Wyclef Jean

It's been nearly ten years now since Wyclef's seminal Fugees album, The Score, brought hip-hop to the masses on a scale never before achieved. In the period since, Clef has worked hard to maintain a firm grip on those masses, making enough time to keep the clubs moving, represent his Haitian homeland and write social pop ditties with the likes of Bono. This 2001 concert recording unites all of these personas, as Clef headlines a charitable event in support of his foundation for the musical development of inner-city youth. To entertain the stiff crowd, the former Fugee draws together a pretty uneven line-up that sees Macy Gray, Charlotte Church, Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder, and members of the Rocksteady Crew share the same stage. Surprisingly, it comes off rather nicely. Duets between Clef and Stevie Wonder on "Gone 'Til November" and "My Song," written and preformed specifically for the show by Wyclef and Eric Clapton, provide some of the most inspired moments. These performances are eclipsed only by a show opener that features the host's teenaged jazz orchestra, Clef's Kids, taking Cab Calloway's "Minnie The Moocher" on the "A-Train" over to Harlem like a seasoned big band. There are a few glitches, but the cause is a worthy one, and Wyclef remains a consummate performer. (Eagle Vision, www.eaglerockent.com)