Cleo Laine and John Dankworth

Cleo Laine and John Dankworth

21 July, 2008
by: Penny

Husband and wife team Cleo Laine and John Dankworth bring their special magic to the Barbican, marking their 80th birthdays with a gala concert that highlights careers forged in the jazz clubs of sixties and still laced with Grammy award shows, red carpet glamour and the odd Tomorrow's World theme.

Opening with an unusual twist to 'London Bridge is Falling Down', (the snappily titled 'The Decline and Fall of a Bridge' arranged by non other than John Dankworth himself) which feels like a ditty lifted straight out of a Peter Sellers film of the early '60s; the audience is hooked from the outset. As the band works through a few numbers there is a growing sense of anticipation over when Cleo Laine will appear.

Just as the tension becomes unbearable, Laine struts confidently onto the stage, dressed in a stunning red chiffon dress complete with spangly red jewellery, charmingly introduced as a musical instrument by her husband. They then launch into another selection of songs, with 'Wishing We Could Get Together Blues' the stand out, a ditty with a definite but ethereal comic sentiment woven in by Laine's unique interpretation of a classic blues number.

One ice cream later and it's time to take my seat for the second half. Cleo reappears in a brilliant blue dress with a multicoloured shawl and immediately surprises me, at least, with a love song she wrote in Malta; the island that inspired her to write the lyrics for 'He Was Beautiful' which tonight, is set to the tune of Stanley Myers' theme for The Deer Hunter.

As the evening draws to a close Laine performs a couple tracks of the from her 1964 album 'Shakespeare and All That Jazz'; a collection of Shakespeare’s verses put to jazzy arrangement, that Dankworth came up with some 40 years ago. Tonight, they sizzle with Cleo's dulcet tones and pitch perfect delivery driving the crowd into rapturous applause.

Although this is a performance by artists who by their own admission are getting on a bit, you can’t help but be impressed by these two venerable jazz artists, who can hold their own at eighty and still make it all seem such fun. The BBC Big Band and Concert Orchestra are on explosive form, and the performers who fill in with solos and accompaniments are all mesmerising cool, tackling Dankworth's often complex constructions with style and grace.

Finishing with a roof toppling rendition of 'Take the A Train' as bouquets are brought on stage, the night ends in a standing ovation for the performers, who have quite literally played their hearts out. As a satisfied audience makes their way home with ringing ears and wide smiles, I can’t help thinking that nights like these happen far too sporadically for my liking.

Penny