I’m sure Elkie Brooks won’t mind me observing she’s been around for a very long time, and it shows. It shows in the quality and delivery of her vocals, her mastery of an impressively varied catalogue of songs and her obvious love of being on stage.
Always a great singer, she arrived at the Regent on Friday night sounding better than ever.
Backed by an exceptional six-piece band, she delivered a two-hour set which explored the music of favourite performers and songwriters ranging from Percy Sledge to Perry Como; Ellie Greenwich to Muddy Waters; Bob Dylan to Jim Morrison.
She sang the hits of course - Pearl’s a Singer, Sunshine After the Rain, Lilac Wine etc - but there was much, much more.
Her performance of Dylan’s Gotta Serve Somebody was utterly exceptional while Como’s 1945 number, Till the End of Time, was the perfect vehicle for her gloriously rich vocals.
Whether singing blues, rock, jazz or big, belting torch ballads, Elkie captured every nuance, every emotion, to perfection.
Looking full of energy and verve and impossibly young for a woman who has already celebrated her 64th birthday, she coaxed some magnificent work from her relatively young band particularly saxophonist Steve Jones and pianist Andrew Murray.
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