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
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