By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
November 24, 1986
At barely 5 feet and 90 pounds, Anita Baker is as talented as she is petite. Her soldout concert Saturday night at the Arie Crown Theater — the second of three consecutive Chicago dates – proved that she has no problem matching the exuberance and joy she expresses on her gold album, “Rapture.”
Though the show lasted just over an hour and included no encores, Baker charmed the well-heeled audience with her singing and charisma. While many of today’s pop divas appear on stage as if they’re doing us a favor, Baker seemed wide-eyed and genuinely happy to be performing for a live audience. When members of the audience yelled out to her, she stopped what she was saying to answer them. When’s the last time you’ve seen that happen at a concert?
Baker opened with “Caught Up in the Rapture,” one of the searing songs off the album. Her rich voice was a meshing of blues and jazz and her dance steps were an entertaining cross between Diana Ross and Cyndi Lauper. Backed by a crackerjack five-piece band and three singers, Baker turned the number into an anthemic lovesong.
Actually, the whole evening had a loving feel to it. The stage setup helped emphasize the romantic mood. With green shrubs placed near the front of the stage and the sparkling lights set against the pitch-black background, it was almost like being at Ravinia ( minus the bugs and picnic baskets).
By the time Baker crooned “You Bring Me Joy,” couples were holding hands, swaying back and forth to her encouragement.
“No One in the World” didn’t sound quite as clear as it does on record, but the smokey number sizzled when Baker, dressed in a flowing white outfit, sauntered back and forth on stage singing, “Everytime I’m with someone, I’m loving you.”
Mayor Harold Washington came onstage after “Caught Up in the Rapture” and presented Baker with a key to the city. After inadvertently calling her Anita Bryant, the mayor nuzzled up to Baker and joked, “My name and phone number is on it.”
Part of Baker’s charm is that the former Detroiter is still unjaded by her recent success. When presented with a dozen red roses and a crystal dish at the end of the show, she giggled like a schoolgirl who had just been asked to the prom. When the same presenter offered to take the flowers offstage for her, she screamed, “noooooo,” and clung onto them before gently placing them on the drum riser.
But even her charm is no match for her voice – a finely tuned, rich instrument that never faltered in concert. Baker changed octaves with deft agility. She sang with ease the entire evening, alternating between a throaty, almost scatlike singing style and an intense echo of a Baptist choir singer.
Baker didn’t have much physical contact with the audience. But when she went near the front of the stage to shake hands, men literally jumped out of their chairs trying to touch her tiny hand.
It was amusing to watch because I was called a teeny bopper for trying to do the same thing at rock concerts many, many years ago. It was nice to see adults let loose and show the same kind of excitement and, yes, silliness, common to kids today.
