Anita Baker Concert Review
Ravinia Park, Highland Park, IL, USA, June 11, 2018
by Maja Rios for Unrated Magazine
Anita Baker has always been one of my favorite vocalist/songwriters. She did not disappoint! Outstanding singing even better than her recordings!
Anita had a 9 piece band that included acoustic grand piano, alto sax, guitar, electric bass, drums, electric piano, and three background singers. The band was excellent, especially the acoustic pianist. Most of the players’ names, however, were not mentioned in the program book, which I would have liked.
Anita started off her set with a rousing version of Labelle’s “Creole Lady Marmalade”…great!. Then Anita proceeded to run through all her biggest hits that included, “Mystery”, “Sweet Love”” Rapture” “No One In The World”, “Been So Long”, “Angel”, “Just Because’, “Giving You The Best That I’ve’Got’, and one of my favorites in duo with acoustic piano, “Whatever It Takes nd!
The most surprising thing of the night and a little distracting though, was when Anita dropped out of a few of her tunes while band vamped on, and complained of sound mix to engineer, that she didn’t like the balance of the P>A.
mix. ”Put more crossover,” she said loudly on the mike. She then started over several of her songs due to her dislike of the mix. I thought all mixes sounded good though! She also let audience finish some of her songs, and the audience knew every word and sounded great in unison singing her lyrics. Amazing!
A sold-out show in both pavilion and lawn, even in the rain and cold, Anita thanked the crowd over and over for coming to see her in the rain.
Beautiful visual backdrops of nature scenes added much to show as they blended in with every song. Other than the interruption of sound mixes, Anita glided effortlessly through the vast repertoire of her own amazing compositions that stand the test of time! Great show!
