Friday, July 28, 2006

Cranbury Press

Concert brings the past to life

Vintage instruments and music get the spotlight

By Jessica Beym – Staff Writer

The Board of Recreation wants Cranbury residents to turn off their radios, mp3 players and televisions and experience music from a different era tonight, Friday, at the United Methodist Church on North Main Street.

    With an arsenal of classic guitars, Ken Lelen of Titusville will treat Cranbury residents to a show of vintage music from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. The concert, held at 7 p.m. in Fellowship Hall, is part of the Board of Recreation's free summer concert series.

    Mr. Lelen has played guitar for more than 40 years and has about 30 vintage guitars, each with an individual sound. From ragtime and swing to blues and folk, each tune is played on a guitar specific to its era, adding an authenticity that Mr. Lelen said is uncommon today.

    "They're American-made acoustic, steel-string guitars," Mr. Lelen said, referring to his collection. "When people hear these tunes and the sound of a guitar, they realize the purpose of the evening is to enjoy the music. You can't get this sound out of a box or by electronically modifying something."

    Mr. Lelen, who performs more than 120 concerts a year up and down the East Coast and at age-restricted communities, said many listeners are familiar with the American tunes that were popular in those eras. However, they hardly ever hear the songs coupled with a guitar from the same time frame.

    For tonight's performance, Mr. Lelen will pick from a selection of seven guitars. He will also sing along to each tune, but would not say which songs he would be playing. "I'll introduce the song, the composer and the guitar that I'm using," he said, adding that he doesn't want to "give away the program."

    The manufacturers of his vintage, handcrafted guitars include Martin, Gibson, Regal and Washburn. Many of the guitars are still in their original condition, he said, adding that his oldest guitar was built in 1912 and the youngest is from 1955.

    "They're all well-crafted and have lasted because they were well-made," Mr. Lelen said. "They've been played for 70 or 80 years and withstood many weather changes. They all have a particular sound, or personality, because they've been played and been taken care of."

    Along with Mr. Lelen's singing, the sound and appearance of the guitars is something an audience enjoys, he said. "They have kind of a woody, warm sound to them that you don't hear often," he said. "It's something people are pleasantly surprised by. It's not something they hear too often."

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© 2006 — Packet Publications