Bebop Spoken Here

Georgia Mancio/Nigel Price/Julie Walkington Trio, Cadogan Hall, 18 July 2013

Voice and guitar opened up with Alone Together – total empathy ‘twixt the two. Adventurous reading of the lyric and meaningful chords and counter melodies from guitar. The Walkington bass entered the fray for No More Blues sung, initially, in Portuguese. It sounded authentic. Guitar and bass played interesting lines that complemented each other.Softly, As I Leave You, reminded us of the late Matt Monro but Georgia put her own brand on it with an emotive bass and voice introduction. This girl can interpret a lyric with the best of them adding sweeps and slurs to reshape the song in her own image.

The multi-titled Day in the Life of a Fool aka Manha de Carnival and the theme from Black Orpheus was done delightfully. The not quite penultimate Gone With the Wind began in 3/4 then went into 4/4 then back to 3/4 then 4/4 and so on. Bass and guitar exchanged fours and Georgia took it out as it began. We’ll be Together Again and I Can’t Give You Anything But Love.closed the set.

The interval flew by in conversation with an interesting lady. We both agreed it had been a splendid set and looked forward to next set.

More Jobim with Bonita which segued into Charade and then Moonray. Back to Jobim for You’ll See before That Old Black Magic had us in it’s spell. A House is not a Home, I Thought About You with Georgia taking a whistling chorus – whistling is becoming a lost art but she does it so well.

Then it was over. A tremendous way to spend an afternoon.

As well as some fine singing we were reminded just what a wonderful guitarist Nigel Price is. I’d never heard Julie Walkington prior to this afternoon but I’ll look forward to hearing her again. Some of the contrapuntal passages with bass and guitar were something else again.

Outside the temperature would have been hot in Ecuador and I just melted so, regrettably didn’t make the CD Launch Followed By Thirteen over by Tower Bridge – sorry guys. Talking about CDs. Check out Come Rain or Come Shine by Georgia Mancio.