Nothing Like The Sun: 1987/88

Sting wows crowd with a musical mix...

In front of a grandstand crowd of 9,000 Sting and his virtuosic eight-piece band proved they could dish up a musical mix more varied than the Central New York weather that was threatening their show.

The lightning striking in the distance almost seemed to make a perfect circle around the Fairgrounds, as the songwriter and his ensemble weaved a melodic mix of rock, folk, reggae and jazz.

The audience was bothered only by one brief downpour during intermission and by the show's end, a dull orange moon had reappeared. It's the same moon that made a well-timed debut, above the blue, green and yellow neon of the small ferris wheel, as Sting offered his composition 'Sister Moon'. That ballad best demonstrates the distance Sting has traveled artistically since he first brought the Police to Syracuse's Firebarn in 1978, a visit he recalled to the crowd's delight.

Written about the lunacy induced by the moon, 'Sister Moon' finds the one-time conveyor of quirky pop emerging as a serious composer.

His whiny vocals work their way in and out of the multi-layered rhythms, before giving way to Branford Marsalis' fluttering soprano saxophone solo and Kenny Kirkland's delicate piano work. Mino Cinueli's fiery percussion paces the entire work.

From this, the band segued into 'Rock Steady', an upbeat Caribbean-influenced number, based on the story of Noah's Ark.

Sting also sang out in honor of Nelson Mandela ('If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free'), against the regime of Chilean leader Pinochet ('They Dance Alone') and in ridicule of Ronald Reagan, George Bush and Dan Quayle ('Consider Me Dumb'.)

Marsalis, performing on tenor, alto and soprano saxophone, was the evening's most impressive musician, although the entire band was top-notch. The NewOrleans-bred sax man soloed on nearly every tune, as well as offering subtle counterpoint to the big beat the band offered on tunes such as 'Rock Steady' and 'Don't Stand So Close to Me'. Marsalis also demonstrated an amazing stage presence, joking and two-stepping around stage with the star when he wasn't blowing.

Sting closed his show with the Gil Evans arrangement of 'Little Wing', that appeared on his last album, with guitarist Jeff Campbell aping Jimi Hendrix's licks.

A standing ovation brought a rendition of 'Home on the Range' - no kidding - before Sting and the band launched into a string of encores, anchored by some of the Police's biggest hits.

(c) The Post-Standard by Brian G. Bourke

Sting sang in Syracuse Saturday night - Jazzy band puts Sting in concert at New York Fair...

British pop stars and American jazz don't often mix, but Sting made such a musical marriage a reality Saturday evening when he performed at the New York State Fair.

Dire Before an enthusiastic crowd of 10,000 Sting and his eight piece band took the stage at 8:15pm amidst a barrage of 3 Latin percussion and launched into a lively version of The Lazarus Heart, one of nine selections he played from the current LP, 'Nothing Like The Sun'.

From the opening lines of that first song, it was apparent to the audience that Sting would give no ordinary show Sting who used this date as a warm up for his forthcoming Amnesty International tour with Peter Gabriel and Bruce Springsteen played two jazz-inspired sets, with just enough of his old hits thrown in.

Since he first arrived on the pop scene in 1977 as the singer and bassist for The Police, Sting has had the good fortune o selling millions of records and being a darling of the press.

After Saturday's performance, it was obvious why..

Though never losing sight of his commercial pop sensibility, Sting has used his solo career to explore more esoteric styles, mainly contemporary jazz. His band features Bradford Marsalis on sax and Kenny Kirkland on keyboards - among the best in the field.

Sting didn't waste the band members talents by using them merely to back him up on old Police hits. He made the band the central focus of his live appearances, and the band stole the show. Sting and his jazzy pals effectively danced around a wide spectrum of musical styles, including rock, reggae, Latin, folk, and rhythm & blues. However, improvisational jazz was always the base. There were plenty of impressive solos especially from Marsalis), yet it never be came indulgent.

Even on the old Police standards like 'One World', 'King of Pain', and 'Don't Stand So Close To Me', Sting left enough of the band's talent at the forefront to: take those songs to a new dimension. In fact, the musical highlight of the night was Kirkland's piano solo in the middle of a standard pop song, 'When The World Is Running Down'.

Sting's stage show, however, was not original.

He borrowed heavily from R&B per formers, using Temptations-styled choreography and tight, choppy horn stabs give the show musical dynamics. These have been Motown standards for years. 

The show held some surprises that even Sting was not prepared for. Fortunately, it rained only during the intermission (which acted as a natural cooling period for the audience); stopping on cue Sting returned with King of Pain, singing the line: "I've stood here before in the pouring rain..."

Sting also could have left his elaborate light show at home. A sensational electrical storm in the east kept the skies ablaze with colour, after a massive gust of wind blew his backdrop away.

(c) Democrat and Chronicle by Bruce Pilato