Material: Rick Young is a veteran guitarist-vocalist and music producer who is joined by his daughter, award-winning vocalist and dancer-choreographer Kelsey Rose. Their roughly 30-minute livestream set consists of a relaxed, yet vibrant array of pop, soul, rock and country classics. Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” comes out of the gate with an effervescent delivery from Rose and chunky staccato-spiked chords and tasty high harmonies by Young. Other standards include a somber and letter-perfect “House of the Rising Sun,” “Stand By Your Man,” a psychedelicized “Gimme Shelter” and a rousing closer “Johnny B. Goode.”
Musicianship: Young plays and sings with a bravado and chameleonic focus that comes from his considerable experience as both a producer and artist. Even in a bare bones livestream setting such as this, Young is able to adapt to any musical style and bring the goods. His vocals are an exercise in balance and taste. And his extensive guitar acumen, sans any sort of rhythmic accompaniment, demonstrates he can equally shred and lock in a groove. Rose is steeped in classic rock, country, pop, tap and modern dance. She sings with a commanding presence coupled with an engaging charm. Her hand gestures and body language adds a theatrical flair to her act.
Performance: Armed with a small 15-watt Gorilla amp and a Gibson SG, Young kicked off the opening descending lines to the aforementioned Stevie Wonder classic as Rose followed suit. Both have excellent voices and had no problem cutting through, even without microphones. Rose’s had a superb solo take on “Stand by Your Man.” The performer delivered a spot-on rendition that displayed passion, poise and a broad range. Another highlight was Young’s embrace of The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter.” After a respectful dedication to the current global crisis, he broke into an intro that sonically set his guitar ablaze. Wails, squeals and tremolo bar dive bombs gave way to a no-holds-barred cover that embodied the essence of Jimi Hendrix and Frank Marino.
Summary: Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures, and that’s just what you’ll find here. Live from the Youngs’ family kitchen, the father-daughter duo provide a diverse and highly entertaining collection of tunes. The family that plays together stays together and, especially in the case of Rick Young and Kelsey Rose, that is a welcome and hopeful proposition.
Contact: [email protected]
Web: talentlive.com and kelseyroserocks.com
Players: Rick Young, lead and backup vocals, guitar; Kelsey Rose, lead vocals
