On this cold Chicago night a legend returned to warm the hearts of lovers, and put the soul back into our big shoulders. Aretha Franklin brought her graceful, harmonious beauty to The House of Blues along with an immortal sense of accomplishment. Beginning with a slide show flashing snapshots of the Queen throughout this marvelous career she is preceded by a large fellow who escorts her purse out to the leg of the black grand piano on stage... Then she appears.
|
| |
Aretha Franklin
|
 Entertainment
Art
House of Blues
Chicago, Ill.
November 17, 2006
|
| |
|
|
Donning a silver/sky blue manteau that draped her along with a boodle of Strawberry Blonde hair, she caressed the stage floating out above the white collars in the crowd whom doled out significant amounts to be in her presence. "Respect" was the first classic to be exposed from the archive of ultra precious song writing gold collected through the years. Blazing synapses of energy surge to the back of your head, and goose-bumps rise in response to the sweet pleasure of that amazing voice. Star-stuck, the theatre gazed in awe of the wonder before them.
The back-up singers reinforced every note perfectly, as the formidable stone faced pianist swayed his mass in front of his keys. The daughter of a preacher-man held everyone in her grasp while the horn section blasted out rhythms shaking the groove right outta people. In the few silent moments of recovery following this charged start one could hear several "whoops", cat-calls, and the ubiquitous "Sing it Retha!!" She did... she sang it so righteously it put shame in the mouths of all those without heart.
Eventually, after a couple dim-lit romantic songs as a nod to Mr. Curtis Mayfield, Retha demanded us to "Think" and woke the crowd from its romantic slumber. "Today I Sing the Blues" stood out as one of the more striking songs of the evening. Painfully crying out those blues in such a way that would make even Elwood shed a tear. "Mack the Knife" churned the crowd in a purposely improvisational jazz manner. She also captivated once again by changing genre right into opera with Luciano Pavarotti's aria "Nessun Dorma".
Unfortunately at times her age did play a factor in causing her to take a respite very early in the show and some occasional difficulty climbing the high end of the octave scale. Yet her star has come to a point beyond conventional criticism and her accomplishments protect her from these concern.
Her voice may not be as unblemished as it was back in 1968 when she won the first of 19 Emmy's, but her attitude certainly is. The Queen is still alive and can still belt out a tune that only Aretha knows how.
Powered by AkoComment 2.0!
