DAZZLING French singer-songwriter, Angélique, made her debut last Thursday at the Shelley Theatre, Boscombe to an enthusiastic and appreciative audience, writes Duncan Lewis.

Singing nine songs from her upcoming album, Mes Amours, she gave a remarkable performance, the songs showing great emotional depth building on the French chanson tradition of Brel, Piaf and Aznavour.

Particularly beautiful was her touching tribute to her late mother, but these were songs that encompassed the entire range of human love. Passenger of Love, with its stunning evocation of a spiritual journey, and Far Away, where she sang of her family on Réunion Island by evoking the good times they sometimes share, were particularly impressive. There were moments of real humour too, when she sang playfully about her love for her dog, Precious, in the suitably titled, Precious Love.

Angélique was accompanied by Doug Gould and his brilliant trio of top London musicians, who earlier in the evening treated the enthralled audience to some remarkable music-making. Rebecca Carson produced a stunning range of colours on her flute, while the steely strength of Lydia Hillerudh’s cello in Le Grand Tango of Piazzolla was mesmerising. Bryan Crook’s Piano Improvisation “From a Hat” delighted everyone with its quirkiness and brilliance. The starting notes were selected by members of the audience..literally from a hat!

All-in-all a wonderful evening. Lovers of beautiful music cannot afford to miss the next one!