Music Review by Brian Scott Lipton . . .
Given the extreme amount of audience participation Joshua Henry demanded of his audience at the 92NY on Saturday night at his “Get Up Stand Up” concert, I was a little surprised we weren’t asked to follow those specific commands. And to Henry’s credit, he sincerely wanted the audience to have just as good a time as he was, which is probably why he relied so heavily on the kind of call-and-response common in African-American churches, asking the audiences to sing certain parts of songs, talk to their neighbors, and properly pronounce the word “soul.”
While being part of someone else’s show just isn’t my thing, I wasn’t surprised that by the end of the 90-minute evening, it took no exhortation for everyone (including me) in Kaufmann Hall to rise to their feet to show their appreciation for Henry’s thrilling vocals, which he demonstrated brilliantly on a large selection of R&B classics as well as Broadway show tunes.
While Henry told the audience he still has trouble believing he’s a Broadway star, I can’t imagine why. He is, shall we say, very easy on the eyes, has an infectious personality—yet can appear sad, thoughtful or even threatening in the right role—and his voice is incredibly strong yet flexible. Indeed, as he proved, he can even do wonders with songs written for women, as demonstrated by his glorious, unique renditions of “Summertime” and “Tomorrow,” which respectively opened and closed the concert.
As was no surprise, his takes on three songs from Hamilton—in which he starred as Aaron Burr in Chicago and the show’s national tour—were pure perfection: “Dear Theodosia,” “Wait for It” and “The Room Where It Happens.” He also mesmerized the crowd with a truly beautiful “If I Loved You” (from Carousel) in which he let his excellent supporting band take a break while he played guitar; and, a moving “No One Is Alone” (from Into the Woods).
Technically, Broadway was also represented by Henry’s second number, the explosive “Feeling Good” (which was written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley for The Roar of the Greasepaint), although the song, best known for its covers by Nina Simone and Michael Buble, is now more of a pop-soul classic.
It also provided a perfect lead-in for the show’s next half-hour, which was devoted to such classic “soul” hits as “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “When a Man Loves a Woman,” “You Make Me Feel (Like a Natural Woman),” “Kiss” and “Shining Star,” to name a few, each delivered with stirring conviction. And yes, James Brown’s 1976 barn-burner “Get Up Offa That Thing” made a most welcome appearance about halfway through the show!
Yet, as great as all these numbers were, Henry’s crowing movement was a blistering rendition of Sam Cooke’s still relevant and undeniably powerful “A Change Is Gonna Come.” If the Sam Cooke story ever comes to Broadway, I’ve got the perfect leading man for it!
Joshua Henry: Get Up, Stand Up took place Saturday, November 18 at 92Y (1395 Lexington Avenue, between 91st and 92nd Streets). www.92y.org
Photos: Richard Termine
