Jools Holland
Embassy Theatre, Skegness
20 May 2023
Jools Holland is a name that trips off the lips of anyone who knows about music on TV. Even non-aficionados have heard of him due to his ubiquity. His reputation precedes him. When people heard I would be reviewing his show the universal response was, "That'll be good," from people who claim never to have seen him or his show on TV. Such is his reputation for quality. I have been a fan since his early days, I used to own his original solo EP release on Deptford Fun City Records "Boogie Woogie 78" along with his earliest releases from Squeeze. I followed his nascent progress as one half of the chaotic presenting team on The Tube and saw him rocket in individual popularity as his TV persona began to match his musical virtuosity. Bizarrely, after all these years, this is the first time I have ever seen him live in concert. I was not disappointed.
The evening opened with a performance from young singer/songwriter Daisy Veacock. Daisy has worked with Jools before and I believe it is her father playing sax in Holland's orchestra. Her inclusion on the tour is no case of a nepo baby being given a foot up. Daisy Veacock is touring on merit. Her music brings to mind a variety of others artists such as Lily Allen and Kate Nash, but has a refreshing openness and honesty to it. She has a crystal clear voice and an acoustic guitar, of which she is a master. Her performance here was charming and understated, and will have won her numerous new fans, this reviewer included. She makes the step up from pubs, bars or cafes to a large auditorium effortlessly. Her song Pickle Juice was witty and catchy as was most of her repertoire. As she left the stage, she achieved the showbiz maxim of leaving your audience wanting more, and we did. Look out for her guitar/jazz/pop stylings on social media and seek out her recordings. You won't regret it.
After a brief interval the main attraction took to the stage as the 17 strong Rhythm & Blues Orchestra joined Jools Holland and began a set that lasted around two hours. Holland is a masterful performer and the perfect big band leader here. The ease with which he takes to the stage and strikes up on the piano sets the tone for the whole show. It is conversational, friendly and accessible. Holland takes his audience on a musical journey that encompasses his lifetime of musical appreciation and performance. We are treated to his boogie woogie, rhythm & blues and gospel alongside Bach's Air on a G String. There appears to be no musical style that Holland cannot master. He has come a long way since back Wayne County and the Electric Chairs back in the punk era and supplying the driving keyboards for Squeeze. And speaking of Squeeze, it is always a delight to see the relationship e enjoys with his bandmate Gilson Lavis, who remains one of the most underrated drummers on the scene.
Holland has the knack of surrounding himself with the highest quality musicians and that plays its own part in his success. There is an eleven piece brass section, bass, guitar, keyboards, drums, Holland on piano and two exceptional back vocalists who when given the opportunity, shine like the stars they are. Sumudu Jayatilaka and Louise Marshall provide jazz/gospel infused backing and when offered the chance to step up and take centre stage, do so with gusto. There is no hyping the crowd, they open up and sing, sharing their God-given talents and letting the audience decide based on what they deliver.
For me, on one level, it was a surprise to see Sumudu Jayatilaka appear alongside the powerhouse orchestra. On another level, it was not. I first met Sumudu aged 15 in Scunthorpe and had the pleasure of singing with her when she came to the college at which I taught. She even appeared in a play I wrote and directed. Always immensely talented, Sumudu is a truly gifted singer. She has performed with the likes of Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach, Elvis Costello and Van Morrison, as well as being a solo performer in her own right. I just hadn't been aware that she would be touring with Holland. So, I watched with pride as she took tonight's audience in the palm of her hand and demonstrated the range of her talent and ability.
Regular collaborator Louise Marshall also has a glittering CV to stand comparison to that of Sumudu. Louise has worked with many legendary figures on the music scene including Beverley Knight, David Gilmour, Michael Ball, Marti Pellow, Chris Difford, Robbie Williams, Bryan Ferry and many, many more. Marshall succeeds in demonstrating her vocal versatility on numbers including Waterloo Bridge. She too is an underappreciated component of the work here this evening and rightly deserves a shout out. As does every individual musician on stage this evening. I am certain that were I to dig deep into each CV of the performers on stage they will have performed with some of the greatest entertainers in teh word and yet remain relatively invisible, letting their talent speak for them.
Jools Holland immediately had the audience on side as he opened with a foot-stomping boogie and soon transitioned into numbers like Forgive Me, which he wrote and was performed by Sir Tom Jones, whose mere mention garnered spontaneous applause. Other songs like I'll Be Home demonstrated the close link between the original form of R&B and ska, a link that was further highlighted by the inclusion of special guests Pauline Black and Arthur "Gaps" Hendrickson of The Selecter, who appeared to huge applause and brought their greatest hits to the stage with an energy that belies the fact that those songs were hits almost 45 years ago. I was immediately transported back in time to my teenage years when they appeared. On My Radio sounded as vital and fresh today as it did in 1979. The audience lapped up their star cameo delivered with such polish and energy that was infectious (are we allowed to say that post-COVID?). This is another act I shall be seeking out in the near future to catch in a full concert and relive those glory days from the Two Tone label.
The other very special guest was Jools Holland's regular partner over many years, te astounding and astonishing Ruby Turner. I first reviewed Ruby Turner back in the 1980s (Yes, I really am that old) at my university in Uxbridge not long after she had become an established performer with of Culture Club at the height of their fame, she was performing as a solo artiste at the time, and at the gig she requested my assistance to help her up onto the stage and was nothing but kind in response. She is a lovely person and one of the greatest R&B/gospel vocalists around today. Here her set included a rousing rendition of Blueberry Hill, a duet on Bye Bye Blackbird with Holland and a version of Peace in the Valley that would ave brought tears to the eye of the late, great Mahalia Jackson herself.
The evening felt very much like one of Jools Holland's TV specials as it played on his openness, friendliness and his sheer love of music and everything it has given him throughout his life. The show is a celebration and far, far from an ego-boosting star vehicle. It is no surprise that the Embassy Theatre was sold out. Long may he continue to spread joy and and as his finale suggested, Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think). It was my first experience of Jools Holland live but I sincerely intend to ensure it is not my last.
Andy Evans - Review Culture
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