“Let us go away”, she sings, “to the Ice Hotel” – clearly the lady likes it cool, and jazz fans certainly like her style.

American-born, French college-educated and now British resident, Stacey Kent, was making her first visit to Christchurch with her admirably balanced four-piece band. Over the last few years she has received wide acclaim for her relaxed, attractively clear voice and natural homeland charm in modern interpretations of the great past master songwriters of musical theatre and new songs of distinctive originality.

From that incomparable Great American Songbook era were a couple of Rodgers and Hammerstein classics given a jazzy update, Surrey With The Fringe On Top, from Oklahoma, and It Might As Well Be Spring, from State Fair, along with the Judy Garland favourite, If I Were A Bell, while Kent’s husband, Jim Tomlinson, provided a knockout sax solo of Bacharach and David’s film theme from Alfie. Tomlinson has also collaborated with the author Kazuo Ishiguro, best known for The Remains Of The Day, their impressive output including that seductive Ice Hotel, the aptly charming, So Romantic, and for a finale the splendidly appealing, Breakfast On The Morning Tram where the free waffles take away your daily troubles - like Stacey, not to be missed.