One of the stalwarts of British soul, Mica Paris returned from an 11-year album hiatus with Gospel last year. Paris was due to launch the album with a residency at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club last November, unfortunately delayed by the introduction of the second lockdown.

Fortunately, with the reopening of live venues like Ronnie’s this past May (admittedly, at half-capacity due to social distancing rules), Paris was able to deliver her belated gig last week. Backed by an impressive band led by musical director Jason Thompson, Paris surveyed her ’80s pop/R&B hits (‘Breathe Life Into Me’, ‘My One Temptation’), her well-established cover tunes (‘Where is the Love’, ‘I Put a Spell On You’), and tracks from Gospel (‘A Change is Gonna Come’, ‘Mamma Said’). Despite an occasional hoarseness to her top notes (it was admittedly her second set of the evening), Paris’ instrument remains a thrilling tour-de-force. It has deepened over the years, with a raspy richness that cuts through – often giving some of her earlier hits, in particular ‘Breathe Life Into Me’, a greater urgency and heft.

However, Paris shined particularly when given the space to draw out her gospel sensibility – scatting, extemporising, and weaving herself in between the band. ‘Mamma Said’, an original tune from Gospel where Paris remembers her grandmother’s comforting advice, was imbued with a nostalgic warmth.

However, the standout performance was a rendition of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ ‘I Put A Spell On You’, which Paris first recorded with Jools Holland in 2001. Gorgeous cello tones in the beginning gave way to gritty attack, with Paris punctuating the lyrics and squeezing them for all their intensity.

Photography Credit: Carl Hyde