May 27-June 2, 2004
musicpicks
Teena Marie with The Time
  |
|
jazz
With the proudly old school Prince of Musicology atop the charts, the time is ripe for wily blue-eyed soul and slick, Minneapolis-ian funk. No white woman has sounded as African-American as Teena Marie. From Rick James (who produced her) to radio programmers and record buyers of her day, no one knew, until they saw, that Marie was Caucasian. Her sensuous singing and winding writing style -- from the Brazi-balladry of "Portuguese Love" to the disco-funk throw-down "Square Biz" -- are incomparable on her fresh-sounding new Cash Money (!) label CD, La Dona. Then, there is The Time. Too often regarded as a Prince-ly afterthought, singer Morris Day, guitarist Jesse Johnson and sideman Jerome Benton made sleek, melodic synth-funk -- oh yeah, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were in the band -- on albums like What Time Is It? to rival the Purple One.
Sun., May 29, 8 p.m., $52-$62, Tower Theater, 69th and Ludlow sts., 215-336-2000.
-- Respond to this article in our Forums -- click to jump there
