GIJF Day Two: Double Bill: Zoe Gilby and Alice Zawadzki

Zoe Gilby (vocals); Paul Edis (keys); Andy Champion (bass); Adrian Tilbrook (drums). 

(Review by Ann Alex/photos courtesy of Ken Drew).
This was Zoe’s Pannonica set, interpretations of Thelonious Monk tunes, with words by such as Carmen McRae.  Pannonica was a baroness who was rumoured to be Monk’s lover, and could be considered to be the muse of bebop. Intriguing stuff so far, and the whole set was full of catchy, witty singing, interesting chat about the music, and well matched skilled musicianship. A suitable tribute to Monk, beginning with Rhythm-a-ning  and including Monk’s Dream (from 1963) with great piano and bass solos; Little Rooty Tooty (Zoe ended this on a fine high note which would have done an opera singer proud); Think Of One (lots of scat); and the well known Blue Monk, which sounded like a manifesto from Monk ‘trial and error, keeping on from year to year’, sung to a slow slinkyish tune.  Other tunes included were a piece with lyrics by Hendricks, and Reflections. All delivered impeccably, and it’s difficult to say something which hasn’t been said before about these fine musicians.

Alice Zawadzki

Alice Zawadzki (vocals, violin); Alex Roth (guitar); Pete Lee (keys); Tom McCredie (bass guitar); Jon Scott (drums)

This was something quite different, opening with a song about a teenager on a night out, sung in a sweet husky voice accompanied by a plucked violin, cheeky words, including one unrepeatable, with an Eastern European feel to the tune, very exciting stuff.  This was apparently an original from this songwriter, but she told us she couldn’t think of a fresh title, so she called it Ring Of Fire. The second song was equally unusual, a Sephardic song about a lady travelling to Marseilles, sung in a foreign language, with ringing guitar tones, driving and passionate ensemble playing.  Not sure that I’d call this jazz, closer to folk, but mighty good. Next the fiddle became steady, low, legato, then a jazz-like guitar for the next song. ‘You as a man, I as a woman’ she sang, using a talking tone to tell us of a love affair gone wrong, accompanied by a highish drone, followed by a rocky guitar break then a jazzy bass, ‘selling your feet, for money for shoes’.  This singer is a gifted lyricist, no doubt about it, and I think we’ll hear o lot more of her in the future.  The last song, In The Heart, a danceable rhythm with jazzy feel, then the encore, which was an amusing yet sad song about a woman who acquired the soul of a cat, with slinky, creepy accompaniment, then with drums leading.  A very unusual and enjoyable set.

Yes, Zoe and Alice have shown just what women can do with music!

Ann Alex