Santa may be arriving in town very soon, but red hot on his tail is none other than Australian music royalty, Rhonda Burchmore, who is flying into The Regal Theatre to launch her brand new Christmas album, A Red Hot Swingin’ Christmas.
Currently touring Australia in Hairspray as Velma Von Tussle, Rhonda spoke to me about this being her first big musical since Mamma Mia.
“It is fantastic. I haven’t been in a long-running show like Hairspray, doing eight shows a week, since I did Mamma Mia twenty years ago. It does take its toll on you, I’ve got to say. We had gorgeous audiences here in Melbourne; it’s just been stunning. The applause at the end has been so uplifting and I can’t wait to be doing Hairspray in Adelaide at the end of December.”
It is no secret to anyone who knows Rhonda how much she loves Christmas and all the special memories that it contains for her.
“Oh gosh! You know me – I just love everything about Christmas. Ever since I was a little one, Christmas was always very special in our household growing up. We would listen to Christmas songs, put up the tree together, and be with family – it was a really big deal. I think that now pretty much all the Burchmore side of the family have all passed away, I think that now cherishing all those memories of spending Christmas together is very important. Without sounding too corny, there are a lot of those memories on my new Christmas album. We always had Ella Fitzgerald playing, or a big band Christmas albums playing, so to record this album with fresh, new arrangements is wonderful.”
Rhonda’s new album, A Red Hot Swingin’ Christmas, contains twelve brilliantly arranged tracks, and the album is a collaboration between Rhonda and her dear friend and musical director, Jack Earle.
“This whole album was so hard to record due to all the lockdowns we had here in Melbourne. So many times we tried to get together to record, but just couldn’t make it work. The album was the project that really got me through the COVID lockdowns, working with the fabulous Jack Earle and coming up with these stunning arrangements. We wanted to record the album with everyone in the studio playing together, rather than each person recording tracks at home on their own. When we recorded it together finally, this was the first time in ages that most of these musicians had worked together for a long time due to lockdowns, and it became such an emotional experience. There was a lot of joy, and this heart comes through in the album, which makes things even more special.”
Jack’s arrangements on this album are sensational. It is very clear, having seen Rhonda and Jack work together before, how special their friendship is.
“Jack is only 26 years old, but his knowledge of music and music history is sensational. So many arrangements on Christmas albums are similar sounding, but he has really gone to town and reimagined most of the song’s numbers to give these pieces such a fresh, new approach. It’s very exciting. And we have a great chemistry between us. He knows how I think and how to get the best from me and to have a musical director who can do that makes me so comfortable as a performer. We just click.”
I was very keen to hear from Rhonda how she was able to whittle the album down to just twelve numbers, where there are so many wonderful Christmas pieces in existence.
“It started with Jack and I talking about songs we didn’t like, so that quickly reduced the list, but there were some pieces that just spoke to us. During early lockdowns, I had months and months to sit and listen to music and go through Christmas albums trying to whittle down the list. There are some really random songs out there. On the album we do the piece The Christmas Blues, and when you Google it, it’s hardly been done. Their lyrics just hit me. The song is just great. When I showed it to Jack, he presented me with this stunning Harry Connick Jr New Orleans-style arrangement, which is just stunning. Each piece has been stunningly arranged for me and the big band and I cannot wait for audiences to hear this album.”
Thanks to local promoter Markus Hamence, Rhonda Burchmore & The Jack Earle Big Band – A Red Hot Swingin’ Christmas will be at The Regal Theatre on November 18.
“We have sourced some incredible local SA musicians joining me on the horns, and Jack is bringing his sensational rhythm section down with him. I’ve had this stunning red gown made by Linda Britten that is metres and metres of stunning red duchess silk that is based on a Dior design. There is so much fabric, Markus won’t need to arrange a cleaner at the Regal as I’ll be able to sweep the floor with it. It is just glamorous. I have a few other costume changes in store, because, let’s face it, it can’t be a Rhonda show without costume changes. I’ve also got stories about Christmas woven throughout. And for the very avid Rhonda fan, there will be legs. My legs are coming out. There will be a moment in the second act in a cheeky number that will allow my legs to make an appearance. The show will have a lot of heart and showcase the brilliance of the musicians and Jack’s amazing arrangements. It will be a different show to what I’ve done before at The Regal, but it will be very special indeed.
“Audiences will love it. It’s a real good, feel good celebration of love and music, with lots of glamour and just the perfect amount of Rhonda.”
Rhonda Burchmore’s A Red Hit Swingin’ Christmas will be at The Regal Theatre Friday November 18 at 8pm. Tickets can be purchased through https://markushamence.com/shows-and-events/
Interviewed by: Ben Stefanoff
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