Catherine Russell wows Ronnie Scott’s with her Harlem blues and jazz classics

In from New York the day before and out the next to Portugal, Catherine Russell’s Ronnie Scott’s debut was a classic Monday night one-off, her good humour and bandstand ebullience transforming what might have been a slow burner into a memorable outing. Bolstered by a stream of well-received albums, Ms Russell has an audience here and they were out in number to hear her and my, how they took to her Harlem blues, with every nuance or double-entendre greeted with whoops of joy.

Initially the auguries weren’t promising as her trio played an opening piece, pianist Ron Dunlap’s filigree tinkling more suited to the cocktail lounge than the uptown bar. Mind you, the minute Ms Russell took the stage, opening with a Fats Waller piece, ‘We The People’, the energy built, this diminutive 68-year old in great voice, her zest and bonhomie maintained throughout, the feel-good narrative of the song like a statement of intent. Then followed another Waller number – no stride piano here – and a great Dinah Washington special from 1953, ’My Man’s An Undertaker (And He’s Got A Coffin Just Your Size)’, this audience surfing on its humour, Russell’s clarion-clear diction and vocal heft just the right side of full-on divadom.

In former years Russell toured the world as a backing singer for Donald Fagen‘s Steely Dan line-up and David Bowie. Latterly, though, she has explored her Harlem roots – she’s the daughter of pioneer pianist Luis Russell, formerly Louis Armstrong’s musical director, and Carline Ray, a previous visitor to the club as bassist for the great R&B singer Ruth Brown back in the day, all of which Russell referenced as her show went on. And rightly so as she has become ‘the foremost interpreter of vintage jazz and r&b songs’ and proved it via two absorbing sets. Granted that she has something of Washington’s style in both her tone and soulful delivery, just to hear her tackle James P, Johnson’s 1930 song ‘A Porter’s Love Song (To A Chambermaid) – still no stride piano – and have her explain its role in ‘The Kitchen Mechanics Review’ was to introduce listeners to aspects of Harlem music making that may have been new but worked like a treat in her hands.

Hearing Russell pay tribute to Billie Holiday and Helen Humes, while handling songs associated with trumpeter Hot Lips Page, Tiny Bradshaw and Ray Charles followed by a lusty- voiced version of Jelly Roll Morton’s immortal ‘Dr Jazz’ was to experience jazz history refreshed and remade. And the trio (completed by bassist Tal Ronen and drummer Domo Branch)? Well, they did what they were there to do. No more, no less. And Russell herself? She should return. Soon.

Catherine Russell’s new album, My Ideal (Dot Time Records) is a duo recording with pianist Sean Mason and out now