welcome to the DOWN SOUTH JAZZ CLUB inc. founded 1984

Angela Lount and the Fedoras (Jan 30 2014)

Angela’s deep, rich and professionally husky voice led us through a nice mix of smooth and easy swinging and energetic jazz, blues, exuberant rock’n’roll and an occasional passionate and haunting ballad - all stamped with her own individual style. Angela’s lively, confident and confiding personality and patent enjoyment in performing drew a warm and enthusiastic response from the audience. At one stage, a voice from the audience proclaimed: ‘You are the best jazz singer in Australia!’

But the success of the evening was due also to the individual and coordinated expertise of the instrumentalists, all of whom were outstanding. Wayne Kelly wowed the audience as a wonderfully assured performer for whom a keyboard is only just long enough as a platform for compositionally impressive and musically apt improvisations and for whom the business of performing in a group is a clear source of enjoyment. There were times when Wayne’s enthusiasm led the keyboard to take on a life of its own and begin to jounce to his rhythm such that it had to be physically restrained! Bassist James Luke provided a clear and melodious rhythmic platform for the Fedoras and interestingly used a bow to good effect in some of his tuneful and warmly received improvisations. Dan Maclean demonstrated his versatility on both the trumpet and flugelhorn and his remarkable agility when extemporising delighted the audience. Particularly interesting and enjoyable was his use of the flugelhorn on occasions to harmonise with Angela’s singing to great effect. And underpinning and complementing the other members of the ensemble, Mark Sutton’s sensitive and rhythmic performance clearly marked him as one of Australia’s top jazz drumming talents.

The first set began with Cole Porter’s I’ve Got You under my Skin. This number established the mood for an evening of relaxed and easy listening. It was followed by Harold Arlen’s It’s Only a Paper Moon which fairly bounced along, Ain’t Misbehavin (Fats Waller) which had great phrasing, rhythm and delivery, and L-O-V-E (Love was made for me and you) an energetic, rich and sensitive delivery, with agile piano and backing.

A wistful Misty was presented with feeling and great piano accompaniment - the bass played with a bow. This was followed by Moonglow performed with syncopated rhythm at a slow tempo, Blue Skies, an Irving Berlin favourite, and Do Nothing till You Hear from Me presented with much energy and enthusiasm.

The second set kicked off with a request, the slow number The Very Thought of You with Angela accompanied by Wayne. The full group followed this with a bouncy I’ve Got The World on a String, All of Me, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, Rogers & Hart’s This Can’t be Love, Cheek to Cheek recalling Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers in the movie ‘Top Hat’, and the  Nancy Wilson number Save Your Love for Me.

Local singer, Matt Kimber was invited onto stage with the song Fly Me to the Moon. Matt received a huge welcome and much applause from the audience - several members made the comment that they would have enjoyed hearing him sing with Angela as well.

The aria ‘Summertime’ followed, the spiritual lullaby by George Gershwin, which has become a much recorded jazz standard, and the bracket ended with the nostalgic Georgia on My Mind.

Angela introduced the third set with the words: ‘I feel like some good old rock and roll!’ An extremely lively performance of Tutti Frutti had most of the audience out of their seats. Everyone was bopping and dancers erupted onto the floor. Blue Suede Shoes followed with its boogie rhythm and, to end the rock and roll segment, Angela and her Fedoras delivered Old Time Rock and Roll with all the stops out. The entire audience joined in to sing along, enough to raise the roof. [Angela could have filled the auditorium with a vengeance!]  The Latin American rhythm of Sway enabled the tumult to subside and the evening concluded on a light note with Lerner and Loewe’s It’s Almost Like Being in Love from the musical Brigadoon.

All in all, Angela Lount and the Fedoras gave us a memorable evening of entertainment and fun. We look forward to their return.
[Reviewed by Aileen and John Bolton]