Septem ber 29. 2010
% Minority & Small Business Week
Page 19
qejveva’s X
Shear perfection
CELEBRATES MINORITY BUSINESS
Concert Review: John Legend
A trifecta of
soul, style and
symbolic songs
NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED
Business Award of Excellence; Best of Portland (W illam ette Week)
‘“Wt dti cM types oj fudt"
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Hours: 9-6 Mon-Fri; 8-6 Sat; 10:30 - 3 Sun
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by F a S hun N. S tyles
T he P ortland O bserver
Not even chef Emeril Lagasse’s
best dish could top the flava that
neo-soul John Legend left on the
Northwest crowd. The show was
equivalent to what one would want
a good gumbo to be; full o f soul and
flavored with rue, trinity, stock, and
all the essentials.
The child prodigy, who grew up
in Ohio, stunned the audience by
entering the stage from the crowd.
Stylish with his fit physique and
enveloped in a white shirt, matching
grey-platinum-like pants and match
ing vest suit, the polished platinum
like fashion was as symbolic as his
music.
Legend started off singing his
breakthrough song “Used to Love
U.” One o f the night’s many high
lights was the silky song titled “Slow
Dance.” Just when his tracks were
red hot and not too hot to handle in
the 25mph cruise lane, his hand-
clapper track “Green Light” took it
to a 65 mph.
Like a drop ofVisine, John is also
comforting to the eye. Like a kalei
doscope, the lighting during each
different song was more than color
ful; it created a mood and a move
ment. Lavender lighting evoked
emotion. Turquoise-sea tempted
thoughts o f tranquility.
Green gave us the feeling some-
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5601 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland OR, 97211
e-mails: paulsr@ genevas.net
John Legend is a musical powerhouse.
thing new. One woman yelled “Look
at all o f that goodness” His piano
chords welcomed my soul like a
church sanctuary.
There are not many singers that
take you on such a musical journey.
Legend’s performance can be com
pared to a voyage, a vacation of
mind, body and soul. He creates
universal lyrics, tickles the 88 piano
keys like nobody’s business and
has the strut o f Motown artists.
The September concert was a
trifecta o f soul, style and symbolic
o f the songs that Legend fans love.
Like a walk through New York
City w here every borough has its
own beat, bravado, blend and
brand, Legend, his band and back
ground singers took us from the A
to the Z train with hits like, Alright,
Dreams Everybody Knows, Good
M orning, Green Light, Heaven, I
Can Change, Q uickly, L et’s Get
Lifted, Refuge (W hen It’s Cold
O utside), Used to Love U, Wake
Up! and So High.
A nd we c a n ’t forget “ Slow
Dance." Just ask Portland’s at
tendee Robin Laudermik who at
tended with her friend Tren. When
John asked if someone would “slow
dance” with him on stage, Robin
didn’t stagger; she shimmed on as
Legend gave her a rose and thanked
her for the sway on stage.
Like musical ministry, cheese and
grits, peanut butter and jelly, hot
butter on breakfast toast, New York
City and The Apollo, Legend’s name
is synonymous with good music.
Legend evolves because his lyr
ics are universal. He is multi-tal
ented; both in a piano prodigy and
polished vocals.
Think o f the many artists that he
has worked with. For example, hip-
hop, actor and fashion designer
Andre 3000, the group Black Eyed
Peas; Mary J. Blige and T.I.
The
Candy K ° r ner
has what you NEED'
4606 NE MLK Blvd., Portland, OR 97211
503.281.7000
www.candykomer.net
Judge Judy Topples
(AP) - "Judge Judy" won a ratings verdict
over "Oprah" last season to rank No. 1
among daytime series. According to Nielsen
figures, Judy Sheindlin's courtroom show
averaged 6.3 million daily viewers, com
pared with 5.7 million for Oprah Winfrey's
talk show. "Judge Judy" became the first
show to knock "Oprah" out of the top spot
in a decade — and it was "Judge Judy" that
did it the last time, too. Winfrey relied on
more reruns than usual last season, which
affected her ratings. Sheindlin is in her 15th
year with the legal show. Winfrey, who's in
the 25th and final season of her syndicated
show, will launch a new cable network in
January. "Judge Judy" has been renewed
through 2013.
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