The time has come for me to speak about the Maestro.

I was on line for well over an hour last night at the Wherehouse Ladera Center in LA to get all of my old Teena Marie albums signed by Lady Tee herself (along with a picture of us together sharing a smile - God is good!), when the conversation I was having with two girls in line turned suddenly towards the Big Man, as conversations are wont to do.

I was reminiscing last night about an evening I spent in 1995 in August at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, where Barry White threw down one of the sickest concerts I've ever attended.

Now, if you have not been to the Greek Theatre in LA on a late summer's evening, then clearly the best in life has passed you by. You'll live - I guess. For those that have had the pleasure, then you know this is one of the great live music venues on Earth. Opening act while it's still light out, headliner takes the stage as the sun is going down. Perfect, perfect, perfect place to partake of the Maestro. You know Barry White loved those minor chords which are supported so beautifully by the Greek's natural acoustics.

Chante Moore - who was semi-big at the time - opened up and did maybe 70 minutes or so. For an opening act, I thought she was great. Great voice.

So when Barry starts his set, he's got maybe 9 or 10 pieces in the band, with a full orchestra of course, plus 5 dancers, 2 of whom were quite noticeably well into at least the 2nd trimester of pregnancy, if not the 3rd. My God, you should have all been there to hear the horns wailing away when Barry did 15 minutes of "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me". Fifteen of the most glorious moments of my life!! Barry played 2 3/4 hours that night, he changed clothes, and yes he had the handkerchief out and he was seriously mopping his brow!! Brotherman played his heart out, man. And when the cat was not singing, he was preaching about the power of love, man I'm telling you he was preaching his ass off!!! I KNOW NOW we will save world. I KNOW we will save it before it is too late, Barry made me to understand this that evening. Do you know what I'm telling you? It was a beautiful, beautiful time. Unforgettable! The Icon Is Love tour. My God!

I am truly grateful to have been able to see Barry before he passed in '03. One of the best things I've done in my life. Like everybody, I loved Barry dearly as a brother.

I was in Havana, Cuba a few years ago, chillin' and shit drinking a Coke in an outdoor cafe peeping out local color when the opening strains of "Playing Your Game" come on the joint's radio, followed by Barry tearing through the entire song IN SPANISH. Blew me away. Man, let me tell you, Barry is HUGE in Cuba.
Cuban girls are very bold and extremely sexy and will walk right up to you cold and try to get you to come home and and fuck with them, and one of the first things they will ask when they find out you are American is "Te gusta Barry White?" Someone recently told me there is a huge mural of Barry someone painted in his honor after his death in one of those bars down there that Hemingway used to get drunk in.

Fave Barry song: Honey Please, Can't Ya See

Close second: I've Got So Much To Give


Barry

Lately, I am very partial to "Oh What a Night for Dancing" and "Bring It On Up".

Favorite Barry White song: "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me"

close second :"Love Makin' Music"

I really like Staying Power and I love is contribution to Quincy Jones' The Secret Garden.

this whole album is the shit.

http://www.prince.org/msg/8/188251