Alexander Stewart (vcl), Alex Webb (pno), Gary Crosby (bs), Andy Chapman (dms) + Denys Baptiste (ten), Abram Wilson (tpt), Paul Pace, Rosemary, Jennie, Christine (vcls).
Was this a gig or was this a gig!?
Alexander Stewart is one of the best young singers I've heard in many a year. Okay, so he relates to Bublé and, by those musical genetics to Sinatra, nevertheless he is is his own (young) man.
He literally took The Spice apart with his versions of "Too Marvelous For Words", "Young at Heart" and a variety of other standards such as Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover". "I'm in the Mood For Love", "Love me or Leave Me", "Body and Soul" plus a few originals written by pianist Alex Webb.
When Denys Baptiste joined in on tenor it became a kickass evening. The highspot for me was "You Don't Know Me". Baptiste's tenor scorched the rooftops whilst Alexander turned it into a 2009 torch song.
Something else!
There were so many more gems throughout.
Paul Pace sang a couple then introduced three girls who each did their own thing. After Rosie and Jennie had sung and swung "East of the Sun" and "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" respectively, a lass called Christine raised the game with her take on "Anthropology" - wow Christine I love you!
Then, just when you thought it was all over, during Alexander's final set on came Abram Wilson who blew some terrific trumpet on "All of Me". Abram has gigs coming up at Canterbury, Milton Keynes, London and beyond so check him out - he is the business.
To make the night complete, I sat in a corner like that guy Jackie Horner and made conversation with a chap who was drinking his curds and whey. (So I'm mixing him up with Little Miss Muffet? Poetic licence!)
Guess what? He came from Durham!
And he played tenor!
We had a thing or two in common!
Nice to meet you Tom - we'll keep in touch.
Then there was my buddy the doorman - if Down Beat ever have a poll for Doorman of the Year you will be up there.
Super night.
Lance
3 comments :
Had a listen to Alexander Stewart on myspace and he is very good.
Only 21 yrs old from Manchester.
As Anne and Billy said to Zoe its great that youngsters are keeping the jazz flag flying.
Thanks Lance for that great review of our gig last night.
I hope you don’t mind, I’ve posted your review on my Myspace and also stuck one of the live pics on my Myspace photo album – credited of course.
Many thanks for lending your ears! I’ll make sure you hear about other things we do.
Best regards,
Alex Webb
Media Relations Manager, Contemporary Music
barbican
t - 020 7382 6199
m - 07788 916768
e- awebb@barbican.org.uk
Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS
Hey Alex I enjoyed it but I omitted to lavish well deserved praise on yourself and the trio. Without you guys...
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