Natalie Cole Cleveland Ohio
General Discussion
Natalie Cole Cleveland Ohio
MikeW1-
04-26-2008, 7:20 AM
Natalie Cole remains "Unforgettable" in Tri-C JazzFest gig by John Soeder / Plain Dealer Pop Music Critic Saturday April 26, 2008, 8:48 AM Did I ever tell you about the time Natalie Cole roughed me up? It happened at the 2000 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction gala, where her father, the late Nat "King" Cole, was enshrined as an early influence. OK, "roughed me up" might be a slight exaggeration. Regardless, your reporter (the big doofus) had the good fortune to find himself inadvertently blocking Ms. Cole's path as she made her way to the stage for the jam-session finale. Without saying a word, the eight-time Grammy winner smiled, placed her hands on my shoulders and gently yet firmly shoved me aside. Talk about "unforgettable" -- for one of us, anyway. I bring this up only because Cole's Tri-C JazzFest concert Friday night at Playhouse Square's Allen Theatre was also moving (albeit not in a physical sense) and similarly memorable. The stripped-down arrangement of the opening number, "What a Diff'rence a Day Made," put the focus squarely on Cole's remarkable voice. Crystalline enunciation must run in the family, although she revealed a soulfulness all her own. Cole, 58, had poise to spare, too. Radiant in a shoulderless white dress and silvery heels, she occasionally snapped her fingers to a swinging beat or swayed to the tight accompaniment of her seven-piece band. She negotiated the melodic twists and turns of various standards with ease, including a fun update of Ella Fitzgerald's "A-Tisket, A-Tasket." Another knockout was Cole's five-alarm rendition of the Peggy Lee oldie "Fever." What a lovely way to burn, indeed. Cole also brought a sophisticated touch to lesser-known charmers, including the Lambert, Hendricks & Ross throwback "Fiesta in Blue." During the second half of the 90-minue show, Cole reached back into her own catalog of R&B hits for "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) and "Miss You Like Crazy." All these years after her 1991 "Unforgettable" album topped the charts, a virtual duet with her ultra-classy dad (reincarnated through the magic of video) on the title track remained a showstopper. The sound of their voices intermingling was still enough to give you goose bumps. "Unforgettable" may have been unavoidable, but Cole's warm embrace of classic-rocker Neil Young's ballad "Old Man" was an unexpected treat. It never sounded prettier, with evocative slide work to boot, courtesy of guitarist Samir Elmehdaoui. Des'ree's self-empowerment anthem "You Gotta Be" made an uplifting encore. Before taking a final bow, Cole summed up her own modus operandi thus: "Work like a dog, but always act like a lady." Today's young pups could've learned a thing or two from this classy pro.
Re: Natalie Cole Cleveland Ohio
teachmetonight
04-26-2008, 9:45 AM
Ms. Natalie Cole is a classy pro indeed! I love her saying, "Work like a dog, but always act like a lady."
"...But remember when you hang your head it's hard to see the sun, there's a brighter day, yes it is, Just ask and
He
sure will come..."
Re: Natalie Cole Cleveland Ohio
iwishyoulove
04-26-2008, 1:51 PM
Waving At MIKE!! Hey Mike!!! Hope you had fun last night!
Love and Kisses,
Keisha
My money is funny and my change is really strange, "I'm Busted"
Re: Natalie Cole Cleveland Ohio
stardust
04-30-2008, 6:36 AM
Thanks for the review@!!! I will be seeing Miss Cole May 25th in Atlantic City!!! I can't wait! I will have pen and paper in hand!!!! The review will be coming soon!!!