Charles Bradley & The Extraordinaires – Powerstation

Soul veteran Charles Bradley, the “Screaming Eagle Of Soul”, spread his wings around a small but enthusiastic crowd at Auckland’s Powerstation and filled the venue with love and happiness.

The 66-year old performer emerged on the Powerstation stage, resplendent in a black-sequined jump suit shortly before 10pm, but not before his ace band, The Extraordinaires laid down a funky groove with a brief overture.

Trumpet player Billy (The Kid) Aukstik played the MC, revving up the crowd and introducing Bradley as, “the one, the only, the screaming eagle of soul, Mr Charles Bradley!”

Bradley and the band quickly got down to business playing a pleading Heartaches And Pain, from No Time For Dreaming. The band, driven by the two-man horn section, was indeed extraordinary, playing with as much heart and soul as you could ask for.

For the record they are, in addition to Aukstik, sax player Freddy DeBoe, guitarist Paul Schalda, organist Will Schalda, bass player Vince Chiarito and drummer Caito Sanchez.

Bradley sweated and sang his way through Love Bug Blues and The World then brought the tempo down for How Long.

“Do you feel like going to church?” he asked the crowd, “I’ll take you there”.

And he did, throwing his mic stand over his shoulder and dropping to his knees in classic James Brown fashion.

After You Put The Flame On It, Bradley left the stage and the band cooked up some fine-sounding Memphis-style soul on their own.

Charles returned in a brown suit.

“Are you ready for round two?”, asked Billy The Kid, “’cause CB’s coming full force!”.

Bradley showed off his best moves, gyrating his hips and belting out Strictly Reserved For You and Confusion.

The set ended with an extended Let Love Stand A Chance…”my favourite one”, exclaimed Charles. The screaming eagle made his way into the crowd giving out hugs to anyone and everyone.

Things got even funkier for the encore.

This Love Ain’t Big Enough For The Two Of Us…a 2006 single…really showed off his admiration for JB and it rightly segued into the Godfather’s Funky Good Time which in turn gave the bandmembers a chance to solo and stretch out.

The evening finished with a song that Charles described as, “my life story”, Why Is It So Hard?”. He interjected a bit of preaching about the trials of living in America. All I can say is, take it from me, it’s much better in New Zealand…Charles Bradley should come around more often.

Marty Duda

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Michael Flynn:

Charles Bradley set list:

1. Overture
2. Heartaches And Pain
3. Love Bug Blues
4. The World (Is Going Up In Flames)
5. How Long
6. You Put The Flame On It
7. Instrumental Jam
8. I Might Just Do You In
9. Lovin’ You, Baby
10. Strictly Reserved For You
11. Confusion
12. Let Love Stand A Chance
13. This Love Ain’t Big Enough For The Two Of Us/Funky Good Time
14. Why Is It So Hard?