Post by tempfan on Mar 27, 2007 14:24:59 GMT -5
Terrific Temptations bring down the house at ACPA
Beti Trauth/For The Times-Standard
The electric excitement and anticipation that crackled throughout the Arkley Center's waiting audience was so powerful that you could have plugged it in and lit up every street in Old Town Eureka.
Finally, the wait was over. Show time. A whispered hush momentarily settled over the packed house as the house lights slowly went down. Suddenly, an announcer's resonant voice boomed over the pumped-up sound system, welcoming us to ACPA.
We were warned to turn off our cell phones, not take any flash photos -- and (at last), there was music! The pulsating, unmistakable R&B sound of the powerful, on-stage rhythm rocked the house, underscoring the words we'd been waiting so impatiently to hear: “Ladies and Gentlemen, the one, the only Temptations!”
Up came the lights, and “Fe, fi, fo, fum -- look out baby, here they come!” Out they came, strutting, moving and grooving -- a human Soul Train of five unique individuals in elegant, matching outfits moving as one. The crowd went wild! And that was just the beginning of an amazing musical evening filled with enough magical moments to last the audience a lifetime.
If anyone had expected to see a past-their-prime group of golden oldies simply going through the motions of their former glory (both vocally and dance-wise), were they in for a surprise.
Today's Temps sound and look just as fresh and vibrant as they did, several decades ago. Maybe that's because original member, Otis Williams, is still the heart of the group, still out there performing and proving what 'being a legend' means.
That legend began when Williams was growing up in Detroit and saw the doo-wop group, The Cadillacs, at the Fox Theater. It wasn't their vocal styling alone that impressed him, but how they looked and moved: The loose white suits they wore; and the stepping routines they did during their numbers.
When Williams saw the powerful affect that these combined performance elements had on the audience, he decided that this was the kind of singer that he wanted to be -- not only a singer, but a dancer/singer in a group capable of being a complete entertainment package.
Of course, that group founded in the 1960's was introduced to the world by Motion as The Temptations. Over the years they continued to be recognized as best-of-the best.
Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 1989, in 2001 they won a Grammy for R&B Album of the Year, “Ear-Resistible.” In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine rated The Temps #67 on the list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, and “Just My Imagination” (1971) and “Poppa Was a Rolling' Stone” (1972) were also listed among the best, all-time Top Ten Hits.
As proof that they're going strong as artists, “How Sweet It Is” (a cut from their current New Door album “Reflections”) was nominated for a 2007 Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.
So, when the 2007 Temptations took the stage at ACPA, they were indeed still the real deal -- charismatic entertainers whose timeless songs and dazzling moves still posses the power to completely enchant an audience.
Switching lead singers back and forth during their sets, their signature 'tag-team' approach alternated sharing the spotlight, taking turns as they individually and collectively covered every possible vocal spectrum, from bass (Joe Herndon) and baritone (Williams), to tenor/falsetto (Ron Tyson, Terry Weeks and G.C. Cameron).
It was all classic Motown sound at its finest, from sweet and soulful to fun and funky. Their acapellas were as tight as their accompanied vocals, and every dog in the county probably heard their falsettos.
Although there wasn't a program that listed the songs included in the evening's performance, most fans immediately recognized the opening four bars of their favorites, and were encouraged throughout the show to sing along.
Tyson handled a lot of the chat in between numbers, interjecting some sly humor whenever he could, such as encouraging the audience to turn on the lights in their cell phones during “It's All Right,” wave them around (ala Rock Show lighters), call a friend, and then say, “Can you hear me now? I'm here with The Temptations!”
From “Can't Get Next To You” to “My Girl,” they delivered the classic goods that everyone wanted to hear, constantly involving the audience -- including a little boy sitting in his mother's lap in the front row.
Looking just like a small version of Ralphie in “A Christmas Story” (glasses and all), the youngster clapped along with every song, and was handed up on stage to Williams during the finale to take a bow with The Temps. It was truly delightful.
The group's backup band worked hard all night and deserves recognition: Keyboard & Musical Director, Bob Ferrell (who unexpectedly joined them in a dance routine during one number), Buster Marbury on Drums, Denny Turman on Bass, and Adrian Williams on Guitar.
Additional praise goes to the talented local pick-up musicians who make up the brass section: Chris Larson & Virginia Ryder on alto sax, Suze Lorriane & Randy Carrizo on tenor sax, Heather Benson on baritone sax, Gil Cline, Chris Cox & Bud Codispoti on trumpets and Dan Aldag & Greg Moore on trombones.
All in all the performance was a remarkable event -- one that was repeated the next night to another sold-out ACPA house with (I'm sure) equally fantastic results.
To learn more about the legendary Temps, go to founder Williams' Web site (www.otiswilliams.com), where he writes, “My thank you to generations of fans for their undying support, designed to appeal to both our longtime fans as well as people who are just discovering us -- to serve as a celebration of the past and a source for news of what's yet to come. So, check it out. Enjoy! Temptations. Forever.”
