Alice Grace Trio @ Bishop Auckland Town Hall - July 21.

Alice Grace (voice); James Harrison (keys/accordion); Paul Grainger (bass).

(Review by Steve T/Photos © Mick Shoulder)

It's been said countless Tymes that [Ooh ooh ooh] Ms Grace is the satin of the human race, and Bishop Auckland was in for a real treat this lunchtime.

Work and family commitments meant that I've missed the last couple of gigs here but roving eyes and ears Tony Eales, says it's currently touching the twenty mark, which is getting there but, when you look around at the lit up faces, you wish you could get to the rest, you just know they would love it if they only knew about it. (Editor: Perhaps BSH should hire a light aircraft and do a propaganda leaflet drop over Bishop. Council funded of course).
Alice has a beautiful, clear, voice, comfortable across her significant range, including the high notes; she does some Sassy Jazz and is a mistress of the art of scatting.

Bye, Bye, Blackbird, she admitted she'd only known as a show-tune and I recall Jim Mullen referring to it as 'almost a novelty record', highlighting that it's all down to the interpretation. 

Nature Boy, Weaver of Dreams, for Paul Grainger’s birthday, though I suspect it's a favourite of hers too.

(One of) Curtis Mayfield’s many civil rights anthems, People Get Ready - I was once asked to submit a favourite record for the Soul Source website and this is what I went for. Alice pointed to the Eva Cassidy version and there are many versions, including Lady Soul, but nothing touches the original by The Impressions. I suspect people google it by Curtis and get one of the live solo versions.

Berlin’s Blue Skies, before James Harrison produced an accordion, giving an exotic, continental feel to a European song I didn't know and proceeded to weave around the audience with a rose in his mouth! This reflected the relaxed, informal atmosphere.

A scat version of Dizzy’s Night in Tunisia, via her hero Ella Fitzgerald, and I know there is a track on the Chaka Khan album Echoes of an Era which samples it and adds lyrics, but the CD copy is either in Japanese or too small for these aging eyes to read.

The set ended with another Grace favourite Secret Love, the audience, with me the youngest non-musician there, singing along, as they had done throughout the last hour.

The event is taking a summer break in August but will be back in September with another of the North East’s Premier League jazz singers - Zoe Gilby. 

Steve T.