Classical Mystery Tour is waiting to take you away

Four guys who look, sound and act like the Beatles join the symphony for two pops concerts

Alan Bostick / Staff Writer :: Tennessean.com :: 5 September 2004

They are described as a Beatles tribute band, but they do more than play Beatles music.

As it turns out, the four members of Classical Mystery Tour are supposed to look, sound and even move like John, Paul, George and Ringo.

Judge for yourself as The Nashville Symphony presents a pair of pops concerts featuring the group Friday and Saturday in TPAC's Jackson Hall.

''We really make an effort to sound exactly like the originals,'' said Jim Owen, who impersonates John Lennon. ''The orchestra score is exact, right down to every note and instrument that was on the original recording. On Got to Get You Into My Life, we have two tenor saxes and three trumpets. That's what it was written for, and that's what we use. And on A Day in the Life, can you imagine that big orchestra crescendo happening live?''

Expect about 20 Beatles tunes ''sung, played and performed exactly as they were written,'' organizers say.

The orchestra, stepping out in its first pops performance of the season, will be led by guest conductor Albert-George Schram.

Classical Mystery Tour are: Tony Kishman (Paul McCartney), Jim Owen (John Lennon), Chris Camilleri (Ringo Starr) and Tom Teeley (George Harrison).