Ruth
Lambert (vocals); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Russ Morgan (drums)
(Review by Ann Alex/photos
by Lance)
This
was a top drawer performance which would be worthy of an appearance at any
festival, so we were very privileged to have the band at the Globe. Ruth sang numbers from the Gasbook
expressively, every single word was clear, her voice was a delight to hear, and
in fact her singing was a masterclass for all aspiring singers. The instrumentalists
played so well and looked as if they were enjoying themselves immensely.
The chat was amusing too, concerning curly hair, which is sported by both Ruth and Alan, and brief discussions about which numbers they were doing, literally, eg You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To appears to be number 122 in the pad.
The chat was amusing too, concerning curly hair, which is sported by both Ruth and Alan, and brief discussions about which numbers they were doing, literally, eg You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To appears to be number 122 in the pad.
It
all began with Paul’s bass riffing atmospherically for the opening of No Moon
At All and concluded with the band having a general jamboree on Caravan. In between came numbers such as
Dindi (the verse sung freely with the
piano, and a real smooth bossa feel, very different from swing); You Don’t Know What Love Is (feelingly
sung with skilled brushwork on the drums, round and round on the snare); Blue Skies (fast version with Ruth
playing with the words, better than simply scatting); Love For Sale, (including the cynical verse, a difficult song well
acted out by our singer).
Alan’s
solo on You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To
drew cries of delight from the audience, and in fact all his solo playing was
superb, as were those from the bass and drums. The rest of the songs performed
were: Save Your Love For Me; There’ll
Never Be Another You; Just Friends; Black Coffee; Taking A Chance On love; But
Beautiful; Devil May Care; Makin’ Whoopee; Round Midnight.
At
the end of the performance, (unfortunately it had to end), I was struck be the
realisation that I would have enjoyed the gig even if I hadn’t liked jazz at
all, the music was so good by any standards.
You
can’t say fairer than that.
Ann Alex
2 comments :
A top draw performance indeed! Ruth and Alan can also be heard doing a duo set tomorrow (Sat. Feb. 20 at the Redwood Whiskey Bar in the Vermont Hotel. 7pm.
The downstairs bar at The Globe on Sunday night features the SSBB and, as well as the music, their is a cracking selection of real ales and the walls are attractively filled with framed jazz LP covers and Programmes.
go get'em Ruth!!
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