LISTEN THE ALBUM HERE
Oh what a night as Frankie V, once sang and that is how I describe the seamless show put on by the incomparable Judith Owen at the legendary Bush Hall in Shepherds Bush , London. Touring in line with her very special new album Suit Yourself Judith split her show into two delightful sets , kicking off with Stachel which really got the sell- out crowd and the band into the swing of what they we about to enjoy.
Outside the clammy, overcast night led to heavy warm rain , creating an atmosphere one would imagine not too dissimilar to that of Judith’s home in New Orleans. As her spellbinding set wended it’s way from one classy track to an equally classy stop off point where Judith would enchant the audience with personal insights into her life and music it began to feel like the crowd were her family.
Perhaps, that is the fundamental beauty of Judith , she doesn’t simply perform , she opens up and cares about those attending, at certain points you feel she might wish to wander round the crowd, sit down next to them, pour a glass of wine and just have a big catch up. Yet that deflects from the supreme performance and musicianship of her and her band, and it was the music her fans were here to lap up.
The second set opened with another series of crackers from the new album including Blueskies and my personal favourite Spooky by this stage if there was ever any doubt the crowd were in the palm of Judith’s hand. As the rainy night outside continued , Judith brought warmth and sunlight to everyone in the hall , closing things with a nod to her Rediscovered album from 2018 and the classic , Hotstuff.
Cannot wait for her to return again to London and once again confirm her status as one of the new found legends of jazz and blues.
