My first visit to East London’s Soul Mama was to hear ‘It Takes Two’ with Alex Webb and singers Lulu Pierre and Marvin Muoneké.
Performing a selection of songs made famous by some of the great duos of jazz - Sarah Vaughan and Billy Eckstine, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles and Betty Carter - Lulu and Marvin did justice to classics from the great American songbook, as well as featuring songs by pianist, arranger and band leader Alex Webb.
Soul Mama has forged a place in this little corner of East London, just a few steps from Stratford International station, itself just five minutes by train from St Pancras. It’s a comfortable club created by sax player and so much more to the London jazz scene YolanDa Brown, together with Adetokunbo ‘T’ Oyelola. Famously the most successful restaurant Kickstarter-funded globally, Soul Mama is becoming known for its food as well as its great choice of jazz acts.
It Takes Two is a show that you can catch at other venues in coming months: the smooth vocals of Lulu and Marvin are balanced by a strong rhythm section led by Webb’s piano. Joined by Hamish Knockles Moore (bass) and Dan Hester (drums), the quintet together produced some beautiful mainstream jazz that filled the Soul Mama space. Occasional additions from Marvin’s trumpet added colour and depth.
My first visit to Soul Mama was a delight and a great way to celebrate International Jazz Day.
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