Music lovers on Englewood, NJ's North Van Brunt Street don't walk on by BergenPAC this Thursday, November 7, 2024 evening and, instead, make their way inside for a live performance by the legendary singer and recording artist Dionne Warwick.
Warwick is a six-time Grammy Award-winner who has performed on more than 75 charted hits and sold over 100 million records. Born and raised in the Garden State, Warwick received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, a Kennedy Center Honors award in 2023, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024.
Inside the BergenPAC auditorium, the lights dim and concertgoers applaud as pianist Andre Chez Lewis, bassist Danny DeMorales, drummer Jeffrey Lewis, and percussionist Renato Braz take their places behind their respective instruments. They begin to play as Warwick, 83, takes the stage and audience members stand and cheer for this legend who graciously thanks the audience.
Explaining that she will be doing both old and new material tonight, Warwick announces, “We want you to have as good a time out there as we’re gonna have up here,” before stepping into her 1964 hit, “Walk on By.” Music lovers instantly sing along with Warwick as she croons in her signature style, “If you see me walking down the street/And I start to cry each time we meet/Walk on by/Walk on by.”
Taking a seat center stage, Warwick performs with conviction on a series of Burt Bacharach/Hal David hits including “Anyone Who Had a Heart,” “You’ll Never Get to Heaven If You Break My Heart,” and “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again.” Accompanied by tasty piano, drums, percussion, and bass, she continues with elegant renditions of “Message to Michael” and “This Girl’s in Love with You.”
The crowd reacts with applause and Warwick performs a highlight of tonight’s show — her 1967 hit, “Alfie.” Accompanied by Andre Chaz Lewis’ legato piano accompaniment, Warwick’s vocal punctuates the melody as she sings with her controlled vibrato, “What’s it all about, Alfie?” At the conclusion, the audience responds with hoots and hollers.
After talking about the 2006 duet she recorded with Celia Cruz, Warwick presents an upbeat salsa interpretation of “Do You Know the Way to San José.” Following the bouncy “Do you know the way to San José/I’ve been away so long/I may go wrong and lose my way” verse, the arrangement continues with a cascading Andre Chaz Lewis jazz piano solo, a rolling Jeffrey Lewis drum solo, a rhythmic Renato Braz percussion break, and a funky Danny DeMorales bass solo to which the crowd responds with animated cheers and applause.
One by one, Warwick introduces her band members, saying about them, “I deem them all very special,” before instructing the crowd to “pay close attention to the words” of her next song. Sailing into her 1998 inspirational ballad, “If I Want To,” Warwick sings with emotion, “I see what people do/I hear what people say/I know there’s trouble everywhere/I see it everyday/Some things won’t get better/Some people won’t get through/But I can dream of a better world/If I want to,” to great audience applause.
Moving on to her 1979 hit, “I’ll Never Love This Way Again,” Warwick instructs, “Sing it with me,” and concertgoers join in on the song’s well known “I know I’ll never love this way again/ So I keep holdin’ on, before the good is gone” refrain as the song builds in dynamics and emotion.
Warwick explains, “This next song, you’re used to hearing in another form but I took the liberty of changing it and re-recording it as a duet. My duet partner is here with me tonight. He is tall, dark, and very handsome,” before telling a humorous story about how, in addition to working as a musician, he went on to become “a police officer,” “a deep sea diving instructor,” and “a pilot.” Here, she presents an upbeat duet rendition of her 1967 hit, “I Say A Little Prayer,” with her son, David Elliot. Elliot’s soulful vocal performance is filled with intricate runs and Warwick answers with her own soulful vocal runs to the audience’s great delight.
The crowd hoots and hollers and Elliot exits the stage leaving Warwick to perform the Julio Iglesias tune, “99 Miles from L.A.” Backed by a driving arpeggiated accompaniment, Warwick croons, “Keeping my eyes on the road I see you/Keeping my hands on the wheel I hold you/Ninety-nine miles from L.A,” on this compelling Latin number.
She follows up with the classic Bacharach/David composition, “What the World Needs Now,” where her masterful voice sings high, low, and around the melody which is sung by the audience. Concertgoers react with laughter when Dionne asks them to sing the “What the world needs now” refrain by themselves “three times” and then jocularly admonishes them when they’re initially unable to do it.
To conclude tonight’s show, David Elliot returns to perform with his mom on her 1985 hit, “That’s What Friends are For.” On this popular number, Warwick and Elliot trade off singing lead and the audience joyfully sings along on the “Keep smiling keep shining/Knowing you can always count on me, for sure” chorus.
As the band continues to play, Warwick and Elliot take a bow for the standing crowd before Warwick pantomimes giving a hug to the entire audience and mother and son exit the stage arm in arm.
As music lovers make their way out of the BergenPAC auditorium, several share their thoughts on Dionne Warwick’s performance tonight. Exclaims Rosie from Fort Lee, “I thought it was a great show! Dionne Warwick is a legend and to see her sing with her son was great — talent definitely runs in the family — plus, she performed a great selection of music!”
Carol from Toms River agrees, adding, “Dionne Warwick was wonderful tonight — she did not disappoint, and I especially loved it when she sang on stage with her son.”
Christine from Leonia declares, “I thought it was a great concert! Dionne Warwick was very entertaining. She had everything — a great voice, great songs, and she even had us sing along — plus, her ensemble was excellent!”
Her friend, Gerry from West New York, insists, “I really liked it! I thought Dionne was extremely entertaining. Her voice sounded really good and she has a great personality. Her songs really brought back memories and the band was great, too; they are true professionals.”
Mia from Teaneck declares, “It was a phenomenal show! Dionne sounded so good! She sang so many hits, plus it was a ‘proud mama’ moment when she performed with her son.”
Lastly, Lucretia from Teaneck remarks, “I was very glad I had the opportunity to be here tonight. It was a really beautiful show. I loved Dionne Warwick when I was a little girl and she still sings just as well as she did back then,” prior to concluding, “I thought it was an excellent performance — I loved everything about it!”
To learn more about Dionne Warwick, please go to officialdionnewarwick.com. For information on great future performances at BergenPAC — including Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue with New Breed Brass Band on November 20, Broadway’s Linda Eder on December 1, and Mickey Dolenz of the Monkees on December 15 — please go to bergenpac.org.
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