Singer Hannah Hay exudes youthful appreciation of her genre, swaying barefoot before an excellent five-piece in the comfortable and intimate space that is quite possibly the best appointed live music venue in Edinburgh in August. The great acoustic, leather seats and ample legroom usually make it an easy and clever choice for music lovers. Particularly those of a certain age!
Unfortunately, the music of jazz so often borne of toil and pain and heartache, and at home in happy, low-lit backstreet bars or clandestine hotel lounges, struggles to sound authentic or nuanced in this luxurious a setting and between these so directionally well lit walls.
There is no atmosphere.
Which is a shame, because Hay is an accomplished singer and the musicianship behind her is also excellent. Stand out numbers included ‘Mr Bojangles’, the Sammy Davis Junior composition which sees Hay accompanied by Double Bass, in a clever arrangement. The Norah Jones track, ‘The Nearness Of You’, is also beautifully sung. Finishing with the Ella James classic, At Last, is never a bad plan and sends the audience out into the cool night air happily humming the chorus.
As I might have said before, matching the architecture to the performance is important, in fact it might just about be the most important factor in the true success of any show.
Reviewer: Greg Holstead
Reviewed: 9th August 2024
North West End UK Rating:
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Running time – 50 mins