Little Dragon at the Jazz Cafe

Little Dragon at the Jazz Cafe

20 March, 2009
by: Joshua28

It's 7pm, and I'm spotting some subtle and not so subtle contradictions at the Jazz Café: firstly, it's a sold-out event where I actually have room to breathe. Hurray. Secondly, people are chatting away furiously during the first act, even though the pillar in the middle of the room has the letters 'STFU' emblazoned on its side.

Tonight features electronic R 'n' B, soul and spoken word, but nothing in the way of real jazz. At the Jazz Café. It's sort of like going to the poetry café for a spot of drum and bass and synchronised noodle-knitting. Not that I'm complaining.

Tonight's event is hosted by OneTaste and features the headline act Little Dragon from Sweden, supported by some of OneTaste's best.

First up is Stac, a lovely blonde doing the closest thing the event has to jazz, albeit with added soul. Her set is mostly a collection of mellow, lounge-esque songs, her voice something like what a Chupa Chups lollipop may sound like – sweet, but not sickly. It's good introduction to the night. The standout track is 'Balls Bounce', featuring the line 'do you have the balls to surprise me?' Endless innuendo possibilities!

Polar Bear (the poet, not the jazz band) is next, with an a capella set which can be best described as your mate yarning about what happened last week with a wicked MC flow. His first two poems go down a treat with the audience, before he gets Stac and a couple of backing vocalists on stage. Remember those R 'n' B 'Relationship' tracks R. Kelly did in the nineties with seemingly every new black songstress on the planet? Well, imagine R. Kelly rapping, and you're close enough. It's an interesting project: Polar Bear's trademark humour and wit-rippling laughter contrast with Stac's mellow voice and more sober lyrics built around love politics. It's still early days but the signs are extremely positive.

The award for 'Most Complete Sounding Could've Been Headliner' goes to Jamie Woon plus band, performing some of the finest, delicately crafted guitar-led R 'n' B in London. The songs are heavy on the Swoon-Factor, and the band provides that extra oomph of energy. The girls at the front holler and wave. Everyone else slaps their hands together extra loud.

Finally, Little Dragon arrive on drum, bass guitar and keyboard, with lead singer Yukimi Nagano holding a tennis-shaped tambourine which she beats the air with. The set's a mixture of new songs and old, bouncy electro soul with a deep bassline. The tempo is constant; it keeps the crowd moving, but wears a bit after a while. Fan fave 'Twice' is saved for encore, and it's done. DJ John Hendicott wraps the night up with hip hop and soul.

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Joshua28