San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
What’s new in arts
‘Higher & Higher’ an hour and a half of music and memories
Two timeless songs performed by Chester Gregory during his “Higher & Higher: A Rock ’n’ Soul Shindig” concert stirred me to the core, because when the virtual show was over, I turned to Alexa and asked her to play “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke, and after that “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye. I just had to hear them again, in their original incarnations.
Not that Gregory, a Broadway performer with “Hairspray” and “Sister Act” and “Motown: The Musical” on his résumé, didn’t give them his all. He stars in this 90-minute show presented by the Chicago-based Artists Lounge Live. It’s being offered and presented here through April 18 by the San Diego Repertory Theatre.
Backed by a tight, relatively unobtrusive band and two side vocalists, the personable and sincere Gregory performs a variety of what have become standards from the soul, R&B and rock idioms. He leans heavily on Otis Redding, and who can blame him for that? But also on Jackie Wilson, whom he first portrayed in the musical “The Jackie Wilson Story” more than 20 years ago. It was Gregory’s breakthrough in the biz.
Preceding his cover of Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You,” Gregory recounts a long story about performing for the superstar, like himself a native of Gary, Ind. Throughout the show, in fact, Gregory’s asides to the unseen virtual audience are warm and well-intended. You can feel that he misses live crowds.
I missed one while watching, too. “Higher & Higher” is a show that cries out for audience response, and lots of it. When Gregory speaks into the stage mic between songs, his voice echoes inside the empty venue. I wonder if I can ask Alexa to play some crowd noise.
“Higher & Higher” tickets, at $40, are priced high. You will get an hour and a half of music and memories, though. sdrep.org