Unplugged

Recorded on the Fourth of July, 2005, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Alicia Keys’ Unplugged abandons the studio sheen of Songs In A Minor, leaving her voice, her piano playing, and her impeccable feel for classic soul to stand alone. Keys darts from the kinetic funk of “Heartburn” to the spoken word jazz of “Streets of New York” and the bruised gospel blues of “Fallin’,” her band nimbly shadowing her every movement and providing full-bodied orchestration for every one of Keys’ shifting moods. She reinvents her radio hits, and with the R&B standard “Every Little Bit Hurts” she follows in a tradition that includes Brenda Holloway and Gladys Knight, then turns around to transform the Stones’ country lament “Wild Horses” into a burning testimonial that almost matches “Unbreakable” for sheer conviction. Melodies by Eddie Kendricks, The Main Ingredient, and the Isley Brothers are woven into the fabric of the music, and the night concludes with a jam session medley of Brand Nubian’s hip-hop love song “Love It or Leave It Alone” and Damian Marley’s massive roots anthem “Welcome to Jamrock.” For all her intense musical valor, Keys makes sure Unplugged maintains the atmosphere of a Saturday night party.