Thankfully, it was much better than I feared it might be. My favorites: Stevie Wonder! Stevie Wonder! Stevie Wonder! -- that guy can still SING! The master of melisma! Neil Young, "Imagine" -- I was so glad someone did it, and Neil turned out to be a surprisingly great choice ... he did it proud. Sheryl Crow -- don't know the song, but I loved it ... full of mystery, great rhythm loop, stark piano ... she sang great and the background singers sang great, and the mighty, masterful Steve Jordan played great on drums! Alicia Keyes -- what *is* that song? its name is on the tip of my ear ... who wrote/sang it? it's got such a cool harmonic turnaround, so oblique ... anyway, she sang and played great, and did in fact remind me of early Aretha in that. Sting -- such a simple, beautiful tune, so understated in delivery, so fragile, so apt. Paul Simon -- dug the middle-eastern tinged, anti-anthem version of Bridge Over Troubled Water (would have been nice to hear Artie's sweet voice, too). Tom Petty -- man, that guy rocks smart! Really, pretty much everyone sounded good ... Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, U2, Pearl Jam, Limp Bizkit/Goo Goo Dolls, Springsteen, Dixie Chicks, Dave Matthews ... and soulful Willie Nelson singing all possible verses of our school room anthem. A good selection ... could have been even better with the addition: Paul, George, Ringo James Taylor Shawn Colvin Ray Charles Aretha CSN Dylan Joni, always Joni. -Fred Simon
