Jonathan Moffett Says About the Immortal Tour
Jonathan Moffett, the drummer for Michael Jackson’s Immortal Tour, told one of the fans in an interview that Greg Phillinganes had asked him to sit down before inviting him to the tour.
“The band leader, Greg Phillinganes, called me one Monday in January 2011. He asked if I was sitting down. Then he asked me to sit. After that he said, ‘You’ve been chosen as the drummer for Michael Jackson’s Immortal Tour! Welcome to Cirque du Soleil!’ I said, ‘No way! Are you kidding? Unbelievable! Thank you for choosing me.’ Greg said, ‘Besides you, is there anyone else? You’re the best! Michael always loved you and worked with you. You should be part of this tour. You’re his drummer. You understand his music. You’re the best choice.’ I was confused and stunned. I was both shocked and surprised.”
“One of the best parts of the show is when we perform Human Nature. I like the new arrangement of this song and the way it’s delivered on stage. I enjoy the combination that Kevin Antunes created using songs like Is This Scary, Threatened, and Thriller. I feel the same about Dancin’ Machine. The show’s performance, the acrobatic moves, the dancers flying through the air like Tarzan without colliding with each other—everything is breathtaking.”
“I have to admit that at first I wasn’t very enthusiastic about the new mix of the songs that Kevin Antunes did for the Cirque shows. After 30 years of performing Michael’s music alongside it on stage, I’ve gotten used to the classics, and it’s hard for me to hear fresh takes on these songs. In my opinion, what Kevin did was a kind of taboo-breaking, and I wasn’t satisfied or happy to hear the new arrangements. And it wasn’t just my feeling. Many of Michael’s old collaborators who are also working on this tour felt the same way.
But after days and days and days of rehearsals, our ears got used to this new arrangement, and we found a new perspective on the tour’s music—and we liked it. We understood the idea behind the tour music. Of course, we knew the audience might be upset that the songs were altered, but we hope they’ll accept it like we did—as a surprise and something they’ll enjoy.”
The songs arranged by Kevin Antunes were released on an album titled Immortal. Read more.
Source: eMJey.com / MJWN