Alexis P. Suter and Ministers of Sound AND the Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir

For Alexis P. Suter and Ministers of Sound (AMOS) at Olive Ridley’s, in Plattsburgh, New York, the Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir was charged-up to warm the room. Instead, they electrified it. Like a deck of cards, expertly shuffled, all thirty singers fell into position behind three microphones. They stayed focused on the expert lead and boundless energy of Choir Director Andrea Ogle. Opening a-cappella with “The Storm is Passing Over”, their final hallelujah was particularly heartwarming in these troubled times.

Photo by Beckie O'Neill

Backed up by keyboardist and Artistic Director Dr. Dexter L. Criss, “Total Praise” was delivered by smiling choir members whose soft, subtle voices rose and held notes. They rode the melody and sounded heavenly right to the finish with their bouquet of glorious amens.

With Dexter’s boogie-woogie keyboard intro, Henry Steng’s lead guitar, Jakeel Benjamin’s drums, Dyllan Quan’s bass guitar, the choir clapping, and the crowd quickly joining in, “You Should Be a Witness” was so promising and enlivening. Everyone was into it and it was all happening right then – the joy, the gratitude – with punch and spark.

Laura Carbone, Producer of Plattsburgh Blues and Jazz, welcomed us and thanked each of the sponsors by name before “Everybody Clap Your Hands” had the choristers rocking, strutting, stomping, shuffling, finger-snapping, swinging side-to-side, and nailing the notes with moxie, enthusiasm … and did I mention rhythm?

After the beautiful voice of the soloist Gina Lindsey initiated “My Help (Cometh From The Lord)”, the choir’s jubilant, full-sound followed.

“Pass Me Not” was highlighted by Barbara Criss, soloist and Dexter’s wife, with a crystal-breaking voice. Then, the musicians cranked it up while the choir grooved out in unison with their gleeful, hand-clapping, choreographed, bouncing up and down, Spirit-filled rendition. We expressed our appreciation with a standing ovation.

Laura then introduced Alexis P. Suter as, “a Gosblues singer”. Alexis and her band members have opened three times for B.B. King and one-hundred times for Levon Helms. Alexis plays worldwide at festivals and has twice been nominated for the Blues Music Award.

“How you all doing?” she asked us, with a big smile under her black, top hat, as she launched into, “Free”. Her band members’ music took flight.

Before her next number “Didn’t it Rain”, Alexis removed her hat, piled her dreadlocks up on her head and wiped her glistening brow. Her accompanying vocalist Vicki Bell in a snug fitting, black dress with a lace bodice, danced with flair. Vicki’s husband, drummer Raymond Grappone made amazing faces and added vocals along with his driving percussion. Lead guitarist Chris Bergson finessed his strings. And bass man Tom Terry, under a beret, provided the solid, rhythmic foundation.

Photo by Beckie O'Neill

Cueing in her song, “Love?”, Alexis said, “You know folks we have to love one another. Love is very powerful. I’m not talking about loving someone you know. I’m talking about showing love to a complete stranger. My message will always be love. I don’t care what color you are. I’m not looking at color if you need a kidney and I’ve got a match. It’s about life and love.”

For “Wade in the Water” the drummer led off, the lead picked it up, the dancer strutted her stuff, the bass joined in and Alexis paused to wet her whistle. Fans on the sidelines, who could no longer contain themselves, took over the dance floor. Alexis’s voice was as low as Vicki’s harmony was high. The lead and bass instruments engaged in a funky conversation while the lead guitarist also chimed in on vocals.

“There’s a lot going on in the world and we have to do something about it. Have you ever heard of the law of attraction? We have to start feeding Mother Earth with love.” Alexis said. “Whenever you think of something negative, knock it out of the box with something positive!”

“Goin’ Home”, written by Chris as a tribute to Levon Helms, was performed by him with Alexis manning the tambourine.

With a jitterbug-beat introducing “You Don’t Move Me No More” the lead and bass dueled for the funkiest take on the song.

“This next song I dedicate to a very important group of people… [it’s] for all my fluffy friends. If you can pinch an inch - you in the club! If you get up in the middle of the night and those Oreos are calling you and you can’t eat them without a cold glass of milk even though you’re lactose intolerant - you in the club! Here’s a bluesy tune…” - “Built for Comfort”.

As she began, Alexis held out her arms and made her body shake and twitch, “You know why I love a bass player? A bass player knows how to hold a bottom. I weigh 300 pounds. I tell you he holds it down!”

As the song ended, Vicki pointed to Alexis and said, “That’s Big Mama Suter.” The crowd cheered. “And, we can’t thank Laura Carbone enough for all she’s done. We’re very grateful to have her in our lives.” The crowd cheered and whooped some more.

“The message is, we as a people, not white or black or green,” said Alexis, “we the people have to learn to love and respect one another.” Then, she bellowed out a soulful version of “Let It Be”, with each word so heartfelt. At the end, she stretched her arms out toward us as if embracing us all. She blessed us through open hands, as she visibly trembled, this time, channeling God’s grace, with tears in her eyes. It was wondrous, so earnest and kind. I wiped away tears and felt absolved of negativity.

There was a quick break, then Alexis, with her high cheekbones and dimples, initiated, “Praise Is What I Do,” and the Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir, which had reassembled, joined in. 

“It’s all about love. I don’t know how many times I can say it, how many times I can sing it. It’s all about love,” Alexis reminded us.

For an extended “Oh Happy Day” Alexis, her band, and the choir, providing their own drummer Jakeel, were rambunctious. Even without mics, the choir members’ voices rose, lifted, carried… maybe even spread across Lake Champlain, into the Green Mountains, and beyond.

“No music now,” Alexis said to the band, “C’mon choir – a-cappella”. What a boost of high energy! Eventually, she pointed to Dexter to resume playing. Then, she pointed to Jakeel to do the same. Ray shook the tambourine then handed it to Alexis so he could keep rhythm with drumsticks against cymbals and Vicki danced and sang along with them all and Tom, on bass, expertly held the bottom and the stupendous choir clapped, danced, and moved while all of the musicians grooved.

“Love is in the building,” Alexis cried. I felt it in my heart. “This is what love looks like.” I saw it on the faces of all of the entertainers and those around me. “I believe in love,” said Alexis. I do too. A drum solo by Jakeel, fueled by Alexis’ encouragement, blew us away.

For the second set, now with just AMOS on stage, “My mother, ninety-five, was one of the first African American women to attend Juilliard,” Alexis said. “This next song is the title of our new CD ‘All for Loving You’.” The lead went for it. Alexis belted. The drummer smiled. Vicki danced. And the bass… well, we know what he was doing.

A great dance number, as if by centrifugal force, pulled me onto the dance floor and I was too into it to know what the tune was. 

“Take Me to the River” kept me and my partner out there but at least I had the presence to make note of its name.

“We have a couple more,” Alexis said. “Lovelight”. Wow, did it shine. With a fired-up band and fired-up dancers, it was a fired-up night.

Seamlessly, the band kept us on the dance floor. Was that a locomotive coming? Alexis was back under her tall, black hat. For “Got My Mojo Working”, their energy was exquisite, powerful, soulful, grooving. When they finished, the crowd wanted more. Yet, the band had disappeared out the side door. We clapped and stomped for an encore which I trusted would come but it didn’t. A mantra requesting, “More, more, more,” persisted. The plea from the room intensified as we stood there, frustrated, wanting more. At least three minutes passed.

And then, there they were, taking the stage. Alexis bent over and touched the bottom of her right, black sneaker. Small, red reflectors lit up outlining her foot. She ignited her left shoe. I admired the “OM” symbol tattooed on her left shoulder. “Shake Your Hips” put us in a frenzy. Guest musician George Wurster, of the Blind Pig Blues Band, traded licks on his blues harmonica with Alexis’ vocals, and with the other band members they took us out hootin’, hollerin’, and hip shakin’.

What a finale. It all but blew our fuses.

[“Alexis P. Suter and the Ministers of Sound joined by The SUNY Plattsburgh Gospel Choir” Laura Carbone Facebook page September 25, 2017 and PB&J: Plattsburgh Blues and Jazz Facebook page, September 25, 2017, Beckie O’Neill]