LIMA, OH (WLIO) - The Lima Symphony Orchestra continues their tradition of ending the year with a little fun, and they brought along a group that is all too familiar with Lima. The Canadian-based Jeans ‘n Classics joined the Symphony on stage for “Never Break the Chain: the Music of Fleetwood Mac.” Founder Peter Brennan started as a rock and roller but worked with classical musicians in the studio. But when he was asked to write an orchestra show in the early 90s, he lied and said he could do it, and after some trial-and-error Jeans and Classics was born. This is the sixth time they have worked with the Lima symphony and Brennan says the musicians understand one another.
“As we have gotten better and I have gotten better at doing the orchestral creations, orchestras also get to know us, to know how to dance together,” says Peter Brennan, Founder of Jeans ‘n Classics. “And when we first started out, there was a little bit of we’re from this world and you’re from that world and we're both really scared of each other, but let’s see what happens. Whereas now, the conductor this evening, he really knows all of this material which is great.”
When you blend pop, R&B, and rock with classical instruments, sometimes it goes well, and other times not so much. But there is one artist that surprised, Brennan on how well it came together.
“Sting, Sting and slash The Police is how we do that type of an evening,” states Brennan. “And I think it’s because I always thought Sting was so magical and The Police were the antithesis of mega-production, especially the early albums. It was that small band and the way they went, and yet to add an orchestra to it is an awful lot of fun.”
Some of the other artist Jeans ‘n Classics has tackled with the Lima Symphony are the musical groups Chicago and Abba.
