GABRIELE MIT DREI NEW BAND ON THE BLOCK – NOT TO BE MISSED!

Gabriele Heller (vocal); Paul Beck (piano); Steve Glendinning (guitar); Dave Parker (double bass).

This was the band’s debut, and what a great start to what will surely be a successful future.  Not only was there wonderful singing and musicianship, but there was an unusual set of songs and entertainment galore!

Gabi is an experienced actor who specialises in improvisation, which adds much to her singing.  She wore a most unusual outfit of black blouse and shorts, with a long red jacket in  18th century style, striped tights and black and white shoes.  This added to the atmosphere of a Berlin cabaret, as did the black backcloth on the stage, in the intimate upstairs room of the British Legion club at West Jesmond last night.

After a smooth instrumental beginning from the band, Gabi stepped up to invite us to the Dark Town Strutters Ball, which was acted well besides being sung.  This was followed by a bass solo opening for All or Nothing at All and then Imagination. Gabi’s linking remarks between songs worked well.  Then came the entertaining, sophisticated, upbeat Don’t Mess Around With Me, an original song.  The song included Gabi singing like a trumpet and the bass played slowly with the bow to end the song.  As Dave on the bass remarked to Gabi ‘ I wouldn’t mess around with you after that!’  All of Me, was followed by Broken Silence, which was an original tune by Steve, with interesting lyrics by Gabi, a list of things which can be either broken or crazy.

The second half included a bossa nova Little Boat, with a burst of Gabi’s extensive scat, a sensitive Good Morning Heartache, with superb solos from everyone, an upbeat original Never Too Late, with intriguing words, (‘It’s never too late to leave an Island’).  Then followed Marlene Dietrich’s Falling in Love Again, sung in German with scat.  Was the scat in German or English? Does it matter?  Then came a modern gospel song Slow Me Down Lord’, and a blues, Robert Johnson’s Come on in My Kitchen, followed by Inchworm, ( remember the Danny Kaye version?), with a slow introduction then a sudden speeding up.  After You’d be so Nice to Come Home to’, the audience shouted for an encore, which was a beautifully sensitive God Bless The Child’. 

I hope this conveys the atmosphere of this excellent gig.  You have to see them soon.  Catch them at the Jazz Cafe on Dec. 3; at Hexham Jazz Club on Dec. 6, or at Hoochie Coochie on Dec. 29.

Ann Alex.