It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at MPAC in Morristown, NJ this Saturday December 7, 2024 evening as music lovers excitedly await a sold-out A Johnny Mathis Christmas concert by the legendary pop vocalist Johnny Mathis.
Inside the beautiful MPAC auditorium the lights dim and guitarist Kerry Marx, bassist Ken Wild, percussionist Joe Lizama, and musical director/keyboardist John Scott Lavendar take their places on stage along with members of a large orchestra filled with string, woodwind, brass, and percussion players.
The orchestra opens with an overture consisting of holiday classics interspersed with Johnny Mathis hits before the crowd stands and applauds as Mathis, 89, makes his way into the spotlight.
Skating into “Winter Wonderland,” Mathis’ unmistakable voice floats effortlessly over the crowd as he croons, “Sleigh bells ring, are you listening/In the lane, snow is glistening,” and images of snowflakes appear on the auditorium walls.
The crowd cheers and Mathis exclaims, “Welcome!” prior to telling a story about coming from a family of seven children, acknowledging, “We had no money, but we sang a lot!” After recognizing tonight’s “wonderful orchestra,” Mathis sparkles on “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” conducting the orchestra at times clearly filled with the spirit of Christmas.
Following avid applause, Mathis launches into a medley of his own hits including 1957’s “It’s Not for Me to Say,” where the lush orchestra accompanies his velvety tenor; “Chances Are,” his 1957 smash where the music swells under his legato vocal; and 1962’s “Gina,” on an arrangement which features the string section complimenting Mathis’ expert diction and phrasing.
Pre-recorded background vocals sweeten Mathis’ rhythmic arrangement of “Caroling Caroling” which segues into “Happy Holiday” before the two compositions are performed simultaneously as a single partner song.
Kerry Marx fingerpicks his acoustic guitar accompanying Mathis on a lovely version of “The Christmas Waltz.” Then, Mathis makes Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song” his own as he bends notes and crescendos on the song’s famous “Although it’s been said many times, many ways/Merry Christmas to you” coda.
The sound of a glockenspiel introduces a slow waltz arrangement of “Toyland” where lush strings support Mathis’ sweet and lyrical vocal. Johnny follows up with a jaunty version of “We Need a Little Christmas” which has music lovers clapping along to the happy holiday beat.
After exclaiming, “What a joy it is to play with an orchestra like this!” Mathis introduces the audience to comedian Brad Upton who entertains the crowd with jokes about topics including childhood nicknames, Gen Z, what not to say when you’re married, cruise ship activities, and airport and mall observations.
Following a short intermission, Mathis returns to perform a rubato rendition of “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Then, the orchestra dances along to Johnny’s animated interpretation of Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”
Audience members bop their heads in time to a upbeat rendering of “Sleigh Ride,” and the sweet sounds of strings fill the air on Mathis’ signature song, “Misty,” before the audience bursts into applause as he floats out the final “On my own…” verse.
After revealing that his friend, Vince Guaraldi, played piano on the original audition tape he made for Columbia Records when he was only 19 years old, Mathis pays tribute to Guaraldi by performing “Christmas Time is Here,” the classic Guaraldi holiday composition from TV’s A Charlie Brown Christmas.
The crowd applauds as Mathis and the orchestra segue into “When a Child is Born” where Mathis’ voice soars as he sings, “A ray of hope flickers in the sky/A tiny star lights up way up high,” on this stirring ballad. Johnny follows up with the nostalgic ballad, “It’s Christmas Time Again,” before crooning, “So I’m sending you a little Christmas/Wrapped up with love,” on the gentle Jim Brickman holiday waltz, “Sending You a Little Christmas.”
Guitarist Kerry Marx is featured on a jazzy orchestral version of “My Foolish Heart” and on an emotional and artistic arrangement of Albert Hammond’s “99 Miles from L.A.” where Marx’s precision fingerpicking contrasts nicely with Mathis’ smooth and pleading vocal style.
Following his 1957 ballad, “The Twelfth of Never,” Mathis introduces his bandmates before sailing into an upbeat version of Sérgio Mendes and Brasil ’66’s “Mas Que Nada” and a lively rendition of Luiz Bonfá’s “Manhã de Carnaval” prior to segueing into his final number — a tour de force performance of “Brazil (Aquarela do Brasil)” — which has music lovers responding with a standing ovation.
Mathis exits the stage but returns to serenade the crowd with the ballad, “Merry Christmas,” before thanking the orchestra, his bandmates, comedian Brad Upton, and the audience, saying, “We love you so much! Thank you for coming! Bye bye!” and bowing and exiting to enthusiastic cheers and applause.
Before the night is over, several concertgoers share their thoughts about Johnny Mathis’ performance this evening. Exclaims Geri from Chatham, “I thought Johnny Mathis was fabulous! It seems that so many of the singers of our age group have lost their pipes, but Johnny is like butter — his voice is fabulous; he hasn’t lost a note! Plus, you can tell he loves performing as much as we love listening to him!” Lindsay from Haddon Township agrees, adding, “I love Johnny Mathis! His voice is timeless; he still loves what he does and it shows!”
Remarks Bruce from Parsippany, “Tonight is the 200th concert I’ve seen in 2024 and I’m glad I got to celebrate this milestone with Johnny — the man, the myth, the legend. It was such a joy to see and hear him — he sounded phenomenal — and it was such a blessing to be here enjoying the holiday season with him!”
Insists Cheri from Sparta, “I really enjoyed hearing Johnny Mathis tonight! His voice sounded the same as it did on the records I listened to as a little girl. The songs he did are all classics, and to hear them sung live was just magical; it really put me in the holiday spirit!”
Declares Donna from Middlesex, “Johnny was awesome tonight! He gets better and better every year. His voice sounds amazing and he has a great personality, too — plus, I grew up in Morristown and I just loved seeing him here at this venue!”
Lastly, Leanne from Morristown acknowledges, “This was my first time seeing Johnny Mathis — he’s 89 years old and just amazing! When I was a kid, my mom would play her Johnny Mathis records, and to see him live on stage for the first time was just stunning,” prior to concluding, “He’s a living legend and his performance tonight was just breathtaking!”
To learn more about Johnny Mathis, please go to johnnymathis.com. For information on great upcoming performances at MPAC — including The Greatest Piano Men on January 10, Dancing with the Stars: LIVE! 2025 Tour on January 12, and The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis on January 19 — please click on mayoarts.com.
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