Orchestra Noir– Baltimore was everything I imagined and then some! Taking place at The Lyric Opera House in Baltimore, our people came and showed out as the all-African-American orchestra, hailing from Atlanta, took us back to the 1990s-2000s with their creative renditions of musical hits.
With the first set dedicated to the 1990s, the maestro and founder, Jason Ikeem Rogers, guided his crew and us down memory lane with songs like Brandy’s “I Wanna Be Down” and Soul for Real’s “Candy Rain”. When he called for an empowering women’s anthem from that decade, the ladies on the violins and viola had their way with Mary J. Blige’s “Real Love” (1992). Some of my other favorites during this set were: Lauryn Hill’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You”, Tevin Campbell’s “Can We Talk?”, and SWV’s “Weak”.
The second set was shorter but just as good. It included hits like DMX’s “Party Up”, Young Jeezy’s “Lose My Mind”, and more.
There were two things in particular that I loved most about Orchestra Noir. The first one is that they are entertainers. They don’t just play their instruments, but they perform moves at the same time. During the solo segments, I enjoyed watching the musicians do as they felt while they played from their souls. As a former band student, I know those types of harmonies are only made when the musician is enjoying the moment, possibly more than you.
My second favorite thing was the vibe itself. Listen, when Black people can get dressed, come together, and have a good time, a time is always had! And from Baltimore to DC, people were out with their swagher on full display. From Maestro Rogers’ wit to the skits to the horns versus the strings battle, we, the audience, stayed engaged. At one point, when the guest who was to choose the winner announced the horns’ victory, the audience began to chant “Strings! Strings!” Only Black people, gotta love them.
Overall, I rate Orchestra Noir ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. It’s definitely being added to my Finding Fancy’s list of likes. Be on the lookout for the band’s next tour, and stay tuned for more Finding Fancy’s Finds.
