Returning to open the London Jazz Festival for the fourth year in a row was Guy Barker's 'Jazz Voice: Celebrating a Century of Song' for which he had written arrangements for a diverse mix of eight vocalists.

Despite the addition of some of pop music up and comers to draw in a younger crowd the highlight of the night was Norma Winstone's performance of 'The Peacocks'. She carried the song effortlessly floating in and out falsetto whilst her improvisations were tasteful.

The same could not be said of Guy Barker's arrangement of 'My Favorite Things'. Though his take was impressively unique and boisterous Ian Shaw's vocal tumbling on the song often detracted from its emotional content. Fortunately Gregory Porter was given the chance to show his strength, that being a voice that has just the right amount of vibrato and a complexity of tone to illuminate the simplest of melodies. His performance of 'A Nightingale Sang' was well received.

All the performance's of the night were strong and served well as opening to this Year's Jazz Festival.

– Chris Hyde – Harrison