Oakland’s Finest
One of Oakland’s finest musicians and soul brothers, Raphael “Ray Ray”
Saadiq swept through the Town and I was not about to miss his live
show. Striding onto stage with all the style of a young Sam Cooke, in a
tight fitted 1950’s style deep yellow suit, the first song he performed
was a doo wop number that almost had the whole house doing the twist!
He then ripped through his entire catalogue, mixing up tracks from the
Tone, Tone!, Tone years, numbers such as “Lay Your Head on My Pillow,”
“Just Me and You,” “Anniversary,” and “Girlfriend” to his Lucy Pearl
tracks, and what I came to see: Instant Vintage. Ridiculously slept on,
Instant Vintage, is one of my favorite albums of the past five years.
He performed “Still Ray,” “You’re the One I Like,” and when he came
back on stage for an encore “Skyy, Can You Feel Me,” at which point I
almost lost my mind. Two moments from the show stand out in my mind in
particular…At one point he paid repesects to Oakland, his hometown,
recognizing the rough upbringing he had in East Oakland, and how losing
siblings to violence was his reality and many of his peoples’ reality.
He then bowed his head in silence and remembrance for at least a
minute, and the whole house was right there with him. The other part
was more playful, when he took a seat at the front of the stage,
strapped on his guitar and sang tracks that he’s produced in the past
few years for other people: “Soul Sista” by Bilal, “Lady” by D’Angelo,
and “Soul Brotha” by Angie Stone, are we recognizing a pattern? Not
only has the brother earned an impeccable reputation for himself as a
dope band leader, singer, performer, guitarist, and bassist, but he’s
also hooked other notable artists up with their “signature”
tracks…check out some more pics from the show here.