Nothing Like The Sun: 1987/88

Concert a showcase for Sting's expertise...

Sting's second North American solo tour launched in Florida with concerts in Tampa and Miami this week is a showcase for the singer-songwriter's improvisational expertise and his ever-expanding repertoire of jazzy, complex mood pieces.

The focus of Thursday night's concert at the Miami Knight Center, was his latest LP, '...Nothing Like The Sun', a stirring mix of passion and politics.

Despite a head cold and sore throat that forced him to cancel his Friday night show, Sting surged through the Thursday night show with an almost rabid sense of energy that belied his condition, even though his already raspy voice was intermittently reduced to a mere whisper. Although his voice did not approach its usual level or texture, the star and his backing band fully compensated with brilliant instrumental peaks throughout.

Donning a cream-colored blazer and black tuxedo trousers with red piping, Sting split the show in two acts so that he could soothe his throat with a 40-minute tea break. His long hair was damp and free-flying throughout the 19-song concert that ran well over two hours, excluding the intermission.

Despite his admirable endurance, he would have had to play long through the night if he were to include all the memorable pieces that he has written during his 11-year career. Even in the relatively short time since his departure from The Police, he has compounded his impressive hits catalogue with a first-rate battery of solo work that is so extensive, it cannot be contained in one performance.

Wisely, Sting hits the highlights, but throughout the evening, the hope is that he could play it all.

From his first solo LP, 1985's 'Dream of the Blue Turtles', Sting included a revamped 'Consider Me Gone', and 'Fortress Around Your Heart'. His earlier days with The Police were represented with 'Don't Stand so Close to Me', 'Spirits in the Material World', a scratchy but well-intentioned 'Roxanne', and the mesmerizing encore, 'Message in a Bottle'.

Sting has made a very public point of his desire to reset the boundaries of contemporary music, and again this year he has met his own challenge in the mere creation of his work. Yet, he continually takes his search one step further on stage, having already updated much of the material from '...Nothing Like the Sun', just three months after its release.

Almost every cut from the album glimmered with an expanded, free-form approach. 'Englishman in New York', 'Rock Steady', 'We'll Be Together' (his most recent hit), and the heartbreaker 'They Dance Alone' were fine, diverse examples of uninhibited pop music beyond compare. The emotional peak came with Jimi Hendrix's sensual 'Little Wing', featuring Sting and guitarist Jeff Campbell in a reckless six-string duel that brought the crowd to its feet for the first of many standing ovations.

Sting may now be billed as a solo act, but as he did in '85, he surrounds himself with some very fine musicians. Saxophonist Branford Marsalis and pianist Kenny Kirkland - who snatched the spotlight at intervals throughout the show - are the only holdovers from the last tour. This time around, the emphasis on jazz includes a richer, fuller Latin flavour highlighted by the explosive work of percussionist Mino Cinelu.

The seven-piece backup band also includes drummer Jean Paul Ceccarelli, (who merely fills out the beat for Cinelu), bassist Tracey Wormworth and synthesizer whiz Delmar Brown.

Sting remained vital and completely in command, instructing the audience to fill in the upper registers on 'Roxanne', knowing he would never get his own voice up there. The fans complied, apparently thrilled to help out.

He is an extraordinarily seductive performer, and knowing that, he cleverly balances his conceit with a charming sense of vulnerability.

So when he pulls a shameless stunt such as baring his chest mid-song, you forgive his showing off. Rather, the moment is playful and inspires a feeling of wistful admiration for a star whose across-the board appeal now seems as boundless as his music.

(c) Fort Lauderdale News by Deborah Wilker

Sting a smash, despite throat...

Even with a sore throat, Sting can't give an audience a raw deal.

And so it was with raspy resonance that the main Police-man a.k.a. Gordon Sumner, completely charmed the capacity crowd Thursday night at Miami's Knight Center. At 50 percent of his vocal capacity, Sting sings better than most mortals could ever hope to manage.

It was supposed to be the first of two concerts in Miami, the second and third stops on a world tour that will keep Sting and his eight-member band on the road, in the air and onstage until November.

As it turned out, Sting literally gave it his all Thursday night; Friday's show was cancelled because of his throat condition. A spokesman at the Knight Center said it is uncertain when, or if, the second show will be rescheduled. Ticket holders for the cancelled performance should pick up refunds at the point of purchase.

Thursday's program drew largely from his two solo albums 'Dream Of The Blue Turtles' and 'Nothing Like The Sun', two lavish pop-jazz productions. Sting's newest music through its egalitarian style and scope, embraces a vision of world harmony.

The jazz segments of the concert worked best. all streamlined and dream-like, dripping with precision in every fluid note. Saxophonist Branford Marsalis, who also blows a cool clarinet, and bassist Tracy Wormworth provided counterpoint and propulsion to Sting's skilful meanderings.

Wormworth's bass acted as the pulse for 'Be Still My Beating Heart'. Her beat quickened ever so slightly as the song moved to its beautiful conclusion. Marsalis' clarinet lines on 'Fortress Around Your Heart' circled around Sting's voice like a ghostly echo that would not fade away.

In a moment of tribute to a man whose influence on jazz will remain for some time, Sting said, "This is for someone from Florida who is no longer with us. This is for our friend Jaco Pastorius." The song he used to pay his respects to Pastorius, an innovative jazz bassist who died last year in Fort Lauderdale, was 'Fragile', a fitting and lovely requiem.

It was the emotional high point of an evening of shimmering virtuosity. Sting avoids the rock star trip, opting instead for the role of first among equals, as a band leader should. To his credit, his technical skills are up to par and he holds his own in the line-up.

Except for an audience-participation rendition of 'Roxanne', and a disappointing ending, Sting and his band soared Thursday. He makes music that matters, and if his progress thus far is any indication of where his future lies, he'll be even better next time he comes around.

(c) Palm Beach Post by Wes Bausmith

Sting goes straight to the heart...

For some pop concerts, a measure of success is how closely the performance emulates the recording. Pop stars who can faithfully reproduce their works - note for note, effect for effect - are regarded by members of their audience as wizard-like manipulators of sound.

In the first of two sold-out shows at the James L. Knight Center Thursday, on the second show of his 'Nothing Like the Sun' tour, Sting took the opposite approach. The songs from his solo career and the Police were well known to the audience. But in each case, they were substantially transformed by Sting's surprisingly thoughtful, improvisation-oriented seven-piece band.

There was not a dull moment in the show. More unified than the band that accompanied Sting on his 'Dream of the Blue Turtles' tour, this group sent walloping waves of energy through each selection. Nothing sounded stale. Nothing was performed by rote. On the strength of its freshness alone, this is one of the most consistently engaging concerts available to the too-often bludgeoned pop audience.

Led by keyboardist Kenny Kirkland and saxophonist Branford Marsalis - holdovers from the 'Blue Turtles' band - this outfit used basic musicianship to shine bright light into Sting's recent compositions. Though the recording of 'History Will Teach Us Nothing' sounds stiff and unnatural, it was expanded exponentially by the band's dramatic loud-to-soft contrasts, and guitarist Jeff Campbell's well-used wah-wah pedal sound. 'Straight To My Heart', a song that found Sting explaining 7/4 meter to the audience, was similarly bolstered by the band's precise, seemingly effortless execution and the insistent but not overbearing pulse of French drummer Jean Ceccarelli.

Some songs were simply extended for solos. Kirkland used a Duke Ellington-style block chord line as a foil for the reggae rhythm of 'One World', which evolved into a vintage rock twist on the shout chorus. Vocalist/keyboardist Delmar Brown, whose voice can sound uncannily like Sting's, ignited 'Consider Me Gone' with a swinging double-time solo during which he mimicked his flying synthesiser runs with voice.

It hardly mattered that Sting, who explained early on that he has been battling a sore throat, clearly had difficulty singing as the evening progressed. He powered through an hour- plus first set that included vocally challenging selections 'Englishman in New York', 'Bring On the Night' and the opener 'The Lazarus Heart', which segued smoothly into the chanting 'Too Much Information'. More than once, the rawness in his voice was a plus, particularly on the surging 'Don't Stand So Close To Me'.

Dancing and mugging throughout, Sting worked to compensate for his vocal handicap. He linked his material with songs from others in pop: 'History Will Teach Us Nothing' evaporated into the raised-fist chorus of Peter Tosh's 'Get Up, Stand Up'. His treatment of Jimi Hendrix's 'Little Wing', ended with the Beatles' 'From Me to You'. The band, known for deft quotes from jazz standards, closed 'Be Still My Beating Heart' with Herbie Hancock's 'Chameleon'.

Whenever Sting lagged, his band - and an understanding audience - was there for support. Playing acoustic guitar early in the second set, Sting led the crowd through a sing-along version of 'Roxanne' that he barely sang, choosing instead to hammer out a chunk-chunking accompaniment.

Following an abbreviated run-through of 'They Dance Alone', which included Sting's well-received Spanish narration, the singer dedicated perhaps the most singularly beautiful composition on his 'Nothing Like the Sun' LP, 'Fragile,' to the late bassist Jaco Pastorius. This song and many others were enriched by the seductive, extremely musical percussion of Minu Cinelu.

Encores included another vocal challenge, Sting's adaptation of a melody by Hans Eisler, 'The Secret Marriage', and 'Message in a Bottle'.

(c) The Miami Herald by Tom Moon

Sting uninspiring in sold-out concert...

When I was in high school, I hated my best friend. He was always talking about peace on earth, good will toward men, food for everyone, etc. Pipe dreams, I thought. That's not how you make it.

Sting's sold-out performance last night at the Knight Center reminded me of something my friend might have pictured himself doing singing his songs in front of an adoring crowd, winning them over with his grace, style and personal vision. It's something I'm sure we'd all like to believe we could do. Not many of us can.

At its best, Sting's show at the Knight Center last night was enjoyable. Sting does have style, vision and talent.

There was no opening band, so Sting and his band took the stage shortly after 8pm. They opened with 'The Lazarus Heart', the lead song from the new album, '... Nothing Like the Sun'.

As the song was finishing he introduced the band, which includes Branford Marsalis on saxophone and Jeff Campbell, an alumni of the University of Miami, on guitar.

Marsalis, who received a roar of recognition, played excellently but perhaps a bit too often. His sax complimented Sting's vocals but also competed too often with them. Other songs from his new album followed in drawn-out succession.

The red, green and yellow lights that bathed the stage, and the monotonous percussion, seemed to mesmerize the crowd, who came to life when Sting stopped to chat about being in Miami, and when he asked them to join him singing. "One world is enough for all of us" he called out, and the audience responded in kind.

When he announced an intermission and led his band off the stage after about an hour of playing, the crowd stirred again. They seemed to be anticipating some Police (his former group) songs upon his return.

After 20 minutes with the lights on, the audience was up again.

But overall the evening was a disappointment. For all his virtues, the show was rarely inspired.

I suppose you could say a performer is only as good as his audience. The audience last night was filled with admirers who were, for the most part, passive. Very few people got out of their seats and danced to the melodic jazz-rock the band played down.

Rabid his fans weren't. They seemed appreciative yet distant.

Unfortunately, Sting seemed incapable of bringing the audience closer. It seemed as if he expected nothing more than acceptance and mild enthusiasm.

Sting changed shirts, but apparently not his game plan, during mellow songs, including 'Fragile', intermission. He performed more which he dedicated to Jaco Pastorius, the late bassist of Weather Report fame who died last year after a fight at a Broward bar.

Finally, he introduced 'Roxanne' and the crowd went wild.

Urging them to help him out because his vocal chords were faltering (head cold or early tour strain?), the singer seemed to finally get through to those he was trying to win over.

The band finished with a relatively wimpy version of 'Don't Stand So Close to Me'. There was just too much rhythm and not enough "umph!"

The encore consisted of a soulful rendering of 'The Secret Marriage', and 'Message in a Bottle', a Police classic.

Sting left the stage promising, "Thank you, Miami. We won't forget you."

I don't know if I can say the same about last night's show.

(c) Miami News by Chris Potash