Jalen Ngonda (guitar, vocals); ? (bass guitar); ? (drums)
First Kansas Smitty's lockdown livestreams, now the world. Jalen Ngonda is touring worldwide, performing to sold out houses wherever he goes. This rescheduled Newcastle University Students' Union concert similarly attracting a capacity audience. All standing, drinks in plastic glasses, the merch stall groaning under the weight of vinyl albums and tour t-shirts at £25 a pop, we were there in anticipation of something special.
The man-of-the-moment strolled out with his bass and drums support, finally we were about to hear the voice. Opening with Rapture, Jalen Ngonda's amazing falsetto cut through, the opening line - These eyes of mine are dying just to see you - eliciting cries of 'Wow!' from across the crowded room. Comparisons with Al Green and Marvin Gaye have been made, they're fully justified. Simply sensational. Don't You Remember, That's All I Wanted from You, the quality and strength of the voice scarcely believable.
Come Around & Love Me met with instant recognition and huge applause, as did Ruby Andrews' Didn't I Fool You. Soul, soul-blues, neo-soul, whichever bag you choose, Jalen Ngonda fits comfortably. We were waiting for If You Don't Want My Love, Ngonda obliged, the audience ecstatic. And off he went. Of course, he returned to the stage, solo, a blues. Wow! So Glad I Found You sang our star. One of the gigs of the year? No, it was one of greatest gigs in living memory. Russell
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