Though music has no race, “black” music is often characterized as being full of emotion – spirited enough to make the listener not only hear it, but also feel it. “Black” music has soul.
Last night, Valerie Simpson of the legendary music writing/performing duo Ashford & Simpson, performed at Little Black Pearl (LBP) in Chicago, a community arts center located in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood. The performance was a part of an ongoing series at LBP called Black: Unplugged. The purpose of the series is to introduce the Bronzeville community to an innovative blend of the arts, providing both live poetry and musical performances.
Simpson was joined on stage by smooth jazz artist Najee, Frank McComb and Terri Lyne Carrington. The musicians provided sounds for some of Chicago’s prominent black professionals and the audience enjoyed every bit of it.
Simpson, killer chops and all, made sure to pay homage to her husband during the show, the late Nikolas Ashford. He died in 2011, but left an amazing legacy for the world to share. The duo specialized in producing some of Motown’s best romance songs like “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, “You’re All I Need to Get By,” and “Your Precious Love.” Though she did a stellar job performing a few hits from their catalog, you could tell Simpson missed performing alongside her husband.
Before the show began, the musicians sat down to discuss their definition of soulful music, maintaining longevity within the music industry and their musical influences. Check it out here:
[jwplatform rSiPK9pP]
For the past 20 years, LBP has worked tirelessly to create a positive and productive environment for underserved youth on the southside of Chicago. With a focus on education, the center has expanded its artistic initiatives beyond measure and will continue providing enjoyable performances for members of the community.
[jwplatform DdD4cpcH]
