Aberdeen News (March 27, 2008)

Nat King Cole Returns to Aberdeen

Atmosphere of 1960s show recreated, made 'Unforgettable' with audience participation

Nat King Cole arrives in Aberdeen for an encore presentation this week.

Many audience members remember Nat King Cole's concert in Aberdeen on Nov. 21, 1963, and many of those same people that attended that concert attended the opening night of " Straighten Up and Fly Right! An Unforgettable Tribute to Nat King Cole."

The show, directed and produced by Bob Pontious of the Twin Cities, features Maurice Jacox who takes the audience on a memory walk through Cole's life, performing many of Cole's greatest hits along the way. Hits like "Straighten Up and Fly Right," "Mona Lisa," "Ramblin' Rose," "Those Lazy Hazy Days of Summer" and "L-O-V-E," along with many more.

Jacox is a past winner of the Minnesota Music Academy Jazz Award, the Twin Cities Pages Best Male Vocalist and the Blues Society Best Blues Artist. His love of jazz and Nat King Cole brings Cole back to life, making it seem as if Cole himself was standing on the Capitol Theater stage.

Performing with Jacox is Keith Boyles on bass, Blaire Krivinek on guitar, Rey Rivera on drums, Jeff King on saxophone and Bob Pontious on keyboards. Singing backup vocals and narrating is Colleen Raye and Aberdeen's own Jennifer Rott. Rott is in her 16th year on the Aberdeen Community Theatre stage.

Pipestone County Star (February 27, 2008)

Grand turnout for Nat King Cole tribute

By Tonia Goertz
Saturday evening the Pipestone Performing Arts Center was nearly standing room only for the smooth sounds of Nat King Cole as performed by Maurice Jacox during the presentation of “Straighten Up and Fly Right! An unforgettable tribute to Nat King Cole.”
Jacox was backed by an ensemble that reads a bit like a who’s who of the Minneapolis music scene including acoustic bassist Bob Galombeck, vocalist Colleen Raye, vocalist Liz Cummings, keyboardist and arranger Bob Pontious, Steve Sonmore on Saxophone, Rey Rivera on percussion, and Ruben Ristrom on banjo and guitar. Each of these performers is well known in their own right, and together the music of Nat King Cole simply sang.
The show was part musical memories, and part history lesson about the man, his music, and the times in which he lived that had the audience tapping along to hits like “Straighten Up and Fly Right!” and “(Get your kicks on) Route 66.”
Several numbers required audience participation, and during “Something Makes Me Want to Dance With You,” Patt Johnson received the serenade and a dance from her seat in the front row.
In all, the “evening was wonderful” according to Pat Beyers; and George Shaffer explained, “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. I met the real Nat King Cole back in the 1950’s when he came through South Dakota. This was just wonderful, really fun.”
As this was the kickoff event for the Rickerman Endowment, the audience viewed a segment of brief comments from DeeAnn Griebel about the endowment, and what the performing arts in Pipestone meant to her aunt. A thermometer inside the program reading, “Help us reach our goal” announced to those present the fact that currently, the fund is at just under $7,500 with the goal being $25,000. Ian Cunningham said, “As always, it is great to see so many faces in the audience for events like this.”

HOLLAND NEWS (Sunday, Feb. 17)

The “Straighten Up and Fly Right” tribute to Nat King Cole presented at the
Performing Arts Center Saturday evening was thoroughly enjoyed by the folks at the packed house. The music brought back so many, many memories. I really enjoyed listening to the CD featuring Maurice Jacox yesterday afternoon as he sang so many of Nat King Cole’s hits. A wonderful musical presentation.