October 29th, 2007POST-DISPATCH POP MUSIC CRITIC
A little bit of Dionne Warwick goes a long way, as the legendary pop singer proved Thursday night at the Sheldon Concert Hall, where she performed in a Grand Center benefit.Though Warwick performed for only about an hour, she and her six-piece band, including a percussionist and pianist, squeezed in a ton of material while squeezing themselves onto the Sheldon’s stage amid a large array of equipment.Acknowledging that it had been a long time since she’d played in St. Louis, the classy singer promised a stroll down memory lane with songs new and old. She graciously delivered, with staples from her songbook including “Walk on By,” “Anyone Who Had a Heart,” “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” and “Alfie.” Many sparked audience sing-alongs. “I Say a Little Prayer” is a song that means so much to her, she had to bring it into the 21st century, Warwick said. Then she performed a revamped, slightly awkward version that was nearly unrecognizable. The song was recently rerecorded with Reba McEntire for Warwick’s recent duets CD, “My Friends & Me.” Another song from the disc, “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?” with Celia Cruz, provided plenty of room for a couple of great band solos.After describing Brazil as her favorite place in the world as if she were in an infomercial, she performed a couple of tunes she said were indigenous to the magical, mystical and spiritual locale where she now lives.The music there “compelled you to move ˙ something, and far be it for me to tell you what that is,” Warwick said.And she was dead on. Her schmaltzy finale — with “I’ll Never Love This Way Again,” “What the World Needs Now is Love” and wrapping with “That’s What Friends Are For” — probably didn’t come a moment too soon. Her voice, still capable but not overwhelming, revealed some obvious strain.Fortunately by then, she’d already given her fans what they wanted.kjohnson@post-dispatch.com | 314-340-8191
