyonce.
One of the highlights of the night came early in the first set, when Cortney delivered a powerful, and emotional performance of the opera classic O Mio Babbino Caro to which she remarked afterward, “I think it’s been about 11 years since I’ve sung that song on stage!”
After intermission, Cortney returned to the stage with local singer-songwriter Danielle Fortier for an acoustic duet, and the first live performance of Danielle’s new song, Blue.
Punctuating the evening’s performance were energetic dance numbers by soloists Katie Principe who performed a tap-dance interpretation of the song Cups, and a contemporary dance performance by Free Soul Dance’s, Kara Mann to Battlefield by Lea Michelle. Throughout the show, dancers from the Foxy Diamondz Dance Company joined on stage, adding in a theatrical, arena-pop concert feel to the show. The dancers included group director Maria Provenzano, Erin Hoppe, Kaitlyn Jeziorski, Kara Mann, Krista Mrugalski, Holli Simme and Krystal Wildman.
The band supporting this show, lead by show producer and director RiShon Odel Northington, was comprised of a collection of the most talented musicians Buffalo has to offer, including Mark Marinaccio on the keyboard, Myron McAdory as the lead guitarist, Daniel Powell at percussion and a horn section with Naheem Shabazz and Derek Hager on saxophone.
With gracious appreciation, Cortney and RiShon thanked the sold-out audience for attending and promised an even more impressive, and talent filled show next Spring!
To keep up to date on future performances, be sure to follow Cortney on Facebook.