With radio and concert stages cluttered with Auto Tuned no-talents, a performer with gospel in her voice and classical training in her fingers is someone to be cherished.
So it's doubly disappointing how Alicia Keys has abandoned the promise of her early work for the safety net of shallow pop.
Sunday night's concert at the St. Pete Times Forum, before a crowd of 7,375, illustrated the problem. The focus was squarely on the show - dancers, a splashy set, costumes - with the music just another element of the entertainment package.
That's standard procedure for concerts by the latest "American Idol" winner or Disney sensation. But Keys has the talent and the tunes those performers normally lack. She doesn't need the props.
