I can’t believe that it was the end of May when I last visited the wonderful Howard Assembly Room. Like most of my regular haunts it has been having a fallow period, was it something I said, but is now back in full swing with some amazing performers in the Autumn/Winter programme. Judith Hill was well worth the three month wait.
I have to admit that Ms Hill has flown under my radar up until now, which is strange as she has worked closely with artists such as Prince and Michael Jackson, she even sang the lead on Heal The World at his tribute concert after being chosen to be his duet partner on the songs for This Is It concerts which, sadly, never took place.
Prince produced her first album, Back in Time, back in 2015.
I have been looking at her stuff on YouTube and it is a varied mix of gospel, jazz, soul, blues and funk, as was the show this evening. She has an incredible voice which lends itself to all of the above genres, changing effortlessly from the drawl of Delta blues to the glass shattering high notes on the soul numbers. I don’t say this lightly, but she is the nearest thing I have heard to Aretha! If you don’t believe me click on the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTDz4RdOX7Q&list=RDQTDz4RdOX7Q&start_radio=1
I spoke to the chap on the mixing desk at the break and he said that, during the sound check, Ms Hill had given instructions that the volume be turned up to No.11, which certainly enhanced the listening experience. Most of the night, however, was devoted to funk, and what a brilliant fist she made of it.
Not only is she a great singer, but her piano playing is superb, and you can tell why Prince rated her so highly as the guitar riffs could have been taken from any of his works, but without sounding derivative – if that makes any sense. There again, why should I start making sense at this late stage.
On the aforementioned streaming site, there are a number of different combinations of instrumentalists and singers, tonight, however, it was just a four-piece, mainly family, affair. As well as Judith, there was her mum, Michiko, on keyboard synth, her dad, PeeWee on bass guitar, and an interloper on drums, who was either John Staten or Shady Oppong, both of whom seem to be accompanying her on the tour. To see them all in action, please click on the link below. Fortunately we were not compelled to wear headphones.
Although brilliant in all aspects of performance, she was a bit lax in the introduction department and so one song was followed by another without being named, which makes reviewing a bit of a challenge. Still, as the bard, Arthur Connelly, once said, ‘What’s in a name? That which we call soul music by any other name would sound as sweet.’
This really was one of the best nights I have ever had at Howard Assembly Room, a place which never fails to amaze.
Sadly, it was the band’s final leg of their UK tour, but they have moved sur la continent before returning to the US, so, if you are one of my French or American readers, check out where they will be playing at https://www.judithhill.com/
To see what is coming up at Howard Assembly Room it is https://www.operanorth.co.uk/event-tag/har/
Photographs by Stan Graham
Tyke It To The Limit 