Ruth Lambert (vcl); Graham Hardy (tpt/flg); Mick Shoulder (bs); Giles Strong (gtr).
(Review by Lance).
A delightful vignette - it was almost like being in church the respectful silence that was shown during the numbers. Apart from occasional, tentative, rounds of applause after solos. the appreciation was withheld until the tune was over when right hand and left hand struck each other mightily and repetitively.
Ruth was in good voice tonight.
Let's Do It, Detour Ahead, You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To, Invitation, I'm Old Fashioned, Bonnie Raitt's great blues number Love me Like a Man with Hardy plungering and growling like he was in 1930's Harlem and Goody Goody (1936 Ruth - Johnny Mercer and Matty Malneck) made for a strong first set.
Let's Do It, Detour Ahead, You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To, Invitation, I'm Old Fashioned, Bonnie Raitt's great blues number Love me Like a Man with Hardy plungering and growling like he was in 1930's Harlem and Goody Goody (1936 Ruth - Johnny Mercer and Matty Malneck) made for a strong first set.
We didn't win the raffle - but to hear such classy songs, sung and played so well, transcended bottles of wine and boxes of chocolates!
You and the Night and the Music opened up the second set followed by I Fall in Love Too Easily. A cracking song that well deserved Ruth's Chet Baker reference but, let's not forget that, it was Mr Sinatra who sang it first time round in the film Anchors Aweigh. Blue Skies was a gentle swinger and Teach Me Tonight just a great song.
Time for Mick Shoulder to grab a bit more of the limelight as he and Ruth did a vocal/bass version of I'm in the Mood For Love - it had Julie London written all over it. Great voice great double bass.
Next up my favourite bossa Agua De Beber. This one saw the dancing couple take to the floor and their stylish movements added a little something extra to the evening.
Willow Weep For Me, That Old Feeling, a sensitive Angel Eyes and then it was time to call it a Night and Day.
It was just lovely, Ruth's delicate air, not constricted by drums and piano simply floated. Hardy, very much in Chet mode tonight hit the lyrical valve - sure there were moments of passion but, overall, he was playing cool.
Shoulder's bass, the pivotal person in the band, was sound as a pound in support and melodic and meaningful in his solos.
Giles Strong! What tasteful guitar solos! For one night he has escaped from The Bastille like confines of playing hot club rhythm guitar - a role, incidentally, he also performs brilliantly.
Very enjoyable.
Lance.
Willow Weep For Me, That Old Feeling, a sensitive Angel Eyes and then it was time to call it a Night and Day.
It was just lovely, Ruth's delicate air, not constricted by drums and piano simply floated. Hardy, very much in Chet mode tonight hit the lyrical valve - sure there were moments of passion but, overall, he was playing cool.
Shoulder's bass, the pivotal person in the band, was sound as a pound in support and melodic and meaningful in his solos.
Giles Strong! What tasteful guitar solos! For one night he has escaped from The Bastille like confines of playing hot club rhythm guitar - a role, incidentally, he also performs brilliantly.
Very enjoyable.
Lance.
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