By Ryan Leeds
Since its opening in 1891, Carnegie Hall has been a beacon for the world’s greatest composers. Tchaikovsky waved the first baton, and now, more than a century later, New York Pops conductor and music director Steven Reineke, a 78-member orchestra, and powerhouse guest artists, prove the iconic venue has more stories to tell.
A two-hour lover affair unfolded at the Pops’ recent R&B concert, If I Ain’t Got You, featuring thrilling vocals by Aisha Jackson (The Great Gatsby) and Avery Wilson (The Wiz).
After opening with Barry White’s rapturous “Love’s Theme,” Reineke welcomed Jackson and Wilson, along with its now familiar trio of backup vocalists—Ramona Dunlap, Stephanie Fisher, and Melodie Ray—whose effortless harmonies added to the luxe arrangements.
A journey through R&B’s greatest music
With roots dating back to the first wave of the Great Migration and gaining popularity throughout the mid-20th century, The Pops delivered a decade-spanning program of R&B, including hits by Ashford and Simpson, Marvin Gaye, Alicia Keys, and Lionel Richie, among others.
Emotions were high as Jackson honored her late brother, who introduced her to secular music, with a visceral performance of John Legend’s “Ordinary People.” Wilson showed his expansive four-octave range, dedicating his rendition of “I Have Nothing” (in Whitney Houston’s original key) to his parents. Other highlights included the Aretha Franklin classic “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” and the timeless “What’s Going On.”
Despite Isaac Stern Auditorium’s legendary acoustics, muddy sound mixing in the first act buried Jackson and Wilson’s powerhouse vocals beneath an overamplified orchestra. Resolved for the second act, audience members took to the aisles for the encore, Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me).”
The Pops proved that Carnegie Hall’s storied walls have plenty of room for soul, and the audience’s aisles-dancing joy was all the evidence needed.
The New York Pops returns to Carnegie Hall on March 13, 2026, for The Music of US: From Then to Now.
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