Dr. Francois Clemmons took the stage of Smith Recital Hall for his concert Saturday, April 5, dressed in a sparkling, polychromatic jacket that would make Elton John blush. Before he began singing, he talked to the audience for a few minutes about his music, and just generally conversing. He dedicated the concert to Martin Luther King, Jr., but also to Roland Hayes, because he wrote almost all the music Clemmons sang. Before he took the stage, he impressed the audience by the extensive list of professional orchestras that he has sung with, numbering around 15. Also, his mainstream claim to fame is that he played the role of Officer Clemmons on Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, but this achievement pales quickly when compared to the musical accomplishments listed in the program.
He soon began to sing to us, all selections of Gospel Blues, and his sound was very true to the style. He sang in lamenting praise, and with soul. What I noticed most about his singing was the distinction between Gospel Blues and every other type of music. Blues began with the slaves working in the fields in the South; they would sing all day to pass the time. And since there were no instruments behind them, they would improvise a lot with their voice, meaning they did not write out the words and music beforehand. Clemmons improvised very well with his songs. Another thing about Gospel Blues or any type of Blues is that it completely lacks the buildup and release of tension, which is what every other style of music is about. But blues does not need that to make it colorful; that’s the role of the improvisation.
After intermission, Clemmons came back onstage in yet another sparkling coat, but this one was gold. Before he started singing, he casually talked to us for a while. He noticed that his old friends’ parents were there, and he talked to them and reminisced for a while. It was amusing how laid back the concert was; he talked to us like we were in his living room and he was just fooling around with someone on the piano. He then finished, and was rewarded with an enthusiastic standing ovation.