No, it will not fly.

MickG said:

U know I actually took a good listen to "Beautiful, Loved and Blessed" today and it's really not a bad song, but I don't think that even her friendly history with Prince will be enough to make her career "fly."

Yes.

She has UNIVERSAL as major label backing. She has her own agreement.

Prince's other proteges and side-releases suffered from insufficent budget and promotion from WB (although they were PP releases). The only exception I can think of is Carmen Electra.

However, Tamar is more talented than Carmen ever was.

I think she is being launched quite skillfully.

Mr7 said:

I'm in agreement that Universal's promotion of her is great, but the greatest promtional effort in the world can not make up for one not being good enough to make it on their own. I think that Tamar has talent, but will it be enough when she is no longer associated with Prince?

Támar proves Prince knows when to share spotlight

concert review R&B chanteuse -- and protégé of the Artist -- shows she's got what it takes for center stage.
Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune


Prince is a man of his word nowadays, which could have been an unfortunate thing for fans who attended his concert Saturday night at the Orpheum Theatre with his new protégé, Támar.

As promised, the sold-out show -- which his handlers announced on Tuesday as "Támar featuring Prince" -- was more about the young R&B chanteuse than the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer.

Even when Prince did take the spotlight, he stuck to the pledge he made on his 2004 Musicology Tour that future concerts would not include his old hits. Not only that, he didn't even play a song off his new album, "3121," which comes out March 21.

Fortunately, though, Támar proved to be one Prince sidekick worthy of getting pushed to center stage.

The 90-minute show started like few other Prince events: on time, and with the Artist himself in the shadows as he started up his new, modest but mighty four-piece band with a husband-and-wife rhythm section and holdover Morris Hayes on keys.

The starry entrance was all Támar's, as she shuffled out alongside twin-sister dancers who were with her the whole show -- her version of Tina Turner's Ikettes. She was definitely Tina-like in sound and appearance, too, with a bit of a Beyoncé and "American Idol" update.

Her set focused on hidden-gem cover tunes and new material, presumably taken from her upcoming debut album, which you-know-who produced. Of the originals, highlights included the all-funk opener "Every Little Step You Take" and the bouncy pop ballad "Milk and Honey." The latter had Prince written all over it, especially the hook, "You're my milk and honey/ I want to spend money on you."

Támar was at her best in a pair of soulful, down-and-out covers, Meli'sa Morgan's "Love Changes" and "Never Loved a Man" (recorded by Aretha Franklin and others). In the latter, she belted out loud enough to be heard down at Prince's place in Chanhassen, while the band soared with a Muscle Shoals kind of power soul.

After a quick costume change, the show turned heavy as a Cemstone truck. Prince got off like Deep Purple's Richie Blackmore in "Red Headed Stepchild" (not the Golden Smog tune). That was followed by a dual Michael/Janet Jackson pairing, "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" and "What Have You Done For Me Lately" (perhaps the first time he has covered his '80s rival).

Prince finally took the mike for a blasting take on "Party Man," from his 1989 "Batman" soundtrack, and that led to an elementary run-through of "Play That Funky Music."

Fans didn't seem too disappointed there wasn't more Prince (and perhaps the after-party at Paisley Park made up for it).

"Even a half-hour of Prince is better than most," said Erik Cagle, a longtime fan from St. Cloud.

Actually, 90 minutes of Prince as sideman is still pretty special when it's an artist he and the crowd clearly believed in.

Prince protégée Tamar wows sold-out Orpheum crowd
BY ROSS RAIHALA
Pop Music Critic

Saturday night's guerilla gig at the Orpheum Theatre lived up to its billing, all right. It was an evening of Tamar, with "special guest Prince."

Minnesota's famed son only took the lead once during the 90-minute concert, which was announced a mere four days prior. He tore through "Partyman" from the "Batman" soundtrack, but spent the rest of the night concentrating on his still awe-inspiring guitar work and keeping the spotlight focused squarely on his latest protégé.

It was a gutsy move, especially as Prince hasn't always relied strictly on musical talent in choosing his would-be stars. (Don't forget he's the guy responsible for Carmen Electra.) In this case, though, he picked a winner — a terrifically entertaining and utterly loveable frontwoman who can already hold her own with one of the most talented performers of the 20th century.

It barely took five minutes for Tamar to crack the sold-out crowd. She's got a magnificent and powerful voice, but unlike the vast majority of post-Whitney/Mariah soul singers, she's also a true entertainer with a fully developed stage presence. She's sassy and sexy, but also able to laugh at herself, a trait sorely missing from a genre filled with dour, overly serious women.

Prince clearly modeled Tamar and her pair of backup dancers/vocalists (twins who look like living Bratz dolls) after the Ike and Tina Turner Revue. As such, Tamar wrapped her golden pipes around both funky, infectious party songs and soul-ripping ballads — reminiscent of an era where rock and R&B were still kissing cousins.

The set list incorporated original numbers that'll likely appear on Tamar's debut album, due in May, and ingeniously chosen covers that Tamar handily made her own. Most surprising was a feral run through of Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." Less successful was the twins' take (sans Tamar) on sister Janet's "What Have You Done for Me Lately."

Curiously, Tamar and Prince didn't tackle their joint single, "Beautiful, Loved and Blessed," a new track the pair recently debuted on "Saturday Night Live." Not that the show suffered from the omission, though. Prince's fatherly look of pride and omnipresent sly grin said it all — now we all know just how special Tamar is, too.

http://www.twincities.com...969626.htm





P.S.: Success has nothing to do with being "good enough" with or without Prince, as the failure of projects from the talented Black women I mentioned in my previous post shows.
[Edited 2/27/06 22:32pm]

redflag said:

Thanks for posting these, but I've read them before. I've also read post from many orgers and at HQ that say if they knew that Prince was taking a back seat to Tamar for the entire show, they wouldn't have went to the show. But yes, Tamar does appear to be talented in her own right and again I go back to my original question-will it last when her career is not so dependent upon Prince's musical presence? I beg to differ, her success does depend on the way that Prince's fans see her, afterall, the crowds that shes's playing for are Prince fans! Maybe Tamar fans by association. The only protegee' that was good enough with or without Prince was the wonderful Sheila E. Thanks.

nurse said:

Once again...HER ALBUM ISN'T EVEN OUT YET! Her single is still in the early stages of being worked! It's true that most of the people who know of Tamar now are Prince fans, but as she comes out with her own videos, future singles, appearances on TV shows, concert and album reviews, interviews, etc., her fan base has the potential to grow. And it HAS to grow for her to be successful given the reactions from disinterest to downright hostility that I've seen on Prince fan boards. I posted those reviews (you may have seen them, but there are still people who haven't) because they are among the first "professional" (as opposed to fan) evaluations of Tamar from people outside the "Prince bubble". Prince is basically doing the same thing Rick James did when he first brought out Teena Marie, who later developed into a formidable artist in her own right. Will it happen for Tamar? Maybe, maybe not. But right now it's simply too early to tell.
[Edited 2/28/06 9:51am]

Yes.

She has UNIVERSAL as major label backing. She has her own agreement.

Prince's other proteges and side-releases suffered from insufficent budget and promotion from WB (although they were PP releases). The only exception I can think of is Carmen Electra.

However, Tamar is more talented than Carmen ever was.

I think she is being launched quite skillfully.

redflag said:

Thanks for posting these, but I've read them before. I've also read post from many orgers and at HQ that say if they knew that Prince was taking a back seat to Tamar for the entire show, they wouldn't have went to the show. But yes, Tamar does appear to be talented in her own right and again I go back to my original question-will it last when her career is not so dependent upon Prince's musical presence? I beg to differ, her success does depend on the way that Prince's fans see her, afterall, the crowds that shes's playing for are


Prince fans! Maybe Tamar fans by association. The only protegee' that was good enough with or without Prince was the wonderful Sheila E. Thanks.

Wonderful posts redflag,nurse,and endeara. It is good to see people having a conversation without bashing someone. There are to many orgers out there with something negative to say about something or someone. Lets remember why we joined. My opinion is Tamar will be around for along time. I saw her show in Philly and people had a good time listening and watching her.She is real. It also helps that Prince is showing her the ropes to say.

She's like any Prince girl. He's just boning her.

hey thanks...that is what makes the world go around differences but yet no one hates... hey i understand the thread completely and i try my best to not bash...it is fun and refreshing to reflect upon things from many points of view and that would relate to whomever and whatever....

hope everyone is having a blessed wonderful day...hope you are smiling.

i think she can. i saw her last night in Houston. I was standing directly in front of Prince, about 5 feet away, but my focus was on Tamar 90% of the time. The only time my focus was on Prince was when he was doing his guitar solos. Seeing her in person was amazing, she truly is a very talented woman. She has an awesome voice and GREAT stage presence. I spent most of time watching her despite the fact that Prince was just a few feet away from me.

I thought BLB was a "pretty" song, but honestly, just hearing the one song would not have inspired me to buy her album. However, after seeing her live at the show last night, that changes everything. I will definately buy her album, and if she were to do a show alone, without Prince, I would pay to go see her.

Prince has done a wonderful job in preparing and promoting her. However, we do know Prince's history, and he can be her downfall just as quickly as her upswing. Hopefully he will do the right thing for her, and won't hold her back from a lucrative career based on what "he" wants rather than what is best for her.

i think she can. i saw her last night in Houston. I was standing directly in front of Prince, about 5 feet away, but my focus was on Tamar 90% of the time. The only time my focus was on Prince was when he was doing his guitar solos. Seeing her in person was amazing, she truly is a very talented woman. She has an awesome voice and GREAT stage presence. I spent most of time watching her despite the fact that Prince was just a few feet away from me.

I thought BLB was a "pretty" song, but honestly, just hearing the one song would not have inspired me to buy her album. However, after seeing her live at the show last night, that changes everything. I will definately buy her album, and if she were to do a show alone, without Prince, I would pay to go see her.

Prince has done a wonderful job in preparing and promoting her. However, we do know Prince's history, and he can be her downfall just as quickly as her upswing. Hopefully he will do the right thing for her, and won't hold her back from a lucrative career based on what "he" wants rather than what is best for her.

She's like any Prince girl. He's just boning her.