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The show highlights songs not associated with the banjo. To prove the point, Pearl launches into a medley of marches, movie scores, children's tunes, dances, sing-a-longs, classical pieces and cartoon themes. Flying fingers show how a 37 minute routine is performed comedically in six minutes.

Continuing with comedy, Pearl reminds the audience about the $5,000 they spent on their kids' piano lessons and proceeds to play the parents' most hated songs, the only three the kids ever learned; The effect of imitating amateurish piano playing on the banjo is funny and the audience roars with laughter but subsides with amazement when "Chopsticks" goes ragtime.

Just when It appears that he will play a standard banjo piece, "Dueling Banjos," Pearl takes it around the the world with his instrument sounding like a mandolin for the Italian version and changing into a bazouki for "Zorba the Greek." There is something for everyone, with Polish, Israeli and Chinese versions. Requests from the audience take the musical travelers from Ireland to Australia with stops in Europe and Russia.

Swapping his banjo for a ukelele, the instrumentalist continues the unusual show by playing "The 12th Street Rag" on the uke. He adds the college professor touch (Pearl was a professor of marketing for seven years) by describing the ukelele's origins, not in Hawaii but in Portugese sailing ships where the small instrument fit well. Halfway through the song, Pearl turns the uke upside down and continues playing, delighting the audience with his musical gymnastics.

Pearl continues with the unusual by starting the band and jumping on a stool for a classical concert set to a disco beat-- "Hooked on the Banjo!" Never before have many in the audience heard a banjo playing such classical/disco tunes as "Flight of the Bumble Bee," "Can-Can," William Tell Overture (Lone Ranger)," and "Brahms' Lullaby" and ending with "America the Beautiful."

For his finale on the banjo, the lights dim, Pearl sits on a stool and, with just a spotlight, announces that he will finally play a traditional banjo tune, "The Tiger Rag," the song which brought jazz to the world. Fingers fly over the four strings and murmurs build to cheers as the performer plays "Hold that tiger!" and ends with a thunderous, virtuostic finale.

During the performance, the audience has laughed, has been taken around the world and back in time, has heard unusual musical creations and has been made to feel a part of the show by this entertainer with a magnetic personality. In the end, they have been truly amazed at the music which came from fingers which hardly seem to touch the strings.

Richard Pearl Performance Description

• Complete musical arrangements for the band -- or tape accompaniment -- for two totally different performances in any show situation.
• A modular format allows Rich to tailor his show to almost any producer's demands.
• Modern electronics enables this unusual banjoist to leave the mike and, with the electrified wireless banjo, he can play from the stage or take his performance to the people.

Richard Pearl will:

• Dazzle the audience with his comedic instrumental show-- a wonderful foundation for any vocalist.
• Include lively vocals-- to build an audience's enthusiasm for a following comedian.
• Provide a total evening's enjoyment-- with performances on three instruments and a wide variety of comedic musical material.

Just a small sample:

• Dueling Banjos Around the World (is a mandolin? a bazouki?)
• Count Along with Rich -- marches, dances, children's songs, classical music, cartoons, sing-a-long -- In six minutes!
• "Hooked on the Banjo" -- the classics go disco.
• "The Orange Blossom Special" -- see the U.S.A.
• "The Tiger Rag" -- a show stopper!
• "The 12th Street Rag" -- ukelele gymnastics.
• Audience participation -- old standbys.
• Banjo "Chopsticks."
• Latin and rock & roll on the banjo.

Contact Rich to request more information or a complete press kit.