The Man, The Myth, The Legend

Monday night I ventured out to farthest Brooklyn to see John Legend at Wingate Field, part of the excellent and free MLK series presented for three decades by inimitable Brooklyn Borough president Marty Markowitz.

Legend put on a strong, energetic show for the 16,000 attendees that demonstrated his range, from big numbers with the other 11 people on stage (including horn section and three backup singers) to my favorite, just him at the piano singing "Ordinary People," one of the best relationship songs of the past decade. Estelle, just shortlisted for the Mercury Prize, opened.

I so love that I live in a city that puts on free shows like this, and the Philharmonic, and the Metropolitan Opera, and Central Park's Summerstage.

I love even more that Legend donated his performance fee to his own Show Me Foundation, which helps kids in Ghana, and to Camp Brooklyn, which sends Brooklyn kids to sleepaway camp.

Coming soon to Wingate: Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and Patti Labelle.