Polly
Gibbons (vcl); James Pearson (pno); Arnie Somogyi (bs); Matt Skelton (dms).
(Review by Flore)
As usual Cadogan Hall was well
attended the for the weekly Out To Lunch Jazz Series. This week it featured
Polly Gibbons with the James Pearson Trio who opened up with C Jam Blues. Pearson, the house pianist
at Ronnie’s, is a prodigious talent who played in the style of several pianists
even down to grunting like Keith Jarrett.
The Way You Look Tonight, very much in the Erroll Garner style,
concluded with some inspired work by Somogyi and Skelton.
Enter Polly Gibbons.
I wasn't familiar with the
attractive 25 year old but from the opening bars of Almost Like Being in Love I knew we were in for a treat. Taken up
tempo Polly sailed through the song her individuality immediately apparent.
The tempo slowed for The Meaning of the Blues. A soulful
rendition that displayed the rich timbre of her voice. Behind her, Somogyi’s
smokingly dirging bass supported her totally.
Bye Bye Blackbird was done very much tongue in cheek and the audience
loved it.
Second set had the trio playing They Can’t Take That Away From me (or as
Eddie Thompson used to say They Can’t Take me Away From That!)
Polly returned for a Blues
followed by an unusual take on Love For
Sale that led to Pray from her
album What’s The Reason?
The big finish came with Georgia on my Mind and Honeysuckle Rose. We left knowing we’d
experienced a rare talent that deserves to be heard more often. And, of course,
not forgetting the supporting trio. Somogyi is some bass player – he could
leave his bass in my airing cupboard anytime.
Flore.
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