The Brooks & Prince : Wonderful Tribute to His Majesty
Marie-Christine Depestre (front). Photo Belinda Belice.
As part of Black History Month, The Prince Exhibit: His Purple Majesty (until March 3, 2018) ended in the most beautiful way. More than 500 people answered the call of funk with Montreal’s beloved funk band The Brooks. I didn’t know who they were and am glad I know them now. This group of eight musicians are talented. In 2016, they blew up at the Montreal Jazz Festival. If you like funk, I promise you that your ears will be happy. The octet and their guests – Jean-Sebastien Chouinard, Fredy V, Malika Tirolien and Ralph Télémaque – ignited the Club Soda stage. The timeless music of Prince, superb chemistry between artists and some dancing… what else do you need? It was a musical party not to be missed.
Alan Prater (front) & friends. The Brooks. Photo Belinda Belice
14 musicians and music lovers danced for almost two hours, singing Prince’s most popular and memorable songs. The show started with the song Let’s Go Crazy. It’s the singer Fredy V who interpreted it. With his dance moves and lascivious expressions, he placed the audience in the palm of his hand. What I enjoyed about this show is that the singers had a great connection and incredible energy. A remarkable job was put into the production of this show and the team succeeded.
Fredy V (front) & singers. The Brooks. Black History Month in Montreal. Photo Belinda Belice.
They also played I Wanna Be Your Lover and Little Red Corvette. On Kiss, Fredy V and Alan Prater surrounded Malika Tirolien. I discovered many great artists that night and Malika Tirolien is one of them. She was full of confidence on Controversy. She has a powerful voice and her body is inhabited by music and free to do what it wants.
Malika Tirolien. The Brooks. Black History Month in Montreal. Photo Belinda Belice.
I must also talk about Marie-Christine Depestre whom I knew by name. She has a powerful, unctuous voice filled with soul. She was excellent and I loved seeing her on stage. In my opinion, the women stole the show. Alan Prater (The Brooks singer has an amazing voice), Fredy V and Frank Julian are very talented. On the other hand, to see black women shine with a thousand lights and show what they are capable of was amazing to witness.
Frank Julian (front) & singers. The Brooks. Black History Month in Montreal. Photo Belinda Belice.
The show continued with the songs I Will Die for You and When Doves Cry. The piano-voice versions of Do Me Baby and Sometimes It Snows in April were deeply felt by the artists. The harmonies of the four singers were well mastered and pleasant to hear. And how to finish a tribute show to Prince? You guessed right: Purple Rain. It was a beautiful performance and it was obvious that the singers were inhabited by this song. Special mention goes to the singer of The Brooks and the musicians who were right on point.
Prince was an artist who has turned the world of music upside down. His songs are unforgettable and we are lucky that he has offered us his art. The Brooks and their guests showed respect by energetically interpreting Prince’s songs. Black History Month 2018 ended with a great show. Too bad this month doesn’t last all year because there is so much to share that should be celebrated every day.
Black History Month/ Mois histoire des Noirs is an annual event in Montreal. For details, keep an eye out HERE.
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