In the early stages of the Grammy show, after a messy, all-hands-on-deck opening and a flat monologue by host Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys came ridin' in to save the day. She sat at a white piano and sang a heartfelt soul ballad with gospel-infused fervor, backed by a big string section. Then Jamie Foxx joined her for a Ray Charles tribute. For me, it was the musical highlight of the show.
Keys, the one-time New York prodigy who's just 24, has the goods to be a lasting music star. One can only assume that she'll end up performing in cavernous arenas in the not-too-distant future, so right now is a good time to catch her in the relatively intimate (2,000-plus seats) Morsani Hall.
Alicia Keys, Sat., Feb. 26, 8 p.m., Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa.
-ERIC SNIDER
This article appears in Feb 23 – Mar 1, 2005.