Kurt Elling vocals/ Laurence Hobgood piano/
John McLean guitar/ Clark Sommers bass/ Bryan Carter drums.
Sheila Jordan vocals/ Brian Kellock
piano/ Kenny Ellis bass/ Stu Ritchie drums.
(Review by Debra Milne.)
This year's London Jazz Festival has featured a
number of vocalists, and one of the highlights was the double bill of Sheila
Jordan and Kurt Elling. Ms Jordan was accompanied by her favourite pianist
Brian Kellock (who was also with her at the Sage Gateshead a few years ago) and
his trio.
Beginning her set with a low key Hum
Drum Blues the lady soon got into her stride with Wouldn't It Be Lovely. The strength
of her voice may reflect her 84 years, but boy can she swing, and the rhythm
and phrasing of her scatting was immaculate.
A cheesy show tune transformed into a jazz vocal master class. This was
followed by a bossa version of All Or Nothing At All, and Workshop
Blues, a self-penned tune she uses with
her students, during which the audience and the entire band had a musical
workout.
The most affecting piece was Jimmy Webb's The Moon Is A Harsh
Mistress, and Kellock played such a beautiful solo, that Ms Jordan responded
by placing a great big smacker of a kiss on his glistening head, whilst he was
still playing. Her ability to deliver well timed, witty lyrics and vocalese
came to the fore with Sonny Rollins' Pent Up House and in
her last number, a blues in which she described her life story. As if relieved
to have reached the end of the set, she held nothing back and her voice was
more powerful. Yet there was something in reserve for Lament performed as an
encore.
Kurt Elling and his band provided great contrast,
although both singers use vocal improvisation as an
essential part of their performance. Elling's latest
project, with long term collaborator pianist Laurence Hobgood, is a
selection of songs spanning several decades, written in the Brill Building at
1619 Broadway. Elling opened with a
soaring Come Fly With Me, and this also showcased the band. The young drummer
Bryan Carter and bassist Clark Sommers were set up as close as possible, and
stayed in each other's pockets all night.
Elling & Hobgood explored a
number of well-known tunes, and their arrangements changed them into quite
different pieces of music, exemplified by Sam Cooke's You Send Me. Guitarist
Jim McLean's simple riff, and Elling's reworking of the melody, turned a
classic pop song into something deeper and groovier. Elling also had some fun
with vocal improvisation using electronic effects, before seguing into On
Broadway, where the edginess of the drums and bass captured not only the mood
of the lyric, but also that of New
York City
In songs such as I Only Have
Eyes For You, he related the lyric with sensitivity, using his awesome vocal
power with restraint. And all too soon, the set climaxed with Nature Boy,
starting as a sweet ballad, which served as an introduction into an up tempo
piece with extended solos all round. The band returned from their standing
ovation with Kurt Elling and Sheila Jordan hand in hand - she watched most of
his set from the side of the stage. The audience were then treated to a duet
which included Moody's Mood For Love, with both singers providing additional
vocalese including references to the US
election & Elling's (allegedly) cross-dressing bass player. Just Brill.
This show is due to be broadcast on Radio 3 on
January 6 2013.
Debra Milne.
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