Sue Ann Carwell's homecoming as blues mama packs Dakota

Sue Ann Carwell's new blues album The Dakota had the vibe of a big-event on Sunday night. It was standing room only, with many folks stylin' in their Sunday best. Alexander O'Neal was even in the house, as a spectator. There was a buzz in the jam-packed room. All the fuss was over the long-awaited return of the Twin Cities' own Sue Ann Carwell, who, with the help of Prince's first manager, landed a Warner Bros. contract in the 1980s, made some records for MCA in the '90s and then became an A-list L.A. backup singer, recording with Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Toni Braxton, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Patti LaBelle, Rod Stewart, Lionel Richie and others. This winter, she released a blues album, "Blues in My Sunshine," produced by guitar monster Jesse Johnson of the Time. Carwell's backup band opened the evening. They were introduced as the P-Funk All-Stars even though George Clinton was not involved. Some of his former players were, though, including guitarist Mike Hampton, vocalist Steve Boyd and drummer Frankie Cash Waddy. For 40 minutes, the nine-member group played an array of vintage R&B, with a taste of Philly Soul, wah-wah funk and Parliament-Funkadelic. It was fun but little more than dated bar-band stuff by some semi-famous backup musicians. Then it was star time. The Big Boss Lady, as she was introduced by her backup singing brother Carl Carwell (it's the title of a song on her new CD), came out in a shaggy fur jacket, tight leather jeans and matching leopard-pattern hat and high-heeled boots. And Carwell came on like a blues-rock mama, circa 1970 San Francisco. Carwell, who is in her late 40s, was friendly, enthusiastic and chatty, peppering her patter with plenty of y'alls ("I missed y'all, y'all). She did a little funk, some blues, some blues-rock, a version of Neil Young's "Down By the River, a cover of Betty Wright's "Clean Up Woman" and her new single "Hold Me Tonight." During her eight-song, 60-minute set, Carwell gave plenty of solo flights to guitarist Rick Ross (which were performed by Jesse Johnson on the record). But, frankly, her 10-person band (including three backup vocalists) seemed under-rehearsed and too-big for her sound and the Dakota stage. Her voice was not loud enough in the mix (and, quite honestly, a little thin at times). Although she commanded the stage and connected with the crowd, it didn't feel like Carwell owned this material. Call this homecoming welcomed but not as triumphant as expected.