SO, I went to see Natalie Williams for the first time back in January. It was one of those rare nights where someone else said "I've got something awesome for you" which I love. So we went to the ORIGINAL Pizza Express in Soho, i think it's officially called Jazz @ Pizza Express and I think you can guess that they play live Jazz and other such musical delights there. Couple that with TASTY food as well as being there with the girl I loved (yeah there is a D and the end of that one - turns out that some people aren't who you think/hope they are no matter how much you wish and try). It was set to be a WONDERFUL night.
Enter Nat. I met her now so I naturally I am on first name terms despite blushing like a schoolboy and turning more bashful than I've been. A sticking redheaded amazonian woman with a smile larger than life. She sang, she talked, she moved and she shaked. All in all. AWESOME night.
A wonderful friend of mine (the same fella who invited me to the Nomad Chef Restaurant) calls me up and says I got tickets to Ronnie Scotts, it's a night recommended by a friend of ours (she has extraordinary taste) and Shlomo is the special guest. As you know. I think he is the template for the modern individual. AGAIN, it was one of the those rare occurrences where I was slightly clueless BUT extremely excited.
Imagine my elation (and it's rare I get to use it so you'd better start imagining) to see that it was Natalie Williams and the Soul Family. I suppose they are a little bit like Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra. A bunch of very talented people in their own right. There was guitar, bass, piano, drrrrrrums, three backing awesome vocalists, sax and trumpet/flugel horn. Terrific. TERRRRRRRRIFIC. Each had their own moment to shine. There wasn't a song where they each got a 20second bit to show off but, throughout the two halves they sparkles in unison with beautiful moments where each put themselves on a well-deserved pedestal.
I like Natalie. She has that silky smooth, rich voice with a balance of depth mixed in. Somehow (mainly because she was most of the time) she sounds like she is smiling while she is singing. I could write for hours about her smile but my main goal would be to get you to experience it for yourself. So do that.
The first half was fairly dedicated to her and her new album and everything she liked. She has good chat, there is great chemistry between all those on stage. Easy. A highlight was the cover of Bjork's Hyperballad. Never been a fan of Bjork until then.
I would say we were eased into the second half but that's a lie. Shlo wonders out sheepishly (as usual). His humility fills the room. There is silence because most people have no clue who he is or what they are about to see. I say this every time I see him BUT. Oh dear Lord. That is not right. The is something NEXT LEVEL about him. He does his bit on the loop sampler and builds a a few tracks. He claims that they will get better. He apologises when he finishes his improvised jazz/dubstep hybrid mashup - far better than most musicians could dream of doing with real instruments... I got the shivers running around and around my torso. I was blown off this planet (once again) by his genius. 'Part Time drop out gets better and better every time, especially when he hits those crazy high-notes. It is properly mindbending and induces a euphoric calm (in me at least).
The rest of the show consisted of a standout track from Brendan Scott Reilly called Little Black Cloud. BEEEEAUTIFUL. I think everyone in the room could empathise a little with that. Forgive me for now remember all the names BUT Annabelle Williams was KERRRRWALITY. Amazing presence and 'girl got PIPES'. A cover of Cannonball sent me into a happily reflective trance... That night was what I had been looking for. I'd lost me way in the world of creating reasons to have tremendous Mondays. This was a Sunday night that rekindled my love for Monday.
I would love to talk more about what happened but I fear that the more I say the less people will belive me.
We got a miniclip of Nat and Shlo's collaboration at the SouthBank - Music Through Unconventional Means series
The Soul Family in all their glory
This says it all really.
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