Concert Review- Black Rock Coalition Orchestra
Stevie- A Life In The Key of Songs-
Innervisions and Fulfillingness’ First Finale
Brooklyn Academy of Music 5/15/26
A small army of virtuoso musicians performing rousing renditions of timeless music in a lovely venue.
That’s the scenario as the magnificent Black Rock Coalition Orchestra takes on five of Stevie Wonder’s greatest albums spread over three memorable nights- ending tonight at BAM.
And this music lover was blessed to have been there yesterday for their distinctive takes on his brilliant Innervisions and Fulfillingness’ First Finale.
To say I was wowed by this event would be an understatement.
Showstoppers included Higher Ground, Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing, Living For The City, Jesus Children of America, Creepin’ and You Haven’t Done Nothin’.
I counted 17 remarkable artists on stage and a handful of revolving singers doing their eclectic takes on these classic tunes, with the incredible Sandra St. Victor stealing the show. If you’re not familiar with her, you should be. Think LaBelle- Patti/Nona Hendryx/Sarah Dash level great with their charisma and fashion style to boot. Every time she walked out on that stage, the venue rocked.
My only suggestion for future such events by BRC would be, rather than having an intermission, to do as the legendary Darlene Love recently did at Queens College and include a dynamic video segment highlighting the artists you showcase. It not only gives the hard-working band members a break but keeps the audience on their high. This was reinforced when I overheard a young usher saying he wasn’t all that familiar with Stevie’s work and only “knew a few of his songs.” I, for example, would have enjoyed learning more about the “back story” of these two classic albums, described as occurring during Stevie’s “peak genius period” in his 20s. Just what inspired five masterpieces within a decade of each other? A short video would have been illuminating.
Speaking of back stories, “Stevie: A Life In The Key of Songs” is the latest in PoetWarrior Productions’ ‘Black Masters Concert Series,’ which featured the BRC Orchestra on retrospectives for Curtis Mayfield (2022), and Sly & The Family Stone (2024). “Stevie” is PoetWarrior’s most ambitious project to date.
Director of Operations, Darrell M. McNeill went on to say-
“I get triggered when folks refer to what I do with the BRC Orchestra as “tributes” or “cover band.”
The BRC Orchestra is a world-class repertory company specializing in the apex catalog of the Black genius popular music canon…
It’s like saying the London Symphony is a “cover band.” Or the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra is a “cover band.” Or the Berlin Philharmonic is a “cover band.”
The Black popular music canon is the ore genesis to every popular American—and by extension, the globe—form of music there is.”
The BRC detailed their struggle-
“Don’t know if we’ve shared this story, but during and after the pandemic, bookings for the BRC Orchestra dried up. The Orchestra had been reclaiming legacies, centering Black musical genius, and gracing stages steadily since 1986, and then…crickets. When stages opened up again, the gatekeeping was real. The undervaluing was real. The othering was real.
After decades of culturally impactful work, the need to try to prove our worth to the people with the pockets was frustrating and exhausting. So, the BRC Orchestra—with still so much to say—sat silent. Until our Director of Operations, Darrell M. McNeill, kicked his PoetWarrior Productions company into gear and CREATED space and opportunity for the BRC Orchestra to perform again.”
And this jaded old music fan who has seen the very best of the best, including Stevie live, is so very glad that the BRC Orchestra is, in fact, performing again.
How about that long-overdue Bobby Womack retrospective featuring his “The Poet” era masterpieces?
Just thinkin’ out loud, guys.
Thank you for an incredible night and your amazing artistry.
Bravo.
Contacts:
Visit www.blackrockcoalition.org for more.
https://www.facebook.com/PoetWarriorProductionsLLC
Evan Ginzburg was an Associate Producer on Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler and 350 Days starring Bret Hart and Superstar Billy Graham. He is a 30-plus-year veteran in film, radio, and TV. His latest book is Grindhouse, Arthouse, and Wrestling Flicks, and his previous book, Wrestling Rings, Blackboards, and Movie Sets, is available on Amazon.
