What a great performance. The Family Jazz All-Stars are an impressively coordinated small group that plays with a strong focus on rhythm and improvisation.
The unit is tied together by their impressive, highly focussed bass. The pianist also plays wonderful chords, often reflecting the melodic tune led by the sax player. The group is fronted by Juliet Kelly, a polished singer with a gloriously relaxed, free approach. The group mainly focuses on wonderful and familiar pre-war standards.
These were complimented by numbers from a contemporary repertoire, particularly reflecting the exotic Latin rhythms of Astrud Gilberto and more recent performers like Nina Simone. The breadth of their appeal was reflected in the capacity audience at Norwich Playhouse with ages ranging from pre-teen youngsters through to quite a few who will never again see three score years and ten.
If you get a chance to see this polished group, you will be in for a relaxing melodic and polished master-class of fine musicians turning familiar old tunes into contemporary melodies.
Roger Haywood
Family Jazz All-Stars is part of this year's Norfolk and Norwich Festival.
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