‘As an arranger, Mason picks away at her chosen songs – accentuating existing features, adding/removing elements, and injecting them with her remarkable vision.’

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For her inaugural concert at Pizza Express High Holborn, consummate musician Janette Mason showcased her subversive re-arrangements of classic soul, pop, and rock songs. Supported by Britain’s finest session musicians, Mason performed with guest vocalists Natasha Watts and David McAlmont.

Natasha Watts delivered mesmerising vocals. I am usually more inclined to heavier, grittier voices, but there is a gorgeous smoothness to Watts’ tone. Her voice retains its buttery richness irrespective of register. She caressed Mason’s rearrangements of The Stylistics’ ‘People Make The World Go Round’ and the Burt Bacharach penned ‘I Say A Little Prayer’. As she told me in the interval, she is a simple singer – avoiding trills and riffs in favour of singing straight. With a tone so warm and clear, one cannot blame her.

David McAlmont, active since the 1980s, remains a wonderfully expressive performer – often gesticulating theatrically to the music. While capable of projecting powerfully, there is a beautiful fragility to his soft voice too. He performs ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’, written by Prince and popularised by Sinead O’Connor, with a stillness and vulnerability.

Watts and McAlmont championed Mason’s re-arrangements throughout the night. As an arranger, Mason picks away at her chosen songs – accentuating existing features, adding/removing elements, and injecting them with her remarkable vision. Having seen Meshell Ndegeocello’s perform her Ventriloquism selection of covers a few days prior, it was fascinating to see another experimental approach to music. However, whereas Ndegeocello’s Ventriloquism has a clear aesthetic throughout, I find Mason’s approach to ‘de-rangement’ less easy to pin down. It is definitely jazz-inflected but often with forays into funk and vintage soul. At last night’s concert she ‘de-ranged’ songs from David Bowie, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Shirley Bassey, and Dusty Springfield amongst others.

A few of the wonderful de-rangements of the evening:

I Close My Eyes and Count To Ten (Dusty Springfield) – a Clive Westlake-penned song recorded by Dusty Springfield, originally done with a sweeping orchestral arrangement. Mason kept the bombast but in a loungey, Sade-esque style reminiscent of the classic Bond themes. McAlmont’s vocal range and histrionics were well-suited for the song’s cathartic release.

Sunday Kind of Love (popularised by Etta James) – Watts’ mellow tone could not be more dissimilar to Etta James’ iconic grit. Having never heard Watts sing jazz before, I was curious to see her approach. Her voice blended beautifully with Mason’s classy arrangement. Watts milked the dramatic pauses at the song’s climax, with a fabulous money note at the end.

Got To Be Real (Cheryl Lynn) – The danger of slowing down a dance classic even slightly is that the song loses its momentum. However, Mason transformed this Cheryl Lynn disco number into a sensual, funkified jam, so deliciously in the pocket. Watts’ sunk into the groove of the song, dipping low when the original swoops high, and scatting with rhythmic authority.

The excellent band:

Janette Mason – Keys and MD
David McAlmont – Vocals
Natasha Watts – Vocals
Simon Little – Bass
Dave Ital – Guitar
Chris Morris – Drums
Shanti Jayasinha – Trumpet
Ian Bumstead – Sax