Lindsay Hannon Plus @ The Sage. October 23

Lindsay Hannon (vocals), Alan Law (keyboards), John Pope (double bass) & Mark Robertson (drums).

The Sage's vast Concourse area on a Sunday lunchtime can be an unforgiving place to perform. The acoustics don't encourage the intimate ballad, the sound can get lost in the ether and diners aren't always there to listen. Throw in unsuspecting visitors (on this occasion a Gerrman concert band on route to an engagement in Whitley Bay) and the prospect of a successful gig isn't great.

The appearance of Lindsay Hannon and her trio dispelled any such reservations. Hannon chose numbers from a wide and varied repetoire and was more than ably supported by three of the north east's most experienced musicians. Cy Coleman's Why Try to Change Me Now? featured sensitive accompaniment form pianist Alan Law and on the Harry Warren/Mack Gordon standard There Will Never Ever Be Another You, Law, bassist John Pope and drummer Mark Robertson really did swing it. George Shearing's Lullaby of Birdland offered solo opportunities to Pope and Law as Hannon handled the lyric with panache. A John Pope intro signalled a rollicking good take on A Night in Tunisia and vocalist Hannon concluded the hour-long set singing So Long, Big Time! A good set and, by and large, the audience listened and showed their appreciation. The Lindsay Hannon Plus can be heard across the Tyne in the Jazz Cafe next Saturday (October 29).

Russell .