With his shock of pink hair and matching rosy suit, Leo Pellegrino was eye-catching enough when he appeared on stage to play saxophone at the BBC Proms in 2017. He took things to the next level when he started to play and broke out his wild dance moves, creating an audio-visual spectacle that no one would be able to ignore. As he plays his band’s song ‘Brasshouse,’ a track that fuses jazz, Afro-Cuban music, and house, Music Man fans will be astonished by the energy he brings to the stage.
As if his dynamic performance wasn’t enough, it was then transcribed by George Collier, who wrote out the notation for his piece. Uploaded under the video title ‘when you’re overqualified for the job’, George also made sure to include movement notation on the score to capture Leo’s physical performance too, with directions such as “irish leg shenanigans” and “idk how to explain.” The video now has 14M views, as fans leave comments such as “My children when it’s time for bed have this energy.”
It’s safe to say that I have never seen anyone play the saxophone and move with so much energy at the same time. Not only was I enraptured by Leo’s performance, but George’s transcription of the performance added a new perspective to the experience. Having a visual guide to what Leo was actually playing made it hit home just how impressive his musical talent is, and George’s creative and humorous observations on Leo’s performance just made the experience all the more enjoyable.
Luckily for me, and all our Music Man fans who enjoyed the video, George went on to transcribe more of Leo’s energetic BBC Proms performance. This time, Leo was performing ‘Moanin’ – a track by legendary saxophonist Charles Mingus. Once again, Leo threw himself into a stunningly energetic performance, and George added notes to his transcript such as “ominous honking” and “SPLAT!” Despite their obviously comedic tone, it’s astonishing how accurate these descriptions are.
In their work, both Leo Pellegrino and George Collier have created a spectacle that is impressive, energetic, and hilarious. While the BBC Proms celebrates music and musicians of the highest calibre, works by the likes of Leo and George remind us not to take music too seriously. Silliness and fun are certainly the name of the game when it comes to these two, even whilst displaying simply gobsmacking levels of talent and skill.
Leo Pellegrino’s vibrant stage presence and incredible talent have certainly left an indelible mark on his audience. Combined with George Collier’s inventive transcription, their collaboration brings a whole new appreciation to the art of performance. If you’re eager to explore more about this dynamic duo and their inspiring works, be sure to check out the links below.