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RICKIE LEE JONES
Live At Red Rocks (Artemis)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
I've seen Rickie Lee Jones do a lousy show, one where she obviously didn't want to be there, was clearly furious with somebody backstage and the promoter and perhaps all of us sitting in the crowd, and I went home feeling more sorrowful than ripped off. I suppose that's because I'd previously seen Rickie Lee Jones perform magic on another stage, conjuring sounds of thunder and coaxing a moaning wind and other ambient sounds that intertwined with the music on her stage, all of us in the audience in a sort of trance through it all. The most memorable vision from that show is of Jones, waifish, eyes closed, arms outstretched, singing the a cappella section of "Weasel And The White Boy's Cool," and for just a moment time stood still, the vision hanging like a painting that stays with me still. Everything was perfect that night; the band was spectacular, the stage was arranged in a beautiful set, the sound was warm and filled every molecule of air until we breathed the music, and Rickie... Well, that was a night marked "Perfect" in the diary of Rickie Lee Jones. On my way home from the other show, the angry show, the show marked "Fire someone," I just did my best to remember "Perfect."
Now I don't have to strain too hard. Rickie had another "Perfect" on this night at the famous Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado in 2001. The show opens with an enthusiastic performance of "Rodeo Girl," and she has the crowd in the palm of her hand within two minutes. The backing vocalists get down with Rickie on "Satellites," and from that point on the crowd is completely addicted to the whole atmosphere of the show. When Rickie takes the stage alone for a solo version of "Chuck E's in Love," she tells the audience to pretend they just met her, then tell her what they think later. They don't wait that long, cheering and clapping in time all the way through until the moment the song breaks timing and slows down. Right in the middle of the lyric, Rickie tells the crowd "I think it was really admirable of you to keep time with me as long as you did." She continues with the lyric for a moment, "Is he here? I look in the pool hall..." then adds "Because I go through a lot of drummers, you know." This kind of relaxed banter delights the audience. It makes 10,000 people feel like they're at a small gathering of friends. Such is the charm of Rickie Lee Jones on a perfect night.
Almost every song is a highlight, so take your pick. Lyle Lovett joins Rickie on stage for "Love Is Gonna Bring Us Back Alive," but it's not the event you might expect. His part in it is really not what it should have been. The real star of that tune is Sal Bernardi, who plays the hell out of his harmonica on what otherwise might have been the only so-so track on the disc. The crowd demands an encore and, of course, Rickie and company comply, coming through with a neat cover of Them's "Gloria." Rickie begins to explain why they do the song, but suddenly giggles and simplifies, saying "weeee just like to play it!" Well, hell yeah, that works.
Rickie's fine night at Red Rocks also included performances of "We Belong Together," the still-spooky "Coolsville," "Just My Baby," "Flying Cowboys," "Youngblood," and the old Gerry & The Pacemaker's classic "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying." It was recorded like most of her shows are recorded: with no intention of commercial release, but somehow or another it ended up on the shelves, and it needed to. It's a wonderful concert that will be welcome medicine for anyone who might just need to hear what Rickie Lee Jones sounds like on a "Perfect" night. On such a night, there are few better.
© 2002 - DJ Johnson