Aretha — Page 2

It's, again, bringing the "mainstream" into the Tony's, trying to draw viewers. I highly doubt anyone who doesn't enjoy theater, but it an Aretha fan, tuned in anyway. This show annoys me for so many reasons. Rather than having stage actors (Tonya Pinkins, Anika Noni Rose, Matthew Morrison, Shoshana Bean, Sutton Foster, any NUMBER of nominees this year from "Doubt," or "Spelling Bee," I could go on) or writers come on to announce the awards, they fill it with film stars (who sometimes try to hard to be "STAGE ACTORS) and television stars...what did most of those people have to do with Broadway? It makes me really mad! Let Broadway have IT'S night.

-Vincent

Ken,
How much do you want for your tickets.
I am serious.

Comps. Inserts knife into heart.
I am green with envy.

Aretha is my favorite singer of all time.
I hate NJ, BUT would shlep there to see her.
I have never seen her live.
But the women thrills me!

People, when black people sing we are moved by rhythm and feeling. We are not, let me repeat that, not trying to upstage anyone, and definitely not over singing (another criticism I often hear nowadays). I did find Aretha Franklin's voice diminished however. She just don't sing with the power she once had. But be that as it may. I just feel that black people are often unfairly accused of trying to upstage or over sing. I will admit that sometimes black singers act like they have to prove to people that they have soul. But it's no different from country singers who lay the country stuff on heavy when they're around city folks.
But what I found weird last night were those scenes from "Piazza." Why were those two women so happy? I'm down here in Atlanta so I haven't seen the show.

bill mobley-

I think your generalizing too much, I've heard plenty of Black singers who do not to all these vocal gymnastics, and sound beautiful, the woman to my left for instance.

Now if you mean pop singers, yeah a lot of singers now a days in general do that, probably an influence from motown and jazz. It depends on the singer and, more importantly, the song. Somewhere is a simple song. It doesn't need all that riffing. It's beautiful. I don't mind reinterpretations of songs.

Audra's Man That Got Away and Judy's are very different, but Audra payed a tribute to Judy, she didn't try to top her. That's part of why they are both wonderful.

Aretha's performance was a "lets see how good I can sound" rather than "let's sing this song in tribute and in truth with all my heart and soul."

Then again, I like singers who act...not just stand there and relying on their voice to carry the whole performance.

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Okay, kids, just because at one point Aretha had a great voice, doesn't mean it will always be that way. Sure, many, many years ago, she sounded great, for her style of music. Now, today, many years later, she didn't sound good, at all, especially in a style of music that just doesn't fit her. It's like when people say Whitney Houston is an amazing singer. Give me a break. Many years ago, yes, today, oh hell no. I'm all for adding ones personality to a piece, but there are limits, I feel, to how much you change, just to sound "fancy" and "complex." That's just me...

-Vincent

It was obviously a mistake to pair one of the greatest singers of all time with someone who barely even has a vaudeville caliber voice.

They both really weren't that good. Especially when Hugh tried to do a riff at the very end. I was like "please". Maybe I'm partial, but where was Shoshana the whole night?

I know... thats what we in the theatre call sarcasm!!!

I'm with you beanwannabe, it would have been refresshing to hear a good voice for a change, what with Christina (uggh) Applegate and Aretha. Shosanna doesnt get half the recognition she should.

I keep thinking that 'nmartin' must be an anagram of 'musicman' - but it just doesn't work out.

To me they were both horrible. Does hugh believe in putting any heart into what he's doing at all? That was the least emotion I've ever seen put into that song.

And I don't know WHAT happened to Aretha. She's really one of my favorites of all time, but this performance was so disappointing.