Led by mainstays Sting, Elton John and James Taylor, the eleventh installment of the Rainforest Foundation benefit concert -- determined by the Guinness Book of World Records to be the biggest environmental fundraising event in the world -- saw guitar master Jeff Beck, R&B icon Smokey Robinson, sitarists Ravi and Anoushka Shankar, cellist Han-Na Chang, pianist/vocalist Nina Simone, and songstresses Wynnona Judd, Patti Labelle, Lulu and Rebekah Del Rio all take the stage Saturday night at New York's Carnegie Hall.

The concert, dedicated this year to former Rainforest concert co-chair and supporter Herman Sandler, who died in the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center, also stood as a tribute to the late George Harrison, showcasing Harrison-penned tunes in the first half and actually taking its name from a Harrison song, "Give Me Love, Give Me Peace on Earth."

The show opened with a solo Sting launching into the Harrison's solo hit, "Give Me Love . . ." Taylor and John joined him for the second and third choruses, respectively, backed by a nearly twenty-piece house orchestra. The three host artists remained on stage only briefly afterward to announce Ravi Shankar, who spoke at great length and with much admiration of Harrison.

"To me, George has been something very special . . . I have said often he was like my disciple, son and friend all combined together," Shankar explained, tracing the relationship to a 1966 meeting. Carefully, he described Harrison's complex personality with the warmth that only a loved-one can: "Like a child, full of humor, full of naughtiness, yet he was so serious. He was so pained by all the disharmony around the world. We talked for hours about this."

Asked to "do a special composition for this special occasion," Shankar translated the lyrics "How I am enamored by your eyes and your eyes drive me crazy" into Bengali and sang them unaccompanied before welcoming his daughter Anoushka Shankar to the stage. Flanked on all four corners of a large area rug by two tabla and two estraj players, she performed an Indian raga.

While the area was cleared, John returned to the stage and shared his own memories of Harrison. "I was fortunate in my life to have spent time with him," he said, prefacing his rendition of "Something" by deeming it the song "every songwriter wishes he would have written." Admitting that he had, until that afternoon, never met her before, John then introduced Nina Simone, who offered a slow, sultry version of "Here Comes the Sun," replete with "little darlin"'s in her own unique phrasing.

Sting was joined first by Jeff Beck for "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," then by Taylor for "If I Needed Someone." "I was so pleased to learn that this is George's," Taylor said of the tune. "It's one of my favorite Beatles songs."

A short break in the Harrison-a-thon came as Sting's wife, Trudie Styler, the producer of the event, spoke in memory of her friend Herman Sandler. "Of course this last year has changed all of our lives. Tonight I think we're all acutely aware of absent friends," she noted, explaining that the next two pieces were chosen specifically for Sandler -- "The Swan," performed by Han-na Chang on cello and Ken Helman on piano and "Llorando," Rebekah Del Rio's a capella Spanish cover of Roy Orbison's "Crying," which she belted just as she had in Mulholland Drive. The tribute soon resumed and quickly ended with the final song of the first set when dozens of Indian dancers filled the stage and a choir joined the entire line-up for "My Sweet Lord."

Following intermission, the event became slightly more light-hearted. Patti LaBelle joined with Taylor, Sting, John, Lulu and Del Rio to "Dance to the Music." Lulu and John paired up for "River Deep Mountain High," but Lulu soon went solo on "To Sir With Love." Sting declared himself "King of the Road," while the audience loosened up and clapped along. John returned to the stage, announcing, "Now, as usual, the taste level goes down." And with that, he dug into his own saucy version of "Then He Kissed Me," bending on one knee when "he asked me to be his bride" and turning his back to the audience to shamelessly shake his booty.

Taylor tried to bring a bit of dignity back to the act with a straightforward performance of "On Broadway," then introduced the "true soul diva" Patti LaBelle. "She's torn up so many songs for so long," he gushed, "but this is probably her signature song." Armed with more than the mere seconds she was granted at the Grammys, LaBelle delivered "Lady Marmalade" the way it was supposed to be sung -- torn up enough that Taylor couldn't help dancing. Meanwhile, a fan, looking classy in a three-piece suit, rushed up front to do the funky chicken, until he was escorted by security back to his seat.

As LaBelle exited the stage to "we're not worthy" bows from all three hosts, another unseen but smooth and soulful voice eased into an acoustic "Tracks of My Tears." Halfway through the chorus, Smokey Robinson -- the song's writer -- glided out of the shadows and finished the song in the spotlight.

"I couldn't locate the original Miracles," he joked as John, Taylor and Sting, decked out in glitter jackets, sauntered up to fill the void during a medley that began with "My Girl" into "Ooo Baby Baby." While Robinson led into the next song, John quietly left the backing lineup, sneaking to the piano to add a pearl necklace to his ensemble. "What's everybody laughing at?" Robinson sang without missing a beat. "Is something going on behind my back?" And he launched into "Shop Around" then "You Really Got a Hold on Me." John soon waddled out of the lineup again, to sing "My Guy."

The front stage cleared once more and Wynonna performed alone on "Anyone Who Ever Had a Heart," but was soon joined by Sting for "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling." (As he got down on his knees for her, she broke out of the song to solicit "Someone take a picture!"). Taylor, solo again, finally broke out the acoustic guitar for "Workin' in a Coal Mine."

"I have the great honor and challenge of singing with Ms. Patti LaBelle," Sting practically disclaimed after bringing Jeff Beck back out; and the three dove into a raucous "Superstition." Beck remained on stage with Sting for an even louder and rowdier "Purple Haze."

"In case any of you were wondering what 'La Bamba' means . . . it means 'the bamba.' Thank you," Sting teased during his re-introduction of Rebekah Del Rio, exiting only momentarily and returning with John and Taylor in tow. The three muchachos donned sombreros and shook maracas while Del Rio exercised her spicy pipes.

Physically frail but nonetheless powerful, Simone was again escorted to the piano, where she dedicated "Ne Me Quitte Pas" to Styler. Stopping abruptly only a few notes into the number she announced, "I need a Klenex;" and Sir Elton John (no diva he) ran to Simone's aid. She finished the song passionately and upon its completion fans leapt to their feet for the first time all night. Now perfectly at ease in the spotlight, she followed up with "My Baby Just Cares for Me," chastising the audience for its half-hearted clapping. "I can't hear you," she warned, and earned herself yet another standing ovation at the song's end.

As the rest of the performers trickled onto the stage for the finale, "Oh Happy Day," Simone was seated like a queen up in front. Her Highness was joined by LaBelle, who kept an arm around her and hugged her throughout.

As the song, the set, and the evening drew to a close, LaBelle handed the microphone to a front-row fan who, near tears, blurted, "God Bless you, Nina Simone, forever!"

"I love you very much," Simone replied. Not passing up the opportunity for a hearty plug, she added, "Keep buying my records, and come to see me as often as you can."

ROBIN A. ROTHMAN
(April 15, 2002)