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07.13.2006
Jon Secada Review from Buffalo News on ArtPark Show |
MUSIC
At Artpark, Jon Secada shows he's still got it
By LAUREN TAGLIAFERRO
News Staff Reviewer
6/14/2006
LEWISTON - Jon Secada is still swoon-worthy. Not that the Cuban singer was gone for long - he enjoyed his last overwhelming pop success on the charts in the early '90s - but at Artpark's Tuesday in the Park, Secada was at the top of his game.
Dancing around the stage, Secada was a consummate showman - belting out his new single, "Window to My Heart," as well as his early hits "Angel" (in English and Spanish) and "Do You Believe in Us." Members of the previously staid crowd soon jumped to their feet and turned the outdoor amphitheater into a veritable soft-rock extravaganza. It was all you could do to keep from screaming "I love you, Jon!" and grooving yourself.
Not bad for a man who used to write songs for other people.
Secada started out singing backup and writing songs for Gloria Estefan, including her post-accident hit, "Coming Out of the Dark." In fact, it was her "Coming Out of the Dark" tour that launched his solo career. Estefan let Secada showcase his talent at her concerts, and the rest, as they say, is history.
After a couple of stints on Broadway, including roles in "Cabaret" and "Grease," Secada went back to the studio and recorded his most recent album, "Same Dream."
But Secada didn't stick to just playing songs from "Same Dream." His repertoire included a medley of songs he wrote for Estefan and a jazzy rendition of "I Don't Care Much" from "Cabaret." Fantastically, he brought up a woman from the audience to sing to her "She's All I Ever Had," which he wrote for Ricky Martin. She clearly loved it - and the rest of us, obviously, were at least a little jealous.
But why wouldn't you want to be on stage with a man who brings the house down with a cover of Earth, Wind and Fire's "Dancing in September?" (with a terrific backing band, too - Secada's trumpet and saxophone players were excellent).
After closing the show with a bilingual version of "Just Another Day (Without You)," Secada left the Artpark-goers a satisfied audience indeed.
Opener the Rodney Appleby Band featured a funky jazz that complemented the laid-back atmosphere of the alfresco venue. In all, a seriously good time Tuesday night at the Niagara River.
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