Elana James (pictured left with our Ann Alexander) (violin/vocals);Whit Smith (vocals, guitar), and slap bass player Jake Erwin.
No wonder Bebop Spoken Here's Ann is smiling after Elana had autographed a CD for her - this had been one fantastic 3 tier full Hall 2 concert. And to think I'd been debating the other Sage option tonight i.e. Zappa Plays Zappa in Hall 1 - all 2 hours 30 minutes of it no interval'
No, this was a good call, the trio crossing the genres with ease.
They played jazz a la Django/Stephane and country inspired by the Western Swing of, say, Bob Willis and the Playboys.
Listening to Elana and trying not to be distracted by her fascinating leg movements, I was reminded of the time when I first heard Hank Williams. I was 15 and just discovering jazz. There was a fiddle solo on the record which sounded pretty damn much like jazz to me although I was told it was Hillbilly music.
Well for me that "Hillbilly music" which became Country/Western Swing certainly had plenty jazz going for it tonight!
Elana is not only a fine fiddler but a super singer too. Exactly Like You, I Got It Bad, Oh Baby, Deed I Do, were just some of the jazzy items but even on the out and out country numbers she swung.
Whit Smith played Chet Atkins inspired guitar and sang in the country idiom. Guitar and fiddle were outstanding but the biggest ovation went to slap bass star Jake Erwin - his every slap and click brought the house down.
Loved every minute of tonight's show.
Lance.
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