Musical Monday - " A Night of Love & Soul"

I am a HUGE Lalah Hathaway fan (since day one) and discovered Eric Roberson several years ago.   So I was super excited to hear that they were coming to Houston along with Ruben Studdard. Tweet also performed, but I am not really a fan of her music.

My husband and I had a  really nice time.  I really enjoy dressing up & going out somewhere special such as a concert.  The show was really good. Eric Roberson is a really creative & funny guy.  His set was way to short in my opinion.  My husband is now a fan too.

Lalah & Ruben were basically co-headliners, which surprised me a bit. This was more of a concept tour in which they both sang several remakes of some old school soul standards. They sang several duets and basically tag-teamed, coming back & forth to the stage to perform.  I was only disappointed that Lalah did not perform more of her original music, but this is not that kind of tour. Even though I have seen her several times, I never get tired of her or her music. She is a vocal beast and FINALLY a Grammy winning artist.  If you have not heard the song that won her the Grammy this year. Check it out below. The band Snarky Puppy actually started in Texas where several of the members attended college. What is cool about this song "Something" is that it was actually on her very first album  back in 1990. I remember when she came to my hometown on her promotional tour to perform. This lady is a vocal acrobat. I am amazed by her range. Toward the end of this video, she really shows out, LOL.  I follow her on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram and she is pretty funny/snarky, LOL

Take a listen.....



Honestly, neither of us were impressed with Tweet. She sang a lot of songs that neither of us recognized & I am still puzzled by why she did not open the show instead of Eric Roberson. I am not sure how many shows she is doing with them on this tour, but I just don't think she fits with this tour concept.  She actually complained about having to sing the song " Oops Oh My" stating that she feels like the song is too old & she doesn't want to sing it, but the fans still want to hear it. I can tell you that probably 75% of the Arena that night only knew that ONE song. She did have some rapid fans, that obviously came out to see her & knew the songs, but they were a very small minority that night.

Ruben has a very nice voice. The sound system was not the best on his mic that night, so his voice sounded somewhat different than usual. But I know he can really sing and his new album is really good. Check out the reviews on Amazon. He is getting 4 1/2 stars out of 95 reviews !

Here is the trailer for the concert.







Have you attended any recent concerts ?

Are you a fan of any of these artists ?

Thoughts ? Comments ?  Questions ?


Beautifully Complex

Cooking with Beautifully Complex : Strawberry Dream Cake

If you like Strawberries and are looking for a nice cool Spring or Summer dessert this is quick and easy to make. I am pretty sure it's not low calorie though, LOL.  It is very moist and has a lot of flavor.  I recently made this for Easter Dinner. I got the recipe from my mother several years ago and thought I would share it on the blog.

Cake mix & jello powder

Beat eggs & add to mixture

Split mashed strawberries in half

Add 1/2 berries, oil & water, mix for 5 minutes

Pour into pan & bake for 30-35 minutes

Poke holes using a straw while cake is warm

Poke holes all over the cake

Add sugar to berries, stir and spread over cake

Let cool completely & add whipped topping

COMPLETE RECIPE

1  box Yellow or White Cake Mix ( I prefer Duncan Hines Butter Golden)
1   3 ounce package Strawberry Jello
4   eggs
1   cup vegetable oil 
1/4  cup water
1   16 ounce package of frozen strawberries (completely thawed, smashed & halved)
1/2  cup powdered sugar
1  medium container of Cool Whip

Combine cake mix, jello powder and eggs. Mix well.

Add oil, water and 1/2 of the smashed strawberries. Beat with mixer on medium for 5 minutes.

Spray a 9 X 13 pan or glass dish with non-stick spray.  Pour batter into pan & bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While cake is warm use a straw to poke holes all over the cake. Mix the other 1/2 of the mashed strawberries with the powdered sugar. Spread over the top of the cake, allowing the mix to fill in the holes in the cake. Let cake cool completely.

Once cooled. Spread cool whip over the top and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
You can place a few fresh strawberries on top in the center for a nice presentation. 


Slice & Enjoy !


Have you tried any new recipes lately ?

What is your favorite cool dessert ?

Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?


Beautifully Complex