{{{Prince is Charming / Album, tour return the Purple One to throne

Martin Johnson. Martin Johnson is a regular contributor to Newsday.
538 words - 12 April 2002 - Newsday
ALL EDITIONS B03 English
(Copyright Newsday Inc., 2002)

MUSIC REVIEW

PRINCE. "One Night Alone With Prince." Well not exactly alone - he brought a band, and 2,700 ticket holders attended, but it was an intimate evening with a legend. Seen Tuesday night at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall.

PRINCE SPENT the first 15 years of his career creating a body of work that is unmatched by anyone in the past three decades. (On my scorecard, R.E.M., U2, and Madonna are in the same league but not at the same level). However, the Purple One has spent the past 10 years or so being one of pop music's biggest enigmas. His frequent releases have been uneven, his name change to a symbol made a point about music-industry hegemony, but his characterization of himself as a slave made him sound like a whiny multimillionaire. And his concerts ranged from stellar presentations of his hits to meandering and unfocused jam sessions.

If his current tour marks a new phase of Prince's career, then there's reason for hope. The new recording, "Rainbow Children" (NPG/ Redline), is his best in years, and Tuesday night he and his New Power Generation quintet turned in a set so full of impressively arranged new songs, cannily redone classics and choice covers that the almost three hour concert felt concise. }}}

Make no mistake, though, Prince still does things his way. Rather than tease the crowd with a few oldies before focusing on new songs, Prince just launched right into material from the latest album. On "Rainbow Children" and "Muse 2 The Pharaoh" and "Xenophobia," the band took inspired solos, occasionally quoting jazz legends such as John Coltrane and Horace Silver. After three originals, Prince showcased his falsetto on Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You"; the set list included the Delfonics "La-La Means I Love You," the Ohio Players' "Love Rollercoaster," Erykah Badu's "Didn't Cha Know," the J.B.'s "Pass the Peas" and Sly and The Family Stone's "Sing a Simple Song." On the Sly classic, Family Stone bass player Larry Graham came out to lead the audience sing-a-long and exhort NPG bassist Rhonda Smith.

At one point, Prince shouted out "real music by real musicians" in a clear rebellion against the synthetically derived music that clogs the airwaves today. Prince mined his own rich catalog of hits, turning in an exuberant and funky version of "When You Were Mine," a bluesy take on "The Other Side of the Pillow," and faithful renditions of "Take Me With U" and "Raspberry Beret," but he saved most of his nuggets for the encore, when he played lengthy solo renditions of several classics culminating with "Nothing Compares 2 U." The band returned for "Purple Rain," and stayed as the concert zipped past the usual 11 p.m. witching hour to turn up the funk on "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore" and "Anna Stesia." During the past few years, many Prince fans have wondered what might have been; this tour is leaving fans anticipating what may lie ahead.

This is a very good review. Thank you!

"During the past few years, many Prince fans have wondered what might have been; this tour is leaving fans anticipating what may lie ahead" Very, very true.

Wonderful report, now COME TO EUROPE.

Thanks for the review!

Very, very nice.

KingOfNYC said:

Great review!

Very smooth. Very, very romantic! I love you!

prince never lost it, to me. he always put out something worth listening to.

well eye told u prince is back .en will once again put people 2 the real music just like in the 80's .

c'mon people. Prince never went anywhere. His music is always with us. A true 'fam' member should always realize this. It is sad that the mainstream audiances don't realize it. Like grandebelle said "never lost it". I have been a huge prince fam for the past 22 years and have seen over 25 different shows and everyone is just as exciting. And every album is just as exciting as the first. the fans and Prince should not go by what a 'review' says or what anyone else says. prince's music comes from the heart and is real, so screw what the critics say and go by how your heart feels when you see a prince show or hear a prince song. GOD is the only true being that should be judging anyone person or thing. and God is in your heart.