A new voice in the act, and she’s A Supreme  
By Phillip Ellwood - The San Francisco Chronicle 1974​

While actress Diana Ross was hard at work, as a mistress of ceremonies, trying to keep the Academy Awards presentations moving along, her old singing buddies, The Supremes were having a lively time of it in the Fairmont’s Venetian Room – presenting their best local performance since Diana’s departure from the Detroit trio five years ago.  

The reliable veteran Supreme, Mary Wilson (the only original member left), now has as colleagues Cindy Birdsong and Scherrie Payne.  Ms. Birdsong went on maternity leave last year, but from 1967-1972 was a stalwart Supreme.  

Miss Payne, younger sister of the famed Freda, is a marvelous addition to the trio, a real show-stopper and a most significant new sound in the Supremes’ vocal blend.  Her contributions make the 1974 Supremes incredibly better than last spring’s version.  

Arriving on stage flourishing their expansive ruffled stoles (swirls of black and white), the Supremes almost leaped into “T.C.B.,” their opener for a couple of years now.  Miss Payne’s strong voice was immediately apparent, as shimmering as the elegant silver sequined gowns which partially clothed the singers.  

Stunning, I’d say, was the Supremes’ salutation in song – and the mood prevailed almost throughout the show.  San Francisco designer Pat Compano should share some of the spotlight – the reflecting gowns, shaded vertically half-and-half, and the effect of brilliance helped the performance bubble along.  
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The traditional medley of old Supremes hits has been broken up this time around and “Stop! In the Name of Love,” gives a fuller treatment than the others – songs like “Baby Love,” “Where Did Our Love Go?” etc.  Scherrie’s lead on “My World” rang clear and true, and the vocal blend was especially mellow on “Up The Ladder to the Roof.”
 
“Stoned Love” remains a good number; “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” would benefit from a refurbished accompanying orchestration.  “Automatically Sunshine,” “Floy Joy,” and “Nathan Jones” along with “Touch,” tended to be more monologues in presentations, and after some wriggling and twisting on “Tossing and turning” the group (whose stage leader is Mary Wilson) got into a kind-of gospel-soul-funk mood, trying to end the show on a revival-meeting note.
 
It didn’t work, but it gave Cindy a chance to wail a little gospel, and some of the audience provided the rapport which is essential for call-and-response material.  

A Number of back-up charts seemed sluggish to me.  Maybe the New Supremes might work better just with a slight augmentation of their own rhythm group rather than with a full hotel orchestra.  And, as this group gets deeper into things musical perhaps there will come an elimination of much of the forced stage chatter and unnecessary and awkward comedy bits.  

Their music, and style, can carry them along quite well.
By Phillip Ellwood  - The San Francisco Chronicle 1974​