Sauntering through the audience at the top of the show, Natalie Williams is always the prime hostess and entertainer. Ronnie Scott’s audiences have been flocking to her monthly Soul Family residencies for the past twelve years. Coinciding nicely with Motown’s 60th anniversary, Williams’ Christmas show is now in its 10th year.

Motown and More rockets through a series of medleys spanning Motown, 1960s pop, Aretha Franklin, and Stevie Wonder. The pace is full-throttle, but carried by the confidence of the band and vocalists, as well as a well-curated set. Indeed, the transitions are often irresistible – for example, The Temptations’ ‘My Girl’ into Mary Wells’ ‘My Guy’ – with a frisson of excited recognition from the audience at each turn.

With effortless acrobatics and high trills, Williams finessed Marvin Gaye’s ‘How Sweet It Is’ and gave attack to Stevie Wonder’s ‘Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day’. Soul Family member Sharlene Hector, part of backing vocal supremos LaSharVu, tackled Gladys Knight and the Pips’ ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’ and The Contours’ ‘Do You Love Me’ with rich tone. Her rendition of Aretha Franklin’s Ain’t No Way’ brought the high-octane set to an emotional peak.

This year’s residency featured slight changes to the usual line-up. Due to Brendan Reilly and Vula Malinga’s prior engagements, seasoned vocalists Phebe Edwards and Daniel Pearce filled in. Edwards – who has performed with the likes of James Brown, Donna Summer, and Mica Paris – sung with elastic, gospel soprano vocals. She gave the requisite firepower to Aretha Franklin’s ‘Rock Steady’, and ripped through Stevie Wonder’s ‘Higher Ground’ with gritty scats. Pearce, also on percussion, brought taut, throaty vocals to complement his female counterparts. He teased the audience on Otis Redding’s ‘Try a Little Tenderness’ – scooping low and then rising into his raspy highs for the eruptive climax.

Check out remaining dates for Motown & More here!

(Image from Soul Family Facebook Page)