Hearing jazz at the Jazz Cafe is not something I am used to, so when R&B singer Chrisette Michele took the stage it was not something I was expecting… however as the night progressed we were treated some serious jazz vocals.

I should have know something was up when she opened her set with Epiphany, Be OK and Best of Me.  I could have actually gone home at the point because all my tunes had been performed (well there is Golden, which followed shortly afterwards).  So 10 minutes in, all the best songs gone, where on earth does she go?  Well she slows it down and sings that old fashioned jazz/soul/blues is where she goes.  She spent the rest of the evening showing off the powerful, husky voice that makes her so distinctive.  Blues to bebop-esque scatting, she did it all.

As great as her voice is, I did want to jam and move a little more, so it would have been nice to get a few more fast paced songs, something to wiggle to.

Chrisette Michele, put on a thoroughly enjoyable night.  Catch her if she comes to London again and enjoy a night of jazz vocals with an R&B twist.

Soulside Funk