American Idol winner Jamal Roberts gave a little more than a show at the Riverfront Jazz Festival. Roberts serenaded several women and put the light director in overdrive. Of all the acts at the festival, Roberts was the only artist who spent the bulk of his show in the crowd. The impromptu serenades were a part of Roberts’ connection with the crowd which began with a churchy rendition of “Happy Birthday.” Roberts’ background singers joined him on the floor but on the way back to the stage, he celebrated another couple who was celebrating their anniversary.
If you’ve ever seen Roberts in concert, you know he’ll soon eventually part with his shirt. The women in the audience showed their approval of it and one woman even stood in the way to hug Roberts as he moved through the audience. Roberts, his band and singers are the perfect pairing as they flowed seamlessly through covers and original songs. Roberts is the future of R&B music, parsing old school lover boy vibes with millennial charm, ingenuity and stage presence. The enjoyable set didn’t quite seem long enough for Roberts or the crowd in the room who needed to cool off before the closing artist, Brian McKnight.
Roberts is currently traveling the country performing
