CRITIC'S CHOICE
Luther Vandross's live performances have always transcended his albums, giving the singer plenty of room to stretch out his glorious pipes to showstopping but never showy effect. His first concert CD, recorded at Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall in February, captures Vandross in vintage form and at the height of his interpretive powers just two months before he suffered a massive stroke. (He is now undergoing rehabilitation.) Indeed, this disc should serve as a lesson in nuance for all young R&B Romeos. Vandross takes his time on classic slow jams like "Superstar" and "A House Is Not a Home," which last more than 12 and 10 minutes, respectively. They build gradually, tantalizingly, until they reach their emotional climax, like the musical equivalent of tantric sex. (With only 11 tracks, though, the concert seems to have been truncated to fit on one disc.) On numbers such as "Creepin," Vandross also show cases his excellent backup vocalists in killer arrangements. If there were a Grammy for Best Background Vocals, this CD would win.
R&B
