In the refined surroundings of York Museum Gardens, the crowd gathered, sat on picnic blankets and devoured jugs of Pimms, despite the threat of rain. It’s summer after all, and the good people of York were going to make the most of what was still a pretty warm evening.
For those who were starting to feel the chill as the clouds persisted, the wonderful Jalen Ngonda helped warm things up. Sumptuous vocals, with a warm glow of 70s nostalgia, created a beautiful mood as the sun started to set. Ngonda looks like one of the nicest men in music, and his calm, effortless demeanour on stage is joyful. Whether at the piano, where he gave us a stunning cover of Bacharach’s The Look of Love, or at the mic with his Jazzmaster guitar, it’s hard not to be drawn in by those soaring vocals. If You Don’t Want My Love – Ngonda’s breakout 2023 hit – was nothing short of virtuoso, and what better way to set us up for Nile Rodgers.
And what can you say about Nile Rodgers that hasn’t already been said? Well, in case you haven’t said it, the man himself certainly makes sure nothing is left un-uttered. As he introduces each number, the sound of names being dropped is almost as great as that coming from the PA. Interesting though, that almost all of those stories come back to himself. That said, when you’ve got the back catalogue and the “armful of Grammys” – his words, not mine – they I guess you’ve earned the right to talk us through the origins of a few of those hits.
And about the music itself.
Rodgers’ current line-up for Chic creates one of the tightest bands you’ll see. Up front, flanking the great producer on either side are Naomi Rodgers and Audrey Martells, who continue the vocal masterclass that Jalen Ngonda had started earlier in the evening. They’re both powerhouses, with bags of attitude as they deliver some of the finest funk songs around. Kicking off with Le Freak, then a relentless first 10 minutes of dance-inducing classics – Everybody Dance, followed by Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah), then straight into I Want Your Love – it’s hard to imagine a start to a set that could ignite the movement in the crowd more effectively.
So it continues, with each exceptional musician allowed to step out from the perfection of the band to showcase their own talents. Jerry Barnes on bass is a master, keeping things moving along with some irresistible playing. Steve Jankowski stepped out from the back to give us a breathtaking trumpet solo and there are contributions on vocals from all over the stage.
Rattling through covers of some of the greatest hits of Diana Ross, Madonna, Sister Sledge just keeps the atmosphere at fever pitch. Moving around the arena, people are dancing with abandon, including a young guy who had fully embraced the phrase ‘to dance like no-one is watching’.
Get Lucky and Lose Yourself to Dance will have appealed to the younger crowd, before we headed back into more of the classics. You imagine that putting a setlist together for a Nile Rodgers show must be more about what you leave out than what you put in, but Rodgers’ consummate experience for creating the right sound, the right mood mean that it’s funk and soul for the duration.
Drawing things to a close, somewhat inevitably, with Good Times, summing up the experience overall. Dropping in elements of Rapper’s Delight adds to the smiles and, as we get the train home, the catchy magic of Chic’s work is driven home. Up and down the carriage, you’ll hear bars from Upside Down, or We Are Family, recalling an unforgettable evening of legendary funk.
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