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| (© Debra Milne) |
The room was crowded. Theatre style seating at the front, cabaret style further back. All were occupied. I bagged a chair at the last table any latecomers had to stand - that's how popular this gig was, and deservedly so.
I've waxed eloquently over these two artists many times over the years both as a duo and individually and tonight, as always, they lived up to and maybe even exceeded my expectations.
Jo, perched atop a bar stool, Jamie, closer to Mother Earth, gave us a well-balanced mix of standards and originals from her various albums plus a tantalising glimpse of a new album in the form of Burton Lane's Too Late Now which was originally sung by Jane Powell in the film 'Royal Wedding' which, by sheer coincidence is being shown on Talking Pictures as I type (9:30am-11:20am). It's the film where Fred Astaire dances on the ceiling and he and Powell duet on what, at the time, was the longest title ever (it may still be) - How Could You Believe me When I Said I Loved You When You Know I've Been a Liar All my Life? However, by the time you read this it will probably be 'too late now' to watch the film.
It, Too Late Now, is a beautiful song and Jo gives it just the right amount of emotion aided and abetted by Jamie's empathetic accompaniment.
What a Little Moonlight Can Do had the audience oo-oo-ooing rather like they're incited to do on Minnie the Moocher which, I'm pleased to say isn't in this duo's repertoire!
Of the originals, Red Mary Janes and a Brand New Hat is a favourite of mine but in truth they are all good songs. Jamie's solo feature Night Butterfly went down well. He gets a great, almost unique sound.
I left on Billie's Blues, a song that Jo has probably sung more times than Ms Holiday herself ever did. My departure was no reflection on the performers but trains and boats and planes, not to mention buses, wait for no one. To misquote from the number that closed the first set - it had all been fine and dandy - come back soon. Lance
I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues; What the Heart Wants; Home; Too Late Now; Lover; Night Butterfly; I Think You'd Better Go; Fine and Dandy; Red Mary Janes and a Brand New Hat; You Must Believe in Spring; Charade; Only Spring Will Decide; What a Little Moonlight Can Do; In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning; I Want a Little Sugar in my Bowl; Take it With me; Guilty/ Billie's Blues.
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