Inside South Orange, NJ's SOPAC auditorium this Saturday, December 14, 2024 evening music lovers who know there ain't nothing like the real thing ready themselves for a live Valerie Simpson and Friends Sing Ashford and Simpson performance by singer/songwriter Valerie Simpson.
One half of the musical duo, Ashford and Simpson, R&B legend Valerie Simpson — along with her late husband, Nick Ashford — wrote and produced hits for the likes of Diana Ross and Chaka Khan, and even created “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.
In addition, Ashford and Simpson wrote, produced, and performed their own Top 20 single, “Solid,” prior to becoming inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
SOPAC’s Jonathan Kitt welcomes tonight’s crowd before introducing Valerie Simpson and her band. Guitarists Tony Ormond and Felicia Collins, bassist Tinker Barfield, drummer Bernard Davis, pianist Davine Tuch Allison, keyboardist Valeria Ghent, saxophonist Rich Bomzer, and trumpeter James Gibbs — along with background singers Clayton Bryant, Burgandy Williams, DJ Scaife, Jr., and Sheldon Ray — take the stage and begin to play the upbeat introduction to “Bourgie Bourgie,” an Ashford and Simpson song the couple wrote for Gladys Knight and the Pips.
Concertgoers stand and cheer as Valerie Simpson, dressed in a stunning gold pantsuit, enters and takes her place center stage but surprises the audience by announcing, “I want to be close to you — I want some truth to happen here tonight, so I think I’ve got to start another way.” At this point, Simpson stops the band, takes a seat at the piano, and begins to sing, “One More Time.” Her voice sounding bluesy and rich, Simpson cries, “One more time/One more time/You know I’m glad/To be in that number/One more time,” on this slow gospel number.
The rhythm section kicks in and Rich Bomzer plays bluesy runs on his saxophone to Simpson’s rich piano playing before Clayton Bryant, Burgandy Williams, DJ Scaife, Jr., and Sheldon Ray add their voices to the mix and create an emotional wall of sound which elicits avid cheers and applause from the crowd.
Simpson announces, “Now we can begin — we’ll do the opener now,” as she takes her place at the mic center stage and the band restarts “Bourgie Bourgie.”
Simpson shakes her hips as she sings, “Everybody wants to be/Bourgie bourgie,” on this energetic R&B tune, promising at the conclusion,“ We’re gonna have fun tonight! Are you ready?”
The crowd hoots and hollers and Simpson follows up with an Ashford and Simpson song the pair wrote for Diana Ross entitled “It’s My House.” On this funky tune, Simpson moves to the groove across the stage as she vocalizes, “There’s a welcome mat at the door/And if you come on in/You’re gonna get much more,” prior to vocally ad libbing for the enthusiastic crowd on this rhythmic number.
On the rubato introduction to “I Don’t Need No Doctor” — an Ashford and Simpson composition which was recorded by artists as diverse as Ray Charles, Humble Pie, Joan Osborne, and John Mayer — Simpson sings, “I don’t need no doctor/‘Cause I know what’s ailing me.” After the arrangement morphs into a soulful funk tune, heads bop and toes tap as Felicia Collins renders a guitar solo which elicits cheers and applause from the crowd.
Singer Burgandy Williams is featured on Ashford and Simpson’s song for Chaka Kahn, “Clouds.”
Showing her range and style, Williams gets the audience clapping along on this funky R&B number.
Following avid cheers and applause, Simpson introduces tonight’s special guest, revealing, “He wrote ‘It’s Raining Men.’ Put your hands together for Mr. Paul Shaffer!” Shaffer — known by many as the musical director for late night TV host, David Letterman — talks about Motown’s The Dynamic Superiors before stepping into the group’s 1976 Ashford and Simpson-penned hit, “Shoe Shoe Shine.”
After singing, “Shoe, shoe shine used to cost a dime/A penny could buy you plenty,” Shaffer teaches the hand motions and lyrics to audience members who happily join in singing and moving to the tune’s gentle R&B groove.
The crowd hoots and hollers and Simpson and Shaffer perform Ashford and Simpson’s pop masterpiece for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” Music lovers joyfully sing along with Shaffer and Simpson on the song’s “Ain’t no mountain high enough/Ain’t no valley low enough” chorus before the number ends in enthusiastic cheers and applause.
Simpson talks about her early songwriting endeavors with Nick Ashford prior to launching into “Let’s Go Get Stoned,” a song which was initially recorded by The Coasters before becoming a hit for Ray Charles. Sheldon Ray sings this bluesy number which features his low baritone voice calling out with feeling before he vocally ad-libs up and down the scale to fervent audience applause.
After telling a story about how she and Ashford were first invited to Detroit to meet with Motown’s Berry Gordy, Simpson performs a slow and meaningful rendition of the duo’s composition for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing.” As she passionately sings, “I got your picture hangin’ on the wall/But it can’t see or come to me when I call your name,” a photo of Nick Ashford appears on screen and brings cheers from the crowd before Simpson finishes the song as a duet with singer Clayton Bryant.
Simpson duets with Sheldon Ray on another Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell hit, “Your Precious Love,” where the audience happily sings along on the tune’s delightful “Heaven must have sent you from above” chorus. After revealing, “This is one of my favorites,” Simpson is joined by DJ Scaife, Jr. who sings lead with her on another Ashford and Simpson hit for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, “You’re All I Need to Get By.”
Horns blare on the funky Ashford and Simpson tune, “Street Corner,” which features Clayton Bryant on vocals. Audience members dance at their seats to the song’s infectious rhythm on this disco party song before Simpson introduces her stagemates, making a special point to acknowledge long-time bassist Tinker Barfield’s appearance tonight.
Before leaving the stage, Simpson invites Burgandy Williams and Felicia Collins to share lead vocals on an Ashford and Simpson song which was recorded by both Chaka Kahn and Whitney Houston, “I’m Every Woman.”
The number’s infectious rhythm and tight six-part harmonies have the audience singing and dancing along in their seats on the tune’s anthemic “I’m every woman, it’s all in me” chorus.
Returning to the stage in a gold off-the-shoulder dress, Simpson recognizes family members in the house tonight — notably, her daughters Nicole and Asia — before sailing into the Ashford and Simpson-penned Diana Ross hit, “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand).” Simpson duets with DJ Scaife, Jr. as Shaffer’s organ swirls and Rich Bomzer is featured on sax on this soulful R&B waltz.
Simpson talks about how Quincy Jones encouraged her to become a lead singer before performing a song that she, Nick Ashford, and Jones composed that Ashford and Simpson once performed live with Michael Jackson. Bouncing into “Stuff Like That,” six-part vocal harmonies ring out on this rhythmic disco number which has Davine Tuch Allison on keytar and Simpson and friends rocking out as they sing.
Following a standing ovation, Simpson exits the stage but returns to announce, “You’re all family now, and there’s only one thing I can say,” as she and the band rocket into Ashford and Simpson’s 1984 hit, “Solid.” Singing along on the famous “Solid/Solid as a rock” refrain, music lovers clap and dance to the rhythm before responding with enthusiastic cheers and applause as Simpson exclaims, “I love you!” waves goodnight, and exits the stage.
As concertgoers make their way out of the SOPAC auditorium, several comment on Valerie Simpson’s performance tonight. Remarks Tami from East Orange, “I love Valerie, and I loved her show! Her songs brought back so many memories and made me think of my childhood. In my opinion, everything about this concert was excellent!” Williemae from Jersey City agrees, asserting, “It was a beautiful show! At 78, Valerie looked great and sounded great, too! It was a nice evening — I really enjoyed it; it was worth every penny!”
Dee from Newark insists, “I love Valerie Simpson; she’s a legend and she put on such an amazing show! I loved all the songs she did — I first heard my mama playing them at home, and they brought back a lot of memories of me as a kid. Valerie is an excellent performer and her band and her singers were amazing; there was tons of energy on stage and it made for an awesome night!”
Darlene from New York exclaims, “Valerie Simpson is a quintessential queen! She is the epitome of truth, love, and professionalism. I don’t know many other people who are as creative as she is, and there was a synergy on stage tonight that you don’t always experience with other performers — you have to be spiritually connected for that, and she made us all feel like we were home.”
Lastly, Lilisa from New Jersey recalls, “I’ve been following Valerie Simpson since the ’70s, but I’d never seen her in person until tonight and she was amazing! She’s powerful, spiritual, and very dynamic, and she performed so many songs I danced to as a teenager — I didn’t know she and her husband wrote so many of the greatest songs in the world! Her band was amazing, her singers were awesome, and this venue is outstanding, too! It was a special night, and I would tell anyone, ‘If Valerie Simpson ever comes to your town, go see her — she’s awesome!’”
To learn more about Valerie Simpson, please go to valeriesimpson.net. For information on future performances at SOPAC — including The Stray Cats’ Lee Rocker on January 19, Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton on February 15, Kurt Elling Celebrates Weather Report on April 3, and The Glenn Miller Orchestra on May 25 — please go to sopacnow.org.
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