The 2011 Soul Train Awards chugged into the Fox Theatre last week with an assortment of star power and nostalgia, led by host Cedric the Entertainer.
The two-hour show (which took about three-and-half to tape) airs at 9 p.m. Sunday on BET and Centric.
Here are the top five “don’t miss” moments:
1. Hearing Morris Day bleat the opening of “Jungle Love” was cool enough. But watching him and the crew formerly known as The Time break into those sliding dance moves and charge through a medley that included “The Bird” was an early reminder of how fun and funky R&B can be when done right.
Now known as The Original 7ven, the group of Day, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Jesse Johnson, Jerome Benton, Jellybean Johnson and Monte Moir was far more interesting to watch than the troupe of energetic female dancers in tiny sequined shorts bopping around the stage.
On the red carpet before the show, Jam said the band hopes to tour next year and the difference between The Time’s heyday and now is, “We’re older and wiser.”
2. Gladys Knight, one of two recipients of the 2011 Legend Award, first received a tribute of video clips featuring Elton John, Smokey Robinson and Marie Osmond. But the live accolades made the memories.
A new version of the Pips – among them Freddie Jackson and Kenny Lattimore – backed a parade of singers including Marsha Ambrosius nailing “If I Were Your Woman,” Mary Mary storming through “Midnight Train to Georgia,” their booming gospel voices a perfect match to the song, and an extremely thin Natalie Cole crooning “You’re the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me.”
The incandescent Knight, meanwhile, delivered a meaningful speech touching on race, Dr. Martin Luther King, James Brown and her gratitude to Soul Train king Don Cornelius.
3. The recent death of Heavy D obviously meant a last-minute tribute for the awards show, and the show producers deserve credit for pulling off something simple and meaningful.
After a clip of Heavy D and the Boyz winning their 1990 Soul Train Award for Best Rap Album played, a cluster of red lights scanned the crowd and Naughty By Nature and Kurtis Blow sprung on stage to perform some of the group’s songs.
The audience waved orange glow sticks while chanting, “Nothing but love for you, Heavy” for several minutes, the theater alight in a spirited radiance.
4. Another commemoration came for super-songwriter Nick Ashford, who died in August.
His lovely wife, Valerie Simpson, appeared at the top of a staircase and was escorted down by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
“My honey would have loved this tonight,” Simpson said in an unscripted moment that prompted some audible sighs of sadness.
The purpose of Simpson’s appearance was to announce that Soul Train has established a songwriting award in Ashford’s name. The first winner was awarded during the ceremony.
5. The other recipient of the Legend Award was Earth, Wind & Fire, who received a personal, heartfelt introduction by Malcolm-Jamal Warner.
A series of musical tributes included a searing rendition of “Reasons” performed by Robin Thicke, Joe and Eric Benet, who impressively handled Philip Bailey’s glass-shattering vocal escalations.
Atlanta’s Cee-Lo Green, who earlier performed “Fool for You” with Melanie Fiona on a snow-themed set, returned for an invigorating “Shining Star.”
The EWF trio of Bailey, Verdine White and Ralph Johnson gave a shout-out to Maurice White, the “one who started all this thing,” before engaging the crowd – and many of the performers from throughout the show – to share the spice of life with a sing-along of “Let’s Groove.”
TV preview
2011 Soul Train Awards
9 p.m. Sunday on BET and Centric
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