Caro Emerald @ Sage Gateshead. Sept. 10

Caro Emerald (vcl) + Band. (Apologies but I didn't catch any of the band members' names. If anyone can help out please do.)

Sage Gateshead was three tiers full which means totally sold out as indeed it has been for several weeks - and deservedly so. By no means was this a jazz gig although there were enough jazz elements present to appeal to all but the most blinkered aficionado. Jazz, Rock, Latin, Pop, Ska even Charleston were all in the mix along with a few more - often in the same tune!

Emerald has a voice that easily absorbs whatever genre she sings in and comes out as pure Caro. I didn't catch all the song titles but among the ones I did note were You Came Along, How Long, Liquid Lunch, I'm Comin' Back as a Man, Stuck, Tangled Up, Back it up. Night Like This, I Belong to You, I Want You, The Wonderful in You.

Her voice takes these songs and sings them as no one else could which isn't surprising as I believe she wrote them all herself!

Behind her the band were a precision unit yet still retained the looseness necessary in any performance irrespective of genre. The horns were outstanding as a unit and all three - baritone/tenor, trumpet/cornet and trombone/euphonium - had moments in the sun. The baritone player's blast on I Want You was of Gonsalves proportions that segued from a Charleston into a vintage Rock & Roll number with Caro herself doing a few bars of flapper style terpsichore.

The guitarist switched guitars several times, a solid body that may have been an SG (I was in row o), a semi and a Maccaferri. His chords and solos were the biz. The bassist switched from bass guitar to double bass to keyboard bass. Keyboards had an impressive solo feature, a guy on some kind of synth device produced weird yet often effective sounds and the kitman goosed everything nicely along. There was also somebody playing a marching style bass drum on a stand on one number. Have I missed anyone?

By the time the "last number" was reached we were all on our feet dancing, clapping and oo oo ooing along.

A confession! I hate encores! Not the actual music but the fact that we have to practically take the skin off our palms and shout ourselves hoarse calling for more before the artist(s) condescend to return.

Tonight, it was worth it! That Man was nothing less than brilliant. So good in fact that we bayed for more and got it.
A low keyed If You Go Away, sung partially in French, was as poignant a song as I've heard in long time. It was the only non-original after which we left in a thoughtful (yet happy) mood.
Apart from the music - the light show and the backdrop were artistic triumphs of their own!
Sorry you missed it or couldn't get a ticket? Well all is not lost.
Caro Emerald's 2014 "The Shocking Miss Emerald Tour" is back in the area on March 18 - not at Sage Gateshead but at Newcastle City Hall. As the City Hall has a smaller capacity I suggest you think about booking now!
Lance.