SUPREME THEY ARE NOT

IT was not the supreme event for the recent Secretaries Week. The Sounds of Supremes, comprising American trio Karen Raagland, Kathy Merrick and Van Jewell, was a far cry from the original line-up consisting of Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong. Probably it was curiosity that led many to watch the show, but paying RM200 for a ticket was considered steep for a simple performance by the three Supremes wannabes.

Watching the performance, one could not help but make comparisons between the old and the new.

After all, when Ross and her two good friends formed the group, they scored 15 hit records consecutively. Setting such high standards made them a tough act to follow. In fact, at one time, The Supremes had no less than five hits reaching the coveted No.1 spot on the charts. And this was an impressive track record for the new Supremes to emulate.

But we are talking about performances here.

So, when Raagland, Merrick and Jewell sang some of the biggest Supremes hits from the 1960s - Stop! In the Name of Love, Baby Love and You Keep Me Hanging On, there were few people in the audience who were entertained.

Wearing identical shimmering mini-dresses with black jackets, the trio looked a pale version of the original Supremes. Not that the glamorous hairdo was missing or because these girls were wearing wigs. It was just a plain sight.

The Kristal Ballroom at PJ Hilton was almost packed and the trio performed non-stop, belting out old hits, reworked some of the Motown classics and rendered other popular tunes.

They displayed synchronised body and hand movements but their vocals were less harmonious.

Their high-pitch singing drowned out their vocal harmony; it was clearly more noise.

One of the redeeming factors was Raagland, a member of The Supremes from the late 1970s through the 1980s who had performed at the London Palladium for Princess Margaret at Europe's Pori Jazz Festival, the Bottom Line in Japan and the Legends of Rock stadium tour of Australia. Her voice was quite distinguished and impressive and she was better singing solo.

When the trio sang Heat Wave, My Guy, Love Is Like an Itchin' in My Heart and Someday We'll Be Together, it was obvious that the atmosphere of the evening was drab despite the loud music.

Sadly, an encore was staged and the dessert was sweeter than the songs.

BY ZIEMAN - PUBLISHED 20/4/2001