LIVE: Corey Glover Soul Project @ The Falcon, 2/22/16

Review and photographs by Rudy Lu

Corey Glover is best known as the lead singer for the heavy metal band, Living Colour, who rocked the Empire State Plaza hard back in 2014. Read review here…

But Glover has been showcasing another of his many facets of talent with a weekly Monday night residency for the past three months at The Falcon in Marlboro, where his songbag has been brimming over with gospel and R&B music.

Appearing with a sprawling 12-piece band that sports a powerful sound of its own, Glover last week opened with the Curtis Mayfield chestnut “People Get Ready.” Sung with true gospel feel and buoyed by a three-person chorus, the rousing rendition set the standard for what was to come.

During the old Billy Preston hit “Will It Go Round in Circles” sung again with full gospel fervor, Glover danced out into the audience with his feet hitting the floor so hard that you could actually feel the vibration.

Corey Dandridge guested on the drum kit. He was pounding it so hard, I thought it would fly off the bandstand. (Dandridge will be featured in his own Monday night residency at The Falcon throughout March). The young Hudson Valley rhythm section of Lee Falco and Brandon Morrison provided the bottom and drive for most of the set. Neil Alexander was the “octopus” of the band, playing four sets of keyboards to provide color to the sound. Guitarist Josh Colow generally played a somewhat understated role, but his playing caught on fire when appropriate. The punch of the horn section added to the fullness of the sound, and the three-person chorus (featuring Dandridge) backed Glover with all the power and glory of a gospel choir.

An acappella version of “Soldier of Love” brought the house down. A fully orchestrated version of the Peggy Lee sizzler “Fever” showed that old warhorse in a new light. And a rendition of the unofficial song of the Hudson Valley, the Band’s “The Weight,” was an appropriate ending to a fine evening.

ALSO:
See more of Rudy Lu’s photographs of this concert at Rudy Lu Photos