KEYS TO THE CITY

Alicia Keys, Recinto Portuario, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Sunday June 6 2010

by JAMES TWEEDIE
The cultural diversity of this island is well represented here tonight. British, German and other ex-patriots from the northern and southern colonies rub shoulders with the local chicharreros and African immigrants.

Unfortunately the crowd is divided into two classes – the Dons in the some at the front of the bus and us poor peones at the back.

Still the view is nice, with the spectacular Mar de Nubes rolling down the craggy eastern hills in the dusk and the masts of the tall sailing craft lining the docks of this open-air venue. The beer flows and so it goes.

The internet buzz from London is that Alicia Keys' Element of Freedom tour has an overtly political message. Sure enough, Warholesque images of John F Kennedy, Mohandas K Ghandi, Bob Marley and Diana Spencer (why?) flash across the big screen along with alternating slogan-words like war and peace, justice and injustice.

The young diva is in crystal-clear voice tonight, hopping effortlessly between material from her four albums and from her piano stool to pouring out her laid-back, seductive and soulful delivery for the audience to lap up.

Keys' performance is professional without being ostentatious, warm and charming without being schmaltzy. She shares the glory with the rest of her band, letting the backing singers share the limelight.

Tonight's highlight number has to be the provocatively-titled closer Empire State of Mind, a tribute to her home New York that has been covered by rapper Jay-Z.

Keys keeps the flame burning for jazz and soul in an age dominated by carbon-copy commercial R&B. She more than makes up for Whitney Houston cancelling her gig here in April during the Icelandic volcano saga. The only gripe is that we get less than an hour and a half of her beautiful voice and flowery piano-work.

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