Alan Law and Julija Jacenaite @ The Jazz Café - June 14

Alan Law (piano); Julija Jacenaite (vocals).

(Review by Lance).

If I'd had such a thing as a three-sided coin I'd have spun it - such were the choices I faced. Jam Session at the Fire Station in Sunderland? Mark Williams & John Pope at the Globe? Ruth Lambert at the Jazz Café?

Tough calls. However, when I heard that Ruth's gig was cancelled due to her continuing eye problems and that Alan Law and Julija were replacing her at the Caff I felt morally obliged to show some support. 

For reasons beyond my control, I'd missed a lot of JJ's recent gigs including last Sunday at the Globe when the thought of clawing my way through 50,000 Ed Sheeran fans put me off venturing forth. Fortunately, Ann Alex did make it and the gig was duly reviewed.

Tonight, I showed up at the Jazz Café well in advance of the 8pm start. No JJ. Pianist Law said she may be late so he played a solo piano set which was delightful.

JJ arrived and opened up with Summertime. Although I inevitably cringe when I hear this most-oversung song, I have to confess that, after JJ takes it around the block, summer is long gone and has morphed into a totally different, maybe even a newly discovered season. Perhaps this is what, say, Spring is like on Jupiter or Mars or Lithuania?

Love me or Leave me, Mood Indigo and Girl From Ipanema followed before finishing off the set with Norah Jones' I Don't Know Why I Didn't Come.

It was all good and I was glad I'd made the effort but, it was break time and I was feeling kind of lonely as I didn't know either of the other 2 in the audience so, as the 27 was due, I left on wings that were somewhat less than gossamer.

Even so, the piano set by Alan and JJ's exuberant set was well worth the effort.

Lance.