Klaus Gassmann (front, second from right) has come up with another great production. His “Women in Blues” celebrated with 400 fans a genre that has found many outstanding interpreters in its history. Photo: Gerold
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From Peter Wiest
Mannheim. You have the blues – and how! Six women with a powerful voice, plus seven excellent musicians. All together with treasures from 100 years of music history: It was an almost intoxicating premiere in places, the Klaus Gassmanns new production “Women in Blues” im Luisenpark celebrated.
Around 90 minutes of the very best of music and a stage presence that is well worth seeing: Exactly the right thing for an evening in the wonderful ambience of the lake stage. Around 400 spectators were lucky enough to be able to attend the event, which was sold out according to Corona regulations – and gave a standing ovation. “Women in Blues” is a tribute to the sheer power of the blues. And of course also in front of the interpreters who have sung this music over the past 100 years and thus given it a very special meaning.
The “Neckarbrückenblues” could not be missing
Names like Etta James, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, of course Janis Joplin and, more recently, Amy Winehouse or Joss Stone are in the spotlight with songs that have long since become classics such as “Feeling Good”, “I’d rather go blind” or “Me And Mr. Jones”. In this way, the show becomes, on the one hand, an homage to the blues, and on the other hand, to the singers who shaped it and thus also branded discrimination, racism and the disadvantage of women.
How much women in particular have the blues, how they can sing and embody it, was demonstrated by all six singers on the lake stage. They interpreted the genre in their own personal way. They were absolutely powerful in their voices, whereby Lisa Benjamin and Donniele Graves For those special goosebumps moments: Benjamin with a penetrating version of Erma Franklin’s “Gotta find me a Lover”, Graves with an interpretation of “Summertime” specially arranged for this show.
Menoosha Susungi roused audiences to repeated spontaneous applause with BB King’s “The Thrill is Gone”; Flore Mayima thrilled with Joss Stones “Super Duper Love”. The one that was flown in from Italy as a “special guest” Daria Biancardi After all, it wasn’t just Donny Hathaway’s “I love you more than you’ll ever know” that literally sang her soul out of her body and revealed her multifaceted vocal power. The highlight with local color on the lake stage was the special Mannheimer or better “Monnemer” blues, as shaped by Joy Fleming, who died in 2017. It was of course clear that their already legendary piece “Neckarbrückenblues” could not be missing from such a concert. It succeeded in tearing her audience from the lake stage benches Susan Horn as another special guest singer at this home game excellent. In dialect and with convincing vocally and vocal escapades, she went out of her way. And she kept sending the blues fans “schun aries riwwer unn niwwer iwwer die Brick”.
There was a great band behind the great voices of the “Women of Blues” that evening. The show was one of the most successful premieres in recent years. And those on stage enjoyed it at least as much as the audience that live concerts with real interaction are possible again. Klaus Gassmann also emphasized how nice it is to be “finally back on stage after a year and a half.” And to feel the enthusiasm in the stands. The “Women in Blues” were only too happy to grant the required encores.
Info: The show “Women in Blues” will be a guest at the Mannheim Capitol on January 8, 2022.
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