ACCOMPANIED by three talented musicians from the Birmingham Conservatoire, local jazz singer Lydia Rae performed an accomplished set of classic numbers and her own material.
With pianist Juliane Deil, drummer Reece Downton and Thomas Marsh on double bass, they played work by such names as Steely Dan, Nat King Cole, Jerome Kern and Cole Porter.
Many of the songs had swinging, gospel like codas that showed the musical pedigree of the band, while the carefully chosen repertoire gave all members a chance to solo.
The set included covers of I Get A Kick Out Of You, Cole Porter’s Every Time We Say Goodbye, a Bossa Nova reading of Jerome Kern’s The Way You Look Tonight, and a very carefully arranged Walk Between the Raindrops by Steely Dan.
Lydia Rae’s own pieces, which included Stop By and Night Train, showed she has a way with a tune of her own.
The musical highlight of the evening though was When I Fall In Love, a detailed and highly melodic duet that showed of both the vocal prowess of Lydia Rae and the dexterous, subtle shading piano work of Juliane Deli.
A brilliant night.