Vocalist and percussionist Stephan Winick dresses up for OCEAN’s song, “Greenman.” Photos by Caroline Watkins/The Connection
Jennifer Cutting’s Celtic OCEAN Orchestra mesmerized the audience at the McLean Central Park this Sunday, blending rock ‘n’ roll rhythms, Celtic jigs, and Classical influences into one exhilarating performance.
McLean residents took refuge from sweltering heat this Sunday to attend the community center’s concert in the shady park, featuring Jennifer Cutting’s OCEAN orchestra. The band won over 20 Washington Music Awards, including “Musician of the Year” and “Album of the Year.” The audience was spellbound by the set list, which included “Out on the Ocean/Rolling Waves” and “Green Man.” In addition to music, musicians provided comic relief. Vocalist and Percussionist Stephan Winick performed in a leaf suit to evoke mythological character “Green Man” himself.
The ingenious blend of genres attracted a diverse fan group, ranging from elderly couples to teenagers. “Being in orchestra myself, I was enthralled by OCEAN’s performance,” said Katherine Carris, senior at Langley. “I typically don’t hear other violin styles besides classical, so it was interesting to watch.” When asked his favorite part about OCEAN, the band’s fiddler Andrew Dodds said, “In the context of a traditional band, I don’t often get to use a full set of skills that I have as a classically trained violinist as well as fiddler, so the broadness [of the] material is definitely a great thing.” The band’s eclectic sound resulted in similar sentiments from audience members, as the merchandise stand was swarmed soon after the final song.