Chicago’s Golden Soul
Written and Directed by Jackie Taylor
Black Ensemble Theater, 4450 N. Clark (map)
thru March 29 | tickets: $ | more info
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Follow the gold record road
Black Ensemble Theater presents
Chicago’s Golden Soul
Review by Kat Hey
Chicago is the birthplace of many American traditions and led the nation as the hub for railroads, stockyards, trading options and commodities and of course crazy politics. Chicago is also the place where the largest number of Blacks landed after coming from the hardscrabble lives in the South in the 1940′s. Opportunity was everywhere, and the new migrants brought with them wonderful food, religious fervor, and a music style that influenced the world. Jackie Taylor‘s Black Ensemble Theater has taken the most vibrant times and sounds of Soul music and created their newest show, Chicago’s Golden Soul.
Taylor and BET present a thrilling review of music that I have not heard in years unless I listen to Herb Kent who is still on the air with a Sunday "Dusties" set on V103 FM. (Dusties is the term for record albums that are so old that you have to blow the dust off of them. They sound so sweet that one is willing to endure the occasional crackle or hiss from the dust in the grooves of the records.)
BET is known for their powerful voices, and they do not disappoint. I have seen most of this cast in other BET productions, such as The Other Cinderella (Ta-Tynisa Wilson, David Simmons, and Lawrence Williams) and in the concurrent production of It’s All Right to Have a Good Time: The Story of Curtis Mayfield (Cecil Jones, Katrina Richard, Alanna Taylor, Christina D. Harper, and Byron Willis – who was also featured in The Jackie Wilson Story and other soul revues.) There are two new faces in this production: Brian Nelson and Rob Love add some jump and groove to a fantastic cast.
It is impossible to cover every song from that era. (One big omission is Sam Cooke, who perhaps needs a whole play dedicated just to him.) However, the music that is presented is done with amazing style and the sound is authentic Chicago Soul. This show really focuses on the music that was produced in Chicago on South Michigan Avenue. Labels such as Chess, Okeh, and Brunswick were standards in Black households. This was the music that the clerk in the record shop played for you before you bought the record. The sound is just like listening to a 45 back in the day before auto tune and overproduction. There was no half steppin’ in Chicago Soul. You had to be more than just able to carry a tune.
The roster of singers portrayed is stellar. Barbara Acklin, Jerry Butler (aka The Iceman on the Cook County Board), Billy Stewart, Betty Everett, The Chi Lites, The Impressions, Etta James, Curtis Mayfield and Garland Green. I love that Taylor focused on some of the overlooked work of women in Chicago Soul music. Acklin and Everett were song writers and did charts as well. That is not something that was common in other Black Genres such as Motown, where the women were molded to Berry Gordy’s specifications or relegated to the role of supportive wife.
Almost every song brings down the house in this show, There are some missteps, especially concerning pitch problems. Brian Nelson and the band did not connect on the Major Lance tune “Um Um Um” written by Curtis Mayfield who also wrote “Monkey Time” for Lance. Chicago music legend says that Lance was so hammered on “Monkey Time” that he never hit the high notes. What you hear is Mayfield’s lush falsetto filling in the blanks. Perhaps that was what happened but all the smooth dancing in the world won’t fix flat tone.
I have to put the spotlight on Lawrence Williams‘ rendition of Billy Stewart singing and dancing Gershwin’s “Summertime” (see video below). He knocks that song out and dances like a tornado. It is smoking hot and brought even the more sedate audience members to their feet.
Chicago’s Golden Soul hearkens back to the glory days of the variety shows and music revues that were at the Old Regal Theater, The Burning Spear, and the Sutherland Ballroom. The diction is impeccable. The costumes are spectacular and sharp. The dance routines are a blast. Go see it just to learn “The Flea”. It is also amusing to see the looks on the faces of more conservative people. Soul music is raw and emotional and eventually unclenched some folks and turned the stiff upper lips into smiles. This is Broadway-worthy entertainment in style, sound and presentation. The band is awesome and keeps the heat crackling. You will want to dance.
I recommend this show and, just so you know, clapping, singing along, and having a great time is welcomed and encouraged!
Rating: ★★★
Chicago’s Golden Soul continues through March 29th at Black Ensemble Theater and Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark (map), with performances Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30pm, Saturdays 8pm. Tickets are $55-$65, and are available by phone (773-769-4451) or online through PrintTixUSA.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at BlackEnsembleTheater.com.
(Running time: 2 hours, includes an intermission. Note: This show runs in repertory with The Curtis Mayfield Story. There is some casting crossover with the magnificent Cecil Jones as Mayfield. It is like having Mayfield in the room.)
Photos by Danny Nicholas
artists
cast
Rob Love, Alanna Taylor, Katrina Richard, David L. Simmons, Ta-Tynisa Wilson, Brian Nelson, Cecil Jones, Christina D. Harper, Lawrence Williams, Byron Willis
band
Robert Reddrick (musical director, arranger), Tony Dale (drums), Denny O’Connor "Smoke" (bass), Herb Walker (guitar), Justin Dillard (keyboards), Bill McFarland (trombone), Paul Howard (trumpet), Dudley Owens (tenor sax)
behind the scenes
Jackie Taylor (writer/director), Emily Wall (stage manager), Lamar Ezell (assistant stage manager), Mark Allan Davis (choreography), Denise Karczewski (light design), Bekki Lambrecht (technical director), Evelyn Danner (wardrobe), Aaron Quick (sound design, engineer), CoCo Ree Lemry (scenic painter), Lyle Miller (vocal arranger), Danny Nicholas (photos)
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