Raitt plays it all, new and old, with joy
The Oregonian, 11/14/05
by Don Campbell
Some people just know how to live.
Bonnie Raitt held a near-capacity Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall crowd captive Friday night with a 19-song set that revealed not only a gifted performer at the top of her game, but also a powerful yet humble woman comfortable in her own skin.
Backed by her longtime touring and recording band -- George Marinelli on guitar, Ricky Fataar on drums, bassist James Hutchinson and New Orleans keyboard phenom Jon Cleary -- and on the strength of her 18th and newest CD, "Souls Alike," Raitt has found a place of emotional strength, beauty, grace and contentment that shone in every song.
Funny, articulate, sassy and tender, the flaming redhead was like an old friend returning to Portland's cozy living room as she covered the KINK-friendly hit "I Will Not Be Broken," most of the rest of the new record and spanned her 30-plus-year career, dipping into songs by Sippie Wallace, John Hiatt and other favorite songwriters she's unearthed.
A new discovery and protg, Maia Sharp, who co-wrote three songs on Raitt's new recording, opened the show. A formidable talent -- soulful singer, songwriter, pianist and sax player -- she endeared herself with a strong set with her trio, as well as accompanying on sax and vocals during Raitt's set.
From the swamp gospel of "God Was in the Water" and the bittersweet "The Bed I Made," to old favorites "Papa Come Quick," "Luck of the Draw" and "Nick of Time," Raitt exuded pure joy in playing with her longtime bandmates, who all were rock solid yet juke-joint loose. The band's renditions were not note-for-note replications of antiseptic studio recordings. Raitt amiably and admirably traded licks with Marinelli on guitar and Cleary on keyboards. These formidable players reveled in playing together live.
I'm having the time of my life up here," Raitt said before her first encore, and clearly she was. She was liberal with hugs, nods and smiles for everyone onstage, and rather than hog the spotlight, she drew pleasure from showing off her mates.
Despite massive FM appeal for her pop songs and nine Grammys, Raitt can still belt the blues and sting with her road-scarred Strat and bottleneck slide. On every tune, she radiated a warmth and elegance, a deep musical sentience, that few singers can match, be it blues, pop, soul or her own funky rock.
It took only the first vulnerable notes of the ballad "I Can't Make You Love Me" to let us in on the depth of her soul and the power of her intimacy.
©2005 The Oregonian
