Photo Credit: Adam Miszewski
Jill Scott arrived in Milwaukee high atop her “neo-soul train” at the Riverside Theater on July 11, inviting all in attendance to enjoy her specialized blend of soul music and spoken word, alternative rhythm and blues, straight-ahead rock, exploratory jazz and anything suiting her in the moment. This is, after all, as she declared, “a Jill Scott concert.”
What that means, in this case, is 90 minutes of high-energy vocals displaying her unique songwriting talents about love—and its uncoupling aftermath—matched with a voice soaring high (she’s actually a soprano) and swooping into a fierce growl. It was a rare appearance by the singer-songwriter who refuses to be defined by any one musical genre. And thank goodness for that. She fought for every note and earned it with her smart, 10-piece band engaging a highly enthusiastic crowd continuously singing along—just one big happy “family reunion.”
Having started out as a spoken-word artist, Scott easily and quickly established a personal rapport, talking to the crowd as if they were one with her. Songs like “The Way” invited the audience to follow her as she wondered about the path to finding love. Tender in one moment, tough in the next, Scott bridged the musical interludes with real life wounds. She ultimately stressed female empowerment, accompanied by supportive cheers from the audience.
This is a performer who celebrates all facets of living: the good, the bad, the in between. Songs like “Can’t Wait,” anticipating a lover, were perfectly juxtaposed against the sudden shock of being left alone in “Quick.” Her heartfelt vocals reached out and connected to her fans as within herself. Scott was fiercely determined to wring out every single emotion in her songs to reinforce her ability to connect to all who heard her impassioned vocals.
But Scott is an ultimate true believer in love as witnessed with the sleek, smooth jazz-inflected “He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat).” A gorgeous ballad full of sensuous synth moves and gentle, swaying rhythms, Scott demonstrated the power of love still accompanies her wherever she goes. All we need to do is to stop—and listen.
|
|
