By Gordon Durich
Photos by Gordon Durich
A wet October night in Malibu didn’t deter ardent fans of Peabo Bryson flocking to the Smothers Theater at the Lisa Wengler Center for the Arts, Pepperdine University. Concertgoers and Seattle residents Rick and Bridget Froton brought the rain with them from Seattle, we kidded.
Peabo Bryson gave it his all in a two-hour set, singing not only his hits but those by others including Jeffrey Osborne, Grover Washington, Jr. and Bill Withers. Bryson also played guitar beautifully.
The Grammy and Academy award winning performer, in a red jacket that matched his shocking red glasses, opened the show with his hits including “I’m So Into You, ”Impossible” and “If Ever You’re In My Arms Again.”
Everyone was on their feet dancing, raising the roof with their palms facing to the ceiling, for “Ain’t Nobody” by Chaka Khan.
Both singer and songwriter, Bryson has been lauded as the “Pavarotti of Soul Singers” by the New York Times. His smooth, rich vocals have resulted in being the first artist in music history to have separate records topping four different charts.
Probably best known for “A Whole New World (Aladdin’s Theme),” from Disney’s animated movie “Aladdin,” (with Regina Belle), as well as “Beauty and the Beast,” he has also collaborated with the great Roberta Flack on “Tonight I Celebrate My Love” and “What You Won’t Do For Love” with Natalie Cole.
A great storyteller, Bryson said “Into each life some rain must fall,” ironic because of the rain, adding “it’s what you do with it that counts.” In his tribute to other great singers, he mentioned Sade in the song “King of Sorrow.”
Per Bryson’s website (names weren’t on the program), band members were Dwight Watkins, bass and vocals; Euranie “Rainy Daze” Lindsey, vocals; Leonard Julian III, percussion; Land Richards, drums; Diana Dentino, keyboards; Bryan Williams, keys; and Myra Walker, keys/vocals.
Bryson handed out red roses to lucky ladies in the theatre’s front rows at the end of the spectacular show.