Released just two weeks prior, Raphael Saadiq’s Jimmy Lee album delves into topics such as drugs, AIDS, and African-American incarceration; themes not commonly associated with the classic R&B singer. Regardless of the different vibe, it was still a packed house at the Mohawk, filled with 30 and 40-somethings that grew up listen to Saadiq’s music. With eight years having past since his last album, you could feel the anticipation in the air leading up to his performance. Or, perhaps it was the humidity? The night was stupid hot, and unwanted sweat made for a less than ideal wait for the famed multi-instrumentalist-producer-songwriter to hit the stage. Shortly after 10pm, Saadiq would do just that, as screams and cheers greeted him and his band, which included the super talented Rob Bacon on guitar.

After a few songs, Saadiq would jump into the the album’s lead single, Something Keeps Calling, in which Saadiq speaks about the insidious nature of addiction and the difficulties in overcoming it. The track is punctuated by a soul-piercing guitar solo by Rob Bacon. Hearing it on record is one thing, but seeing and feeling the emotion in person, on top of the amazing riffs, made for an energy that can’t be explained. In that moment, you realize you are experiencing something special that only the other people in attendance can understand and appreciate.

Saadiq would proceed to play through his entire Jimmy Lee album, sharing personal stories about his brother, and the inspiration behind each track. This provided much needed context for those in the crowd who had not spent much time with the album, or were just there on the basis of his Tony!, Toni!, Tone! and/or Lucy Pearl days. By the end of his set, the crowd got to know Raphael Saadiq, the person, a bit more, and had a greater appreciation for his new music, as a result.

Showered with chants of Encore, Raphael Saadiq and band returned to the stage, having just left a few minutes prior. Upon return, Saadiq thanked the crowd for allowing him to play through his entire Jimmy Lee album, as it was very therapeutic for him to do so. He acknowledge that some, if not most, came to hear the “classics,” and appreciated them for staying through the whole show. Then, to the delight of the crowd, Saadiq went off into a medley of beloved tracks like “Anniversary,” and “It Feels Good.”

After running through his own hits, he once again spoke to the crowd. This time, confessing how he’s never won a Grammy for any of his music. He would go on to explain that having people sing along and embrace the music he’s written is the true award for any artist. Although his personal catalog has never landed a Grammy, Saadiq has won multiple Grammys for his collaborations with other artists. This was Saadiq’s lead in to performing yet another medley, playing on ly tracks that he’d written/composed for others, such as D’Angelo, Mary J. Blige and Erykah Badu, etc. “Did you know this one was me too?,” he asked coyly, as he began stringing “How Does It Feel.” Some of the crowd screamed “Yes!,” while you could hear shock from others. All in all, Saadiq played for over two hours. Shortly after midnight, Saadiq tells the crowd, “The show is over. We’re just up here jamming. Is Ok, if we jam with you a bit longer?” This time, there was resounding “Yes” by all in attendance.