Review: Black Rep's Fun and Funky TELL ME SOMETHIN' GOOD

The sheer breadth of material from the 1950's to the 1990's covered in TELL ME SOMETHIN' GOOD is just staggering. With the inclusion of over 60 tunes, Ron Himes has conceived a revue that plays like a musical history lesson, transporting us back to the humble beginnings of R&B, and revealing the lasting impact that these songs have made. The Black Rep opens their season with a classic from their repertoire, and it features an enthusiastic and talented cast that are perfectly capable of recreating these vintage numbers for a new generation to enjoy.

The show begins with a rousing take on the title tune. It then flashes back to the days of street corner doo-wop. The quartet of male vocalists (Herman Gordon, Jeffrey Hardin, Samuel Huddleston, and Steven Williams, Jr.) run through numbers like "So Fine" and "Charlie Brown," with a version of "Sixty Minute Man" standing out as a particularly sexy sizzler.

The female foursome (Ronni Gregory, Jennifer Kelly, Alicia Reve Like, and Olivia Neal) answers back with their own scintillating selections culled from the popular girl group recordings of the period, delivering moving vocals on "I Had A Talk with My Man Last Night," and picking the tempo up with a rousing take on "Mama Didn't Lie." But, the highlight of act one is the extended Aretha Franklin suite, which features "Think", an emotionally powerful version of "Ain't No Way." "I Ain't Never Loved a Man," and the showstopping "Dr Feelgood," which closes the act with Dennis Brock walking out from the band area to toss in some tasty licks on his red Fender Stratocaster.

The second act features a plethora of familiar selections from the Motown catalog. There's a tribute to the Supremes, a taste of Stevie Wonder with warm and inviting turns on "My Cherie Amour" and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered". "Shaft," "Jungle Boogie," "Shining Star," and "Lady Marmalade" are all given brief, bouncy renditions before the show heads into it's stretch run. A collection of ballads that are neatly balanced against the upbeat strains of "It's Your Thing", "Give Up the Funk", and "Shoop". Boyz II Men's "End of the Road" recalls and celebrates the music's doo-wop roots, and then the title tunes returns and brings it all home.

The band, led by musical director and pianist Charles Creath, lays down a wickedly solid foundation. Creath is joined by Jimmy Hinds on bass, Stan Hale on drums, Jeff Anderson on saxophone, and Dennis Brock on guitar, and they know how to make a truly joyful noise.

Ron Himes has assembled a group of very good performers who instill these tunes with considerable style and energy. This breezy and entertaining production is aided greatly by Lazette Rayford's lovely choreography. Her outstanding work, especially with Frankie Watson and Heather Beal as the featured dancers, keeps the visuals from becoming too static. Jim Burwinkel's bi-level scenic designs adds some levels, and it's outlined by the old Motown logo, "Hitsville USA". Sean Savoie's lighting nicely complements the dance party atmosphere, and Daryl Harris's costumes effectively evoke the fashion trends of the decades covered.

The Black Rep's fun and funky production of TELL ME SOMETHIN' GOOD continues through September 20, 2015 at the Edison Theater on the campus of Washington University.

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