Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton return to Chicago’s City Winery for the first of a two-night engagement.
Every time Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton come to town, the crowds come flocking. Within two seconds of her taking to the stage, it’s clear to see why. The audience were so happy to see her return to the City Winery stage, some people in the front rows even brought her flowers. It’s not that often that you will see people get multiple standing ovation, but Lisa was receiving these right from song two and throughout the rest of the set.
Lisa’s voice is truly unlike anything you would have heard before. Its control, power and crystal clarity are phenomenal. It’s impossible to see her performance and not be moved by the abundance of emotion she projects. She has an incredible range and singing for her appears so effortless. Add to that the two different microphones she uses to create the desired effects, and you get a unique performance.
The set was made up of Lisa and Grand Baton’s interpretations of classic rock songs, including Robert Palmer’s “Addicted To Love” and The Police’s “Message In A Bottle.” However, the biggest cheers of the night undoubtedly were for The Rolling Stones’ “Miss You” and her own “How Can I Ease The Pain.” The night was rounded off with full audience participation of The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” which even included additional vocals from audience members and Sweet Honey In The Rock who were also there to enjoy the show. If you’ve ever seen Fischer perform with The Rolling Stones, you’ll appreciate the relevance of this song. Lisa’s vocals feature heavily in this songs during their live shows and captivates the crowd so much, you’d be forgiven for not noticing The Stones’ on the stage.
Lisa was accompanied by Grand Baton, a band made up of some truly outstanding musicians. JC Maillard is the musical director who alternated between performing beautiful melodies on the piano to some of the rockiest guitar licks. His role in the re-workings of these classic songs is clearly evident. Grand Baton is rounded out by Theirry Arpino on drums, and Aidan Carroll on bass both of whom get opportunities to take the spotlight and display the extent of their skills at various points in the show. Arpino received a standing ovation for his drum solo, which is not something typically seen at a show. After all the years of performing together, Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton are one well-oiled machine.
Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton are heading over to the UK, before heading back to the US for a string of shows in March. This is a show unlike any other so be sure to get yourself along if they come to a venue near you.
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