After a few years essentially out of the public eye, spent in exile in London and Belgium, Marvin Gaye launched a European tour as if he had something to prove. Post-Motown and pre-"Sexual Healing," Live in Belgium 1981 finds Gaye performing mostly latter '70s material like "Got to Give it Up," "I Want You" and "After the Dance." Dapper in a tux and ruffled shirt, and backed by a large band, he appears to be in robust health and is certainly in fine voice. The most affecting selection is a tribute to his late duet partner Tammi Terrell, where he turns "If This World Were Mine" and "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" into tender ballads. One significant flaw: About 47 minutes into the show, while Gaye is playing a piano solo during "Inner City Blues," the DVD just fades to black. Odd. 3 stars
This article appears in Dec 13-19, 2006.