MAKE NO MISTAKE about it, Jamie Foxx is an impressive entertainer.
The Texas native is a weirdly unique mix of singer, actor, musician and comedian, all parts of which were on full display Thursday night at Norfolk’s Scope.
As in his career, it all began with comedy.
To the bass of Jay-Z’s “Show Me What You Got,” Foxx ran out on stage around 8:40 p.m., sporting a gold leather blazer, a fitted white tee, and designer jeans.
He danced and greeted the audience, which occupied maybe half of the available seats, and launched right into his routine.
“Black people love music,” he said, and demonstrated by name-checking popular hip-hop song titles. He also deftly mimicked Mick Jagger’s dance walk, as a way of distinguishing what “white people” typically like in their music from what “black people” expect from theirs.
The audience laughed heartily in recognition, even though the tradition of black comedians pointing out white audience members and taunting them as being uncool has grown redundant and borders on juvenile.
The same can be said for much of Foxx’s routine . It wasn’t juvenile in terms of the bare subject matter, as most of his material would be rated NC-17 , but in the lack of maturity .
This from a guy who’s pushing 40.
The remainder of his half-hour comedy set included jokes about gay players in the NBA, the audacity of O.J.
Simpson attending his Miami party, having a ménage-a-trois with Oprah Winfrey and her friend Gayle King, and, of course, one of his favorite obsessions, Prince.
Much of this was funny but only because of Foxx’s lurid boldness and his sharp timing, which hasn’t lost a beat .
Thankfully, following an extremely brief intermission, he returned in the role of Jamie Foxx the singer.
Anyone not previously sold on Foxx’s ability as an R B crooner should have attended this portion of his concert. With four back-up singers and a top-notch touring band, Foxx created his own live “quiet storm” for the ladies, evoking the spirits of Marvin Gaye and Luther Vandross.
Foxx won an Oscar for best actor for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 film “Ray,” a fact that he reminded the audience of many times Thursday night.
Choosing songs from his own sophomore disc, like the salacious pair of “Warm Bed” and “Do What It Do,” the remake “Love Changes,” and the hits “DJ Play a Love Song,” and predictable encore, “Unpredictable,” Jamie’s tenor remained strong throughout. Though not yet a distinctive song stylist, he demonstrated the vocal chops and swagger to put on a good show.
He also dazzled during a Ray Charles tribute segment, where he donned Charles’ persona and delivered remixed versions of Charles’ staples.
After the final encore around 10:40 p.m., it was off to the after-party at the luxurious Granby Theater.
From then until about midnight, a hip-hop deejay spun primarily dance-hall music while women danced rhythmically on the floor.
Watching them, while mingling, was the party’s highlight until Foxx finally appeared – perched at the top of the VIP section – and emceed from then on. He remained entrenched in that spot until sometime after 1 a.
m.
There were a few local celebrities in attendance, including Shay of N.E.
R.D. fame, but still, the after-party was hardly inspiring and not at all unpredictable.
Reach Jerome Langston at writer_jllangston@yahoo.com.
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