Sananda Maitreya showcases his fine back catalogue in first show of UK tour

Nearly four decades after he burst onto the international music scene with his album Introducing the Hardline According to …, the American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sananda Maitreya is still something of a pop enigma.

Blessed with an extraordinary songwriting prowess, an excellent voice and looks that one magazine article said used to make women stop and stare when he walked past, he had the music world at his feet after the release of his multi-million-selling debut long-player.

But then Maitreya’s second record, Neither Fish Nor Flesh, failed to spawn any major hits, despite containing many fine songs, and he never regained his early commercial highs.

He remains, of course, better known as Terence Trent D’Arby, a name that he jettisoned in favour of his Sanksrit-inspired moniker in the early 2000s. Now a long-time resident of Italy and married to an Italian woman, he continues to release albums through his own record label.

Maitreya’s initial stop on his UK tour – his first headline tour in Britain for 23 years – was Norwich’s Waterfront.

Now in his early 60s and with his trademark dreadlocks shaved off, he looks very different to the young man who made such an impact in the late 1980s.

But, as he demonstrated with seeming ease, his extraordinary voice remains in fine condition, alternating between a soulful rasp and a distinctive falsetto, and he seemed delighted to be back on stage.

Among the earlier songs was Delicate, a delightful ballad and hit single from his third album, Symphony or Damn. It was originally recorded as a duet with Des’ree, but here was performed solo.

Pretty Baby, from later in his career, showed that his songwriting prowess has remained strong even as his career has taken on a lower profile. Another 2000s song, Dolphin, was instantly catchy and moving, a wonderful take on the beauty of nature and of the importance of being a free spirit.

The jaunty Billy Don’t Fall, from Neither Fish Nor Flesh, was described by Maitreya as “another one that might be a bit dusty”.

Wishing Well, his breakthrough hit, was followed by an interval, after which Maitreya came back on stage wearing one of his branded hoodies.

Sometimes playing guitar and sometimes seated at his keyboards, he worked through more of his back catalogue, both well-known and lesser-known, including Let Her Down Easy, This Town and Sign Your Name, the last of which was a number two single in the UK and one of the evening’s biggest crowd-pleasers.

Maitreya no longer moves around with the frenetic energy of his early years, but he was an expressive presence on stage, twisting his arms and displaying amazing vocal dynamism.

And, while he may have been – probably with justification – accused of artistic pretentiousness in his commercial heyday, he was a good-natured and relaxed presence on stage, chatting with the audience and making light-hearted quips.

Backed by his energetic Italian band, he later on performed the three singles from his fourth album, Vibrator – namely the title track, the quirky Supermodel Sandwich, and a little later in the set, the sublime Holding on to You, which was deservedly a hit single.

Had he kept his original name and ploughed a more determinedly commercial furrow, Maitreya would no doubt have retained a much higher profile.

But he has followed his own artistic impulses and, rather than sinking without trace like some of his contemporaries, he has remained a restless creative force – one that the audience at the Waterfront clearly appreciated.

Let’s hope this tour proves enough of a success that he will be a more regular presence on UK stages in the years to come.

– Sananda Maitreya’s tour runs until November 6, with stops at locations including Birmingham Town Hall and London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire.