Etta James in Concert July 9, 2003

Hopefully you can picture the setting. At around 8:15, Ernie Andrews took the stage with a cool breeze coasting in off of the mountains. It was just getting dark enough for the lights to grace the stage. Andrews' upbringing in the church was evident in his delivery and religious references. At times he sounded like the rousing preacher, at times, like the elder statesman. More than once, Andrews told the story of a friend who had died and paid tearful tributes to them with his smooth and strong voice. Primarily a blue-note-jazz kind of guy, Andrews' more interesting proficiencies include talents for adaptation. For example his purely Jazzy version of James Taylor's Fire and Rain not only rivals, but exceeds the original. The lyrics remain intact, but the rhythms and notes belong to Andrews alone. Ernie Andrews speaks to the audience like an elder uncle on a visit from another state. He has plenty of stories from "The Good Old Days" and remembrances of lost friends. The difference here is that his speech is always interesting, often funny, and never boring to listen to. A great all around show. YYYY

There is a sub-movement that creeps in every once in awhile known as minimalism. My issue with Minimalism is that it attracts imitators all too often. For example, if you can't get a band together, or you can't play your instrument very well, you label yourself a minimalist and you get a pass. Nope! It doesn't work that way, we see through you! This is why one of the biggest surprises of the evening was Keb' Mo' (obviously, born Kevin Moore). Keb' Mo' would never refer to himself as a Minimalist, I don't think, but he does have the sort of approach that imitators love to copy. He sits before a Mic with an acoustic guitar and occasionally a harmonica in a strap and sings and plays for you usually without accompaniment. Very few can pull this off and not sound the same all the time, but Frank Black, Bob Dylan, and yes, Keb' Mo' are three who certainly can. Mo' and his blues style is anything but minimalist. His alternately gritty and crystal clear voice works so well with his very full guitar work (which itself is filled with variable chords, walking lines and beautiful arpeggios) that one tends to forget that he's the only one on stage with not even percussion to keep his tapping foot in time. On occasion a second guitarist (and erstwhile banjo player) would join him to add an extra dimension to a song or three, which was welcome... however, Mo's musical style is so very rich that if my eyes were closed I would scarcely be able to tell when the second player had or had not joined him (except during the Banjo accompaniment)! YYYY1/2

It was Etta James that most of us came for, of course, and she was well worth the wait. She looks good, having apparently lost quite a bit of her recognizable weight. Though she remained seated throughout a great deal of the show, she did do a nice bit of walking and swaying to the music she loves so much! Of the three, Etta was the most diverse in her musical style. There was Rock, Pop, Jazz, Blues, and not a little soul to treat the crowd. The years have been very kind to her pipes as she was able to wail some of the highest and the lowest notes just as she did forty plus years ago. The only cracking that voice had was when it gently broke in a fitting, bluesy riff! Her band (consisting of drummer, three piece horn ensemble, two guitarists, two keyboard players, and a rhythmic bass player) was outstanding, specifically her guitarists who effortlessly laid down blues leads about as fast as imaginable without Steve Vai taking the stage.

Highlights of James' show included her cover of Otis Redding's Hard to Handle and her vocal tribute to Todd Beamer and the victims of the September 11th 2001 Terrorist Attacks (also an inspiration for the title of her new album Let's Roll)! Like Mo' and Andrews, Etta was able to inspire tears as well as laughter, and wasn't afraid to lay her own self bare. Her song I'd Rather be a Blind Girl shows a raw passion and pain as tangible in the lyrics as in the emotional voice that delivered them. She also wasn't afraid to be subtly raunchy in her asides and her lyrical twisting, referencing (in a tongue in cheek, and tastefully un-censorable way) certain more entertaining parts of the female and the male body!

The best thing about Etta's show is that she seemed so comfortable with herself, her band, her material, and her audience. She sat down with us and shared an evening of music and chat as if we were guests in her home. She even gave shout outs to both celebrity and non-celebrity guests. When she left the stage, no one wanted her to, nor did she wish to leave. She blew her kisses goodbye and departed with her band. YYYY1/2