"Strummin' my pain with his fingers...singin' my life with his words..." so begins my favorite Roberta Flack classic, "Killing Me Softly With His Song." Last night, Miss Flack, now 74 years old, lit up the stage of the magnificent Severance Hall on the campus of the Cleveland Institutue of Music, Cleveland, Ohio. Spanning a career that began in the late 1960s to now, Roberta Flack with her tight 6 piece band and 2 background singers, launched into an evening of hits and favorites. As if that wasn't enough, she was also accompanied by the nearly 100 piece CIM Orchestra, made up of young, accomplished musicians studying from across the world!
Miss Flack began with the classic "Where Is the Love" and sang such great songs as "Feel Like Makin' Love", "Back Together Again", the jazz infused "Oasis", a sultry version of "Sweet Georgia Brown", several Beatles covers from her latest album, and of course, two solo smashes, "Killing Me Softly With His Song" and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." Staying mostly at the grand piano, Miss Flack did seem to be a bit unsteady underfoot. Could have been the high heel shoes, or the 25 pound dress she wore, but she received help every step of the way. Vocally, she was strong. Her between song patter was incoherent at times, but, hey, the music more than made up for it.
Pre-show look at Severance Hall, Cleveland, Ohio
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