Hosted again by the charming Jumoké Fashola, the Jazz Voice gala kicks off the EFG London Jazz Festival with an eclectic selection of vocalists. Of course, due to the current lockdown restrictions, the musicians and vocalists performed to an empty auditorium this year at the gorgeous Cadogan Hall.
Reviewing the gig via a livestream – and not being able to soak up the spectacle and ambience of the gala in person – does allow for more exacting critiques. Some vocal infelicities that may have flown under the radar for the in-person reviewer were more discernible here. Moreover, the sound mixing occasionally worked to the detriment of the less powerful voices. Emerging talent Luca Manning – who performed ‘Never Will I Marry’ and ‘The Masquerade Is Over’ – never quite connected vocally or emotionally for this reviewer.
For a handful of the performers, their second set choices were often more convincing. David McAlmont, one of the most persuasive interpreters and storytellers in British music, made a curious choice in Joni Mitchell’s ‘Edith and the Kingpin’ that perhaps would have benefitted from a more minimalist arrangement in a more intimate setting. However, his second act number, Billie Holliday’s ‘Lady Sings the Blues’, was charged with McAlmont’s winning blend of subtlety and theatricality.
Zara McFarlane performed an orchestrated rendition of her original song ‘Saltwater’ in the first set that, in part due to the sound mixing, felt unfocused. She returned with ‘Mean To Me’, written by Fred E. Ahlert and Roy Turk and recorded by the likes of Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan, that was a stronger showcase for her slick vocalisations. Cleveland Watkiss may not boast the most compelling vocal but has an undeniable songwriting talent that shone on his originals ‘Waiting For You’ and, in particular, ‘So Near’ (closed with commanding scats). The orchestration on the latter, courtesy of Guy Barker, was particularly effective.
Two of the performers hit gold with both their songs. The effortlessly stylish China Moses kicked off the gala with her original song ‘Watch Out’, colouring the song with crisp phrasing and quirky inflections. She imbued Donny Hathaway’s ‘Tryin’ Times’ with an air of exasperation and with meticulous focus on each lyric. Jim Watson’s piano interlude further lifted the piece.
Incognito veteran Vanessa Haynes, clad in a salmon-pink suit, was in her element with the roof-raising ‘On Revival Day’. Her second act number ‘Mean Man’ – featuring riveting work from the horn section – allowed Haynes to fully open up her vocal. Her closing money note truly sealed the deal.
Alas, Jazz Voice is yet to nail the ensemble finish. Last year’s concert ended clumsily with a group rendition of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Living For The City’. Sadly, this year’s gala fell into a similar trap with a lumbering arrangement of the late Bill Withers’ ‘Lean On Me’, awkwardly spliced up between the six performers.
Watch the livestream of Jazz Voice 2020 below!
(All photography courtesy of Emile Holba)
