Joe Stilgoe Trio - Live stream @ Ronnie Scott's - Sept. 3

Joe Stilgoe (piano/vocals); Tom Farmer (bass); Ben Reynolds (drums)

Circumstances decreed I only managed a small part of this set by that fine singer, songwriter, vocalist Joe Stilgoe but I thoroughly enjoyed what I heard. Maybe this wasn't such a bad thing as, unlike actual gigs where the enthusiasm of the crowd sweeps you along in its wake to the extent that you could stay there forever wallowing in the prevailing mood, a live stream isn't quite like that unless you're having a house party.

I came in on Wichita Lineman. I never dreamed that, back in the day, that I'd hear the old Glen Campbell hit performed at a jazz gig but, there you go and, just as the songs of the pre-war era became the staple fare of the jazz musician, so the popular songs of a later era are also, gradually, entering into the repertoire.

This was further emphasised by the old Dionne Warwick favourite Do You Know the Way to San Jose? Stilgoe putting his stamp on the songs with both voice and piano.

I may have heard better singers and better pianists but combined there are few, if any who do it better. Most of the time I tend to think why don't they stick to what they do best? Joe Stilgoe is the exception.

The Rhythm of Life has been done in many different formats but this version I think was quite unique. It centred around Farmer's bass with Stilgoe forsaking the piano for some hand-clapping with Reynolds on tambourine and shaker.

A couple of impressive, unaccompanied, originals; My Favourite Cinema and Seaside led to What's Up? and the show finished on a high with Yes It's True.

Joe is, fingers crossed, back at Ronnie's in November for a real, actual live show with a socially distanced audience. Well worth making the effort.

Lance