 DAVID PERRICO’S POP STRINGS ORCHESTRA TO PERFORM REIMAGINED JAZZ HITS ON SEPT. 29 Original article posted on The Smith Center website: https://thesmithcenter.com/explore/smith-center-blog/top-vegas-performer-david-perrico-to-lead-raiders-house-band/ Most Southern Nevadans easily recognize the name David Perrico, a beloved Las Vegas band leader, musician, arranger and producer.
In fact, Perrico has packed every major performance venue in Las Vegas with the 10 bands he produces. Audiences flock to Perrico’s Smith Center shows with his Pop Strings Orchestra, a group of elite Vegas musicians performing swinging renditions of pop hits. But now, music fans — and football fans — nationwide will know Perrico’s name. In early August, one of Perrico’s bands earned the designation of Raiders House Band for the Las Vegas Raiders football team. This means Perrico and his 19-piece orchestra (a combination of his Pop Strings and Pop Evolution groups) will perform pre-game concerts, plus short spots throughout each game with a closing theme. “It’s an honor to be considered and to be chosen to represent the Raider nation,” Perrico says. “Raiders owner Mark Davis, it was his vision to have Vegas performers. They could get anybody, and they picked us.” Southern Nevadans don’t need football tickets to catch Perrico’s Pop Strings Orchestra, however. The group returns to The Smith Center’s intimate venue Myron’s on September 29 with a dazzling “Jazz & Strings” concert, featuring his orchestra with vocalists and acclaimed soloists on cello and bass. “There will be something for everybody,” Perrico says. “It feels fantastic to get back on the stage and perform and connect with our fans.” OPPORTUNITIES IN A CHALLENGING TIME With his many skills, Perrico had no trouble staying occupied during the lockdown. He dived into producing, writing and arranging music for his own groups and a variety of other artists. He also wrote jingles, including one for a coronavirus public service announcement. While this kept him busy, “it obviously can’t replace the performance aspect,” he says. Transitioning back to performing throughout Las Vegas has proved slow, Perrico notes, as the Strip lounges where his groups predominantly played remain closed “indefinitely.” Perrico hopes performing with the Raiders House Band will help Las Vegas’ entertainment scene rebound from the pandemic. “Being in the public, national eye, maybe that will spotlight all of the talented musicians in this town who haven’t worked,” he says. “Maybe that will spark an impetus to get back to live bands and live music.” RETURNING TO THE SMITH CENTER Perrico’s Pop Strings Orchestra will return to The Smith Center with a showstopping concert. The September 29 concert will feature an expanded orchestra with a 16-piece string section and five vocalists, performing a wide range of jazz repertoire, including standards and straight-ahead jazz. “You’ll hear a Sinatra standard and a Gershwin standard or Cole Porter standard, and then something by Miles Davis or Chick Corea or Louis Armstrong,” Perrico says. The concert will also include special performances by Japanese virtuoso cellist Mariko, who has performed with Madonna and Cirque du Soleil, as well as acclaimed bassist Sherry Luchette. Hailing his group as an “all-star baseball team” of the city’s top musicians, Perrico believes their shows draw audiences by merging the musicians’ talent with his affinity for big-band showmanship. “It’s my version of a modern-day big band,” Perrico says. “Being in Vegas, because of the ephemeral nature of the town and always stiving for something new, it kind of forced me to come up with something new and original, and exciting and dynamic.” SEE THE SHOW David Perrico’s Pop Strings Orchestra plays at 7 p.m. on September 29 |
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