Aside from Collen on guitars and vocals, Delta Deep was comprised of powerhouse singer Debbi Blackwell-Cook on vocals and Forrest Robinson on percussion and drums.
Helen Collen made the opening remarks and thanked the audience for coming out tonight to see Delta Deep perform.
“New York, New York,” Debbi cheered, prior to beginning their set with her soaring version of “Bang The Lid,” as Collen rocked the electric guitar, Robinson played percussion, and they had the audience clapping along with them.
“How ya’ll doing?” Debbi asked. “I’m hot. Ya’ll hot?” she added, pointing out the hotness in the room.
They continued with “Shuffle Sweet.” “I’m trying to make up a dance for this song,” she said, prior to breaking into some neat dance moves as Debbi belted out the vocals.
Following an impressive rendition of “Treat Her Like Candy,” Collen praised her vocals for being “very nice,” and rightfully so. Robinson delivered on backing vocals, as Collen nailed yet another guitar solo, while the performance showcased Debbi’s whistle register.
Debbi sat down to perform “Black Coffee,” which was controlled and the group’s voices were smooth as silk. “Are we good?” Debbi asked, prior to singing “Burnt Sally,” and paying tribute to her musical hero, Tina Turner, with an empowering interpretation of “Rock Me Baby,” proving that she is one true song stylist. This vocal earned them a standing ovation from the audience. “New York, you know I look good, but I’m old,” Debbi joked.
Equally moving was the melancholic “Whiskey,” which she dedicated to her late son who was murdered. They also paid homage to the victims of September 11, 2001, and asked the audience to take a quiet moment of silence in their honor.
After switching guitars from electric to acoustic, Collen captivated the audience with “Ain’t No Sunshine.” They continued with such bluesy and sultry tunes as “Simply Beautiful,” “Private Number,” “Mistreated,” “Feel It” and they closed with “Down in the Delta,” prior to returning for an encore with “Miss Me.”
The Verdict
Overall, Delta Deep put on an exceptional concert at The Players in New York City, while performing in an intimate setting. Their set was highly electric with R&B, blues and soul music, as they sang their original recordings and they dusted off and revitalized some classics. Their live show garnered an A rating.
