one night only

*simply WONDERFUL!!!* ~kmw


Jennifer Hudson makes homecoming concert a family affair
April 26, 2009
BY KEVIN ALLEN kjallen@suntimes.com

The Englewood home where Jennifer Hudson grew up is eight miles from the Arie Crown Theatre at McCormick Place. But the journey from the former to Saturday night's performance at the latter is nothing short of epic.

The Chicago stop wasn't your average show on Hudson's tour. How could it be?
After all, Saturday night marked Hudson's first homecoming as a headlining performer. It was also her first public performance here since her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew were senselessly murdered nearly six months ago to the day in that same Englewood home where her talent first blossomed.

She didn't address that situation directly -- or the circulating rumors of her pregnancy, for that matter. She did, however, dedicate the song "You Pulled Me Through" to her family members who were in the audience.

From there, Hudson continued to make her show a family affair. She even welcomed four of her cousins to the stage to sing a pair of a capella spiritual songs that brought the audience to its feet.
"This," Hudson said, referring to her cousins, "is where I come from."

Hudson's voice was flawless from the opening notes of "One Night Only" to the final extended notes on the lyric, "You're gonna love me," from "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going." She displayed the vocal range and distinctive style that audiences fell in love with on "American Idol" and flocked to theaters to hear in "Dreamgirls."

Her stamina was especially impressive considering she's nearly a month into her tour with Robin Thicke.

For his part, Thicke played the part of ideal opening act. Dressed in head-to-toe black with hair tousled just so, he managed to woo women of all ages in the audience with a bit of PG-13 girating. It takes a special sort of man to sing falsetto and maintain bravado, but Thicke pulled it off. He covered Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" and delivered an surprisingly enjoyable a capella version of Jodeci's "Come and Talk to Me."

But there was no mistaking that this was Hudson's night. With her beaming fiancee David Otunga videotaping from the front row, light bounced hither and yon from her engagement ring, dangling earrings and beautiful black sequin dress.

Both literally and figuratively, Hudson shined.
Forget that she's a Grammy and Academy Award-winning performer whose lightning-fast rise to diva status is a thing of legend. Forget for a moment that she's endured family tragedy most of us couldn't imagine in our worst nightmares.

When you strip away the celebrity accoutrement surrounding Jennifer Hudson and see her simply as a performer on a stage, one quickly realizes that they are witnessing one of the premiere talents of a generation. And as with the divas who paved the way for Hudson, those who saw Jennifer Hudson's triumphant return to Chicago will someday tell their children and grandchildren, "I saw her. Live. In concert."

And she was simply sensational.