Elly Roberts reviews
Linda Lewis: Live In Old Smokey
Distributed by
Market Square
- Cat.no: MSMCD141
- Released: March 2006
- Rating: 8/10
Linda Ann Lewis doesn't do pop songs any more;
she does classy adult
orientated and accessible music. Recorded live at Ronnie Scott's Club in
London, the cuddly British songbird returns to the venue where she first
appeared in the seventies. Back then she was one of the first non-jazz
singers to grace the world famous club. She was famous for two excellent
songs, self-penned Rock A Doodle Do ('73) and a cover of Betty Everett's
It's In His Kiss ('75). Thereafter her chart love affair waned, though she
re-entered in 2000 with Reach Out. Over the decades she's worked with Luther
Vandross, Cat Stevens, Oasis, Muddy Waters and Rod Stewart.
Referring to her debut at Ronnie Scott's, she fondly recalls, "... I was
scared. I could hear Ella and Sarah, Annie Ross and Blossom Dearie in the
walls. Their lovely music which influenced me, as did Laura Nyro, Joni
Mitchell, Stevie (Wonder) and Marvin (Gaye).I was so scared of the club
owners Ronnie and Pete but they turned out to be great blokes."
Thirty years
on, and still getting butterflies beforehand, the accomplished
singer-songwriter dazzled her audience with a selection of album tracks from
albums Lark ('72), Fathoms Deep ('73), Heartstrings ('74), Woman Overboard
('77), Second Nature ('95), Born Performer ('96), Whatever ('97) along with
four news songs, including latest single I Keep A Wish, I Don't Do Don't and
I Keep A Wish.
A smooth and sophisticated set, Lewis displays all the qualities that have
made her revered on the contemporary jazz scene.
Flicking like a switch up and down the vocal dexterity range, her penchant
high pitched voice still plays a major role, though she can drop it with
equal effect. Musically, there's a funky thread running through the set. She
can also deviate into folky-blues mode - I Keep A Wish, featuring some
exemplary bottleneck work on Matt Backer's steel guitar.
Bringing sunshine
to the repertoire there's a tribute to her Caribbean roots, on Grandaddy's
Calypso, as the brass section run amok. Latino stylings sway right across
the infectious Love Plateau - a possible single for the future. Rock A
Doodle is considerably beefed up with solid 21st century rock additions,
again featuring Backer's outstanding axework.
Finishing a polished set, she opts for a standard jazz ballad, leaving us in
doubt she's among the best in the business.
Studio version of latest single, I Keep A Wish was released February 27.
The full list of tracks included are :
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.