REVIEW: Diana Ross shows off timeless talent in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS - Supreme, sublime, sincere. Diana Ross is all that and more.

She looks fabulous, she sounds fabulous, but best of all, she lavishes love onto her fans.

With the opening strains of 'I'm Coming Out,” she floated onto the McGrath Amphitheatre stage in Cedar Rapids Sunday night on a breeze, with her full-length, feather-trimmed orange chiffon jacket fluttering around her long, floral dress. Her voice floated just as effortlessly through an 80-minute hit parade that had the audience dancing, clapping and singing with joy.

A class act all the way, she exudes joy, and when she sang 'I love you more today than yesterday,” it rang of an honest declaration to all 1,600 people gathered on the riverside to revel in her timeless talent. Now 73, she was every inch as stellar as 30 years ago, when I saw her at the Five Seasons Center, now the U.S. Cellular Center.

In many ways, the outdoor amphitheater is an even better fit for the superstar, who obviously relished the chance to connect more intimately with her audience. She pointed out the good singers and dancers near the front of the stage, and invited everyone to sing along on nearly every song. Few stars are that gracious.

'I love working during the summer,” she said, 'because I get to see your faces.” Indeed, stage lights weren't even needed until the finale, when the sun was just starting to set.

But one thing that came out with the lights was the bugs - during the most inopportune time - right in the middle of the dreamy duet, 'Endless Love.” Ross even handled that with aplomb. When vocal partner Fred White looked like he was chasing an animal across the stage, Ross did a little hop step, then asked for some bug spray. Never missing a beat, she sprayed her bare arms and neck while singing this gorgeous ballad that shot to the top of the charts in 1981 with Lionel Richie. Despite the distraction, the live version was lovely.

Ross has surrounded herself with top-flight musicians for this tour, bringing two male and one female backup singers, guitar, bass, drums, percussion, grand piano and a dynamic woodwind player who alternated between baritone sax, tenor sax and flute. All got their moment in the sun, tearing through hot solos or strutting along the front of the stage while Ross slipped off to change into yet another gorgeous gown and stunning jacket.

The show dipped back and forth through history, beginning with some soulful Motown/Supreme sounds with 'My World is Empty Without You,” 'Baby Love,” 'Come See About Me,” 'You Can't Hurry Love,” 'Love Child” and of course, 'Stop in the Name of Love.”

After slipping into a black strappy gown and chiffon drape, the mood turned more sensual with 'Touch Me in the Morning,” accompanied by gorgeous tight harmonies and piano solo.

Turning playful and bouncy, she and the audience got their groove on with 'Upside Down.”

And the hits just kept on coming, from 'Why Do Fools Fall in Love” and 'Sweetest Hangover” to 'Ease on Down the Road” from her star turn as Dorothy in 'The Wiz” and the wistful 'Do You Know,” the theme from the 1975 Motown musical, 'Mahogany.”

She pulled out all the stops for the finale, however, changing into silver sequins to add even more shimmer to 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough” and her own hit cover of the Gloria Gaynor anthem, 'I Will Survive.”

She has survived, beautifully.

Her legacy continues, too, with daughter Rhonda Ross, who opened with 15 minutes of her original jazz and funk-infused songwriting, after strutting through a cover of 'Lady Marmalade.”

Her too-short set featured things that make her happy, in 'Summer Day,” buoyed by a light bossa nova beat; the sass of 'Nobody's Business”; and a lively invitation to her 'Grown Folk Party.” That made the perfect segue into her mother's show - a party that, thankfully, keeps rolling on.

l Comments: (319) 368-8508; diana.nollen@thegazette.com