Last evening at SOB’s in New York kicked off with an acoustic performance by John Forte who performed songs from his latest EP Stylefree and other recordings. He opened with “Life Has Just Begun” and moved the crowd during some of this other hit songs like “Critical Time,” “Nervous” and “Breaking Of A Man.” The intimate performance was fitting for the small audience yet packed a punch strong enough to make you feel the same emotions he had when he wrote his songs.
Returning with new material since her 2005 sophomore album Divorcing Neo 2 Marry Soul, Jaguar Wright shifted her sound to Soul and R&B. She belted out popular hits from her previous albums and introduced new songs from the upcoming EP Beautiful, which is scheduled to be released later this year.
Things switched from Acoustic/Hip-Hop to Heart & Soul as Jaguar and Brooklyn Red opened the set with an impromptu role-play of a man and woman’s troublesome relationship. She transitioned into “Stay” from her debut album which showed she still encompasses the same passion expected from an artist of her discredited talent. She followed with “So High” and Maze featuring Frankie Beverly’s “Before I let Go”. As a result of not having her full band on deck, the performance became distracting when she began going back and forth with her keyboardist when they weren’t in tune. The audience began to filter out and Jaguar herself visibly wasn’t rocking with the vibe. She closed with “I’m Not Yours” and “Beautiful” from her new EP followed by her rendition of Pattie LaBelle’s “Love, Need And Want You” which saved the performance from becoming a disappointment. Despite the lack-luster performance, the Philly native can still deliver vocally. –felicia j. barclay
