“She was just as eclectic as we were,” she said. Dash recalled when Labelle met the singer and worked with her on the Gamble and Huff-produced Gonna Take a Miracle (1971). Her heart-stopping performance of Laura Nyro’s “Buy and Sell” exemplified the latter. Towards the medley’s conclusion, Dash seamlessly intertwined the lyrics and melodies of the two songs.Īt moments, Dash’s concert seemed part of a larger show that could have been titled The Sarah Dash Story, for many songs seemed to hold a personal significance for the singer, whether lyrically or by virtue of representing a distinct time in her life. Her trio summoned an appealing, late-night jazz club ambience while golden stage light signified the dawn of a new morning on “What a Diff’rence a Day Makes”. Through hand gestures and eye movements, she took no word or line of lyric for granted. The singer’s tribute to three of jazz music’s most influential vocalists was one of the evening’s highlights. Count Basie vocalist Helen Humes also would have been pleased by the singer’s sassy rendition of “Million Dollar Secret”, a tune that gave Dash plenty of occasions to inject some humor into the proceedings.Ī medley of “I Thought About You” and “What a Diff’rence a Day Makes” honored Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughan, and Dinah Washington - three artists that Dash said had “a profound effect on my life”. Porter himself would have been smitten by Dash’s interpretation of his song. “I love Paris in the winter when it drizzles / I love Paris in the summer when it sizzles,” she sang turning “I” into a polysyllabic wonder. Visiting the Cole Porter songbook, Dash prefaced “I Love Paris” with an amusing anecdote involving hairspray, hunting, and a Louis Vuitton bag (see one of her future shows to hear the whole story). “Millions of people go by, but they all disappear from view.” The way she caressed “from” made the well-known standard a delectable gift from Dash to the audience. Each word fell sumptuously from Dash’s lips. The dozen white roses sitting atop the piano were a fitting backdrop for “I Only Have Eyes For You”. Hers was a voice that hardly needed amplification. Accompanied by music director/pianist Terry Burrus, bassist Lonnie Plaxico, and drummer Craig Holiday Haynes, Dash filled the room with a full-bodied tone. From the very first line - “Been through so much in my life, everyday a different fight” - the singer had a story to share. Decades later, that same smile illuminated the second of Dash’s two-night stand at 54 Below.ĭash opened her set with “I’m Still Here”, a self-penned ode to survival and perseverance. Sarah Dash, in particular, wore an expression of joy and elation on her flawless visage. Music seemed to emanate from each of their faces. The back cover photograph depicted how, even through a cardboard sleeve, the group radiated a unique power. Chameleon (1976) was the last album that Labelle recorded in the ’70s before group members Sarah Dash, Nona Hendryx, and Patti LaBelle pursued solo careers in 1977.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |