Blue Turtles: 1985/86

Sting enchants scores of rock fans with concert steeped in jazz, blues...

Sting pulled off a near-miraculous trick Wednesday night at William and Mary Hall. He and his swinging new seven-piece band got some 8,600 rock fans mostly well-scrubbed college kids and adolescents to listen to two and a half hours of jazz and blues.

True, catchy, hook-laden pop tunes were scattered about and strategically placed, like the beautiful 'Love Is the Seventh Wave' and the soaring 'Fortress Around Your Heart'. Police fans got to hear some of the group's classics, like 'Every Breath You Take'. Sting and company rocked the hall to its very rafters with stormy revamped versions of 'Demolition Man' and 'Shadows in the Rain'.

But virtually every other tune the band played either got a jazzy or bluesy treatment or became the springboard for a jam that would have sounded just fine at a swinging New York jazz club.

Captivating a massive crowd weaned on the sound of the Police and used to hearing rock'n'roll with jazz's dense rhythms and complex melodic convolutions is no mean feat. But having a multitude of pumped-up rock fans eating out of your hand, dancing and screaming ecstatically on cue - that is awesome.

But then Sting is no ordinary performer, which he proved repeatedly Wednesday night.

Ever since he became a superstar with the Police, writing and singing songs that fused reggae, rock, funk, African and Indian music into exhilarating pop music, the former Gordon Sumner has been experimenting in the pop spectrum with musical forms and boundaries. Wednesday, he broke more barriers, making distinctions between different musical idioms a futile subject.

Sting's astonishing band includes keyboardist Kenny Kirkland, drummer Omar Hakim, saxophonist Branford Marsalis and bassist Darryl Jones.

With these jazz-trained virtuosi who can play anything under the sun and two sensational backup singers, Sting had every singer's dream band, and he capitalized on it.

Always a fine singer, he sounded positively searing on 'If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free', which he saved for late in the evening, and 'Love Is the Seventh Wave', which the band stretched into a loping eight-minute jam.

Marsalis played some dazzling sax blasts, Sting ripped off some nasty blues licks on his guitar, and the band nailed down a seamless rhythm. The song, one of those lilting, reggae numbers that deals with the transcendent forces of love at work in the universe, sounded much more powerful than it did on Sting's latest album, 'The Dream of the Blue Turtles'.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case with other songs from 'Turtles'. The band's delicate, subtle playing on tunes like 'Children's Crusade' and, 'Russians' got lost in the cavernous spaces of the gymnasium-turned-concert hall.

And the constant hum of noise played havoc with Sting's gorgeous version of the jazzy. 'Moon Over Bourbon Street', which included a smoky, crying soprano sax solo by Marsalis.

I couldn't help feeling that this band should be playing smaller clubs if he wants to put over this subtle chamber-like pop music.

But the group did a fabulous job and sounded as tight as any rock band I've ever heard. Of the three encores the band played to a delirious, adoring crowd, my favourites were a long, riotous version of 'I've Been Gone So Long', a howling Chicago blues that the band served up red-hot, and a breath-taking rendition of 'Roxanne', a duet with Sting on guitar and Branford on his soprano horn.

For the first time all night, the crowd fell into almost complete silence, and the song, full of sweet sax lines and delicate fingerpicked guitar, was transformed into a haunting ballad that could be heard everywhere.

(c) The Daily Press by Jory Farr

Sting strikes a groove for fans in Willamsberg...

What do you get when British rock lyricism is backed up by a steady groove of rhythm and blues?

Sting in concert.

Last night at William and Mary Hall, Sting, the celebrated British bass guitar-playing rocker, actor and former member of the Police, packed a dynamic performance for a near-capacity crowd of 8,600.

Serving up offerings of rhythm and blues, jazz, blues and funk with just a touch of rock `n' roll, the tall, lithe performer came onstage and struck an instant groove for his screaming and cheering fans.

Sting (his real name is Gordon Sumner) couldn't miss - especially with his all-star backup jazz ensemble, which consisted of Branford Marsalis, tenor and soprano saxophone; Omar Hakim, drums; Kenny Kirkland, keyboards; and Darryl Jones on bass. Female vocalists and dancers Dolette McDonald and Janice Pendarvis, who lent some exotic moods to Sting's enticing sounds, rounded out the band.

Sting came out performing several songs from his stint with the Police before going into songs from his album 'The Dream of the Blue Turtles'.

While he is not the world's greatest dancer, Sting did evoke enthusiastic response from the audience by running up and down a set of stairs, which served as the band's only decor. Flashing lights in a myriad of colors added dramatic effect to the stage and players. Drummer Kirkland nearly brought the crowd to a frenzy during a solo in which bursts of light timed to the beat of his drumming deserved only one label: incredible.

Other band members were not to be outdone. Marsalis, brother of jazz trumpeteer Wynton Marsalis, exhibited an unexpected warmth and humor when breaking from his horns. Often acting as the front man during Sting's brief respites, Marsalis engaged the crowd in a bit of rapping by shouting, ''Wave your hands in the air, shake your body like you just don't care.''

Sting, whose rasp-tinged voice at times is reminiscent of Rod Stewart, performed his hits 'If You Love Somebody Set Them Free', 'Roxanne', and 'Every Breath You Take'. Many of the songs' lyrics were lost because of Sting's rich British accent and the crowd's wild enthusiasm, which made hearing him next to impossible at times. Early on in his two-hour performance, the singer said he wanted to ''find the perfect audience.'' Judging by the rousing response he received, he could not have asked for more.

Neither could the audience.

(c) The Richmond Times-Dispatch by Bonnie Newman-Stanley

Crowd stung, stunned by Sting performance...

Sting kept an enthralled audience of 9,000 wrapped around his finger last night at William and Mary Hall. The pop music and movie idol, on his first tour without the Police, inspired choruses of screams from thousands of young women, along with a seemingly endless number of encores.

In a word, the crowd was stung. It simply refused to let the performer stop playing, in spite of today's 8 a.m. classes.

Wearing a loose-fitting white suit, Sting gave his fans an animated and generous performance consisting of Police songs and solo material from his album 'The Dream of the Blue Turtles'.

He constantly encouraged participation from the youthful crowd, so much so that the concert often took on the spirit of a pep rally.

Of course, the more familiar Sting and Police songs were heard with great enthusiasm. Sting performed a number of these, including 'Every Breath You Take', 'Roxanne' and 'If You Love Somebody Set Them Free'.

The concert's mixture of jazz, reggae and pop demonstrated that Sting is continuing his "synchronicity" while adding a topical touch to his lyrics.

Sting was still very much the star of his own show, but he gave the fine jazz musicians he's touring with - Branford Marsalis, saxophones; Kenny Kirkland, keyboards; Darryl Jones, bass; and Omar Hakim, drums plenty of solo opportunities.

Dolette McDonald and Janice Pendarvis supplied backup vocals and frequently performed tricky reggae dance steps with Sting.

This group effort was certainly one of the show's strengths and Sting may be helping to create a new audience for jazz.

But again, Sting, as generous as he was with the spotlight, proved himself the star of the evening, one possessing a rare combination of charisma and conviction.

(c) The Richmond Times Dispatch by John Wirt