For over three decades, Stacey Kent has been synonymous with Ronnie Scott’s – the venue where she first dated her husband and musical collaborator, saxophonist and songwriter Jim Tomlinson, and where her voice has quietly evolved into one of the most intimate instruments in contemporary jazz. Returning to Frith Street for another sold-out residency of eleven shows, Kent’s performance was both a homecoming and a graceful reflection on a career steeped in lyrical storytelling and understated sophistication.
Accompanied by long-time pianist and arranger Art Hirahara – whose subtle touch on Rhodes and acoustic piano provided a shimmering canvas – Kent opened with a tender reimagining of The Shadow of Your Smile. She spoke warmly of her 34-year marriage to Tomlinson and of their enduring musical partnership, one that sees him serve as producer, arranger, and songwriter. What followed was La Valse des Lilas, sung in English translation – a long-time favourite in her repertoire that emerged freshly poignant, Kent’s voice more delicate and transparent than ever, tracing each phrase with the ease of someone who no longer needs to reach for emotion; it simply resides in her tone.
After the first number, Kent, accompanied by Tomlinson on flute, delivered a wonderful rendition of Serge Gainsbourg’s La Javanaise. Her fluent French and nuanced phrasing brought a timeless elegance to the chanson, underscoring her rare ability to transcend borders through language and tone. Indeed, Kent’s gift for singing in multiple languages allows her to transport an audience across continents — from Parisian cafés to Rio’s sunlit beaches — as she weaves a rich tapestry of sound and story that feels both worldly and deeply personal.
Across the evening, she wove selections from her thirteen studio albums with classics from the Great American Songbook – Tony Bennett’s urbane wit nestled comfortably beside the continental flair of Antônio Carlos Jobim and Serge Gainsbourg. Between songs, Kent reminisced warmly about her early appearances at Ronnie’s, recalling late nights when she was still finding her voice and Tomlinson was playing sideman to visiting stars. The chemistry between them remains quietly magnetic: she sings, he listens; he plays, she smiles. It’s a musical dialogue built on decades of shared language.
As the night moved towards its close, Kent introduced a track from her forthcoming album A Time for Love, due in March 2026, delivering the lyric That’s What Goodbyes Are For with the same effortless intimacy and emotive clarity that has become her signature. The lyric floated above the piano, a poignant bridge into the instrumental interlude that followed: Tomlinson’s nine-minute rendition of What’s It All About, Alfie?, which can only be described as a masterclass, began, as a whisper and blossomed into a full-throated meditation, joined by Hirahara’s luminous piano. Kent returned as her vocal paid homage to this 1966 classic, her voice gliding effortlessly over Tomlinson’s tenor, the lyric suspended in air before the room broke into a rapturous ripple of applause.
Few artists embody the art of restraint as completely as Stacey Kent. At Ronnie Scott’s, she reminded her audience that jazz’s greatest power still lies in its quietest moments – in the spaces between notes, and in the stories that linger long after the last chord fades.
I left with this thought: “Across the evening, Kent delivered a vintage performance, executed with commensurate professionalism, her delicate phrasing and multilingual fluency drawing the audience into every nuance of each song.” - Glenn Wright
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