By DIANE LARCHE’
It’s part music, inspiration and education. The Essence Music Festival in New Orleans over the Fourth of July weekend started in 1995 as a one-time event to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Essence Magazine. It’s now an annual event in its 17th year and has been presented by Atlanta-based Coca Cola Company for 15 years. Essence, the largest annual African-American cultural event in the country, draws nearly a half-million people to the Crescent City and Louisiana Superdome and pumps more than $100 million into an economy that could use a boost.
Only away from New Orleans for several years after Hurricane Katrina and taking up temporary residence in Houston in 2006, the fest has drawn more than 3 million people and added more than $1.7 billion to the Louisiana economy over the years.
It has been regaining steam since returning in 2007. More than six years removed from the catastrophic hurricane, New Orleans still has cleaning up to do as many communities still have major devastation from the storm.
New Edition was a great addition to the Essence Music Festival this year. To the delight of their intergenerational fans over a 30 year span, yes can you believe its been 30 years since “Mr. Telephone Man,””Candy Girl” and a string of bubble gum songs catapulted the Boston born group to stardom. The original New Edition — Ralph Tresvant, Ronnie DeVoe, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell and Michael Bivens, along with later addition Johnny Gill, performed a repertoire of songs as a group and made room for individual solo projects of Bobby, Bell Biv DeVoe, Tresvant and Gill. A tour is in the planning. The group sported white dinner jackets with black vests and pants, and had the crowd on its feet singing along and dancing in the aisles. Later in the interview room, journalists eager to hear what’s been going on with the group since they last performed experienced a lock out when the media room got so full reporters were turned away.
There is a major problem with Essence but it’s a good problem to have: So much to do and so little time to do it all. With educational and informational sessions going on at the Convention Center, performances on the main stage and those going on simultaneously in smaller spaces called “Super Lounges” it can be difficult to see it all.
The lounges where George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic (McDonald’s Super Lounge Stage) and Doug E. Fresh (Essence Super Lounge Stage) performed were both over capacity with long lines snaking around the arena as die hard fans waited. Either of these groups could have performed in the main arena that seats thousands.
Not to disappoint, and in Funkadelic wild fashion, the group was dressed in glitter with one shirtless member dressed in a
white feather hat, white feather pants with a silver bejeweled belt doing hand stands on tall speakers on stage. Doug E. Fresh (who has a dance named for him), and Clinton have devoted followers who know every word to every song performed.
Trey Songz, no longer an opening act on the big stage, graduated to sophomore status Saturday night, following opener Detroit’s amazing singer/keyboardist Kem, who teamed up with vocalist Ledisi to perform “If It’s Love” from his new album “Intimacy.” New Orleans native and Oakland resident Ledisi said Essence put her on the map. “Everyone now knows me” she said.
Crooner Charlie Wilson, a perennial favorite, mixes old school and contemporary music with such ease no wonder longevity is his to behold. The high energy, fedora hat-wearing legend with the dazzling coordinated glittery outfits has still got it; his show is not a performance but an experience.
Whether dancing to the upbeat “You Dropped A Bomb On Me” his hit with the Gap Band, or his recent sing-along ballad “There Goes My Baby,” “Uncle” Charlie puts on an engaging must-see show that is headed to Chastain Park Friday, July 15.
While Mary J. Blige did a great job as closer of the fest on Sunday, Frankie Beverly and Maze, who haven’t appeared here in the last few years, are missed.
Other weekend highlights included performances by Usher, Kanye West, El DeBarge, Chaka Khan who is working on a new album due out this year, Jennifer Hudson and Jill Scott, who sang tunes from her new chart-topping album “The Light of The Sun.”
Kanye West took everyone by surprise by coming up on a riser in the center of the arena among the fans and walking through the crowd on his way to the stage, shaking hands like a politician. There were lots of visual effects with sparks and smoke
Coca-Cola’s 125th anniversary celebration rolled out a huge designer cake in the shape of a Coke bottle to the oohs and ahhs of the guests enjoying dinner and dancing.
Actresses Ruby Dee and Angela Bassett were at McDonald’s 365 Awards luncheon on Friday with honoree Dee reciting poetry. TV One founder Cathy Hughes was also honored along with Mary J. Blige and others.
Verizon Wireless sponsored a tribute Sunday to Gospel Greats BeBe and CeCe Winans with a tribute by Kierra Sheard singing tunes from her new CD “Free.” TV One was the official broadcast sponsor of the 2011 Essence Music Festival for the third year.