London Jazz Festival review: Upbeat mastery from true diva Zara McFarlane

The musician lets her voice soar during an excellent performance at Rich Mix
True diva: Zara Mcfarlane performs at London Jazz Festival
Jane Cornwell11 December 2017

Dressed in silver sparkles, flanked by a new 10-piece band, Zara McFarlane launched her third album Arise before a sold-out crowd that included her label boss, Gilles Peterson, her former mentor, Jazz Jamaica’s Gary Crosby, and her parents.

McFarlane grew up in London, steeped in jazz and reggae and proud of her African Caribbean heritage, and all this was palpable in this upbeat set. Self-penned tunes such as Stoke the Fire and Fussin’ and Fightin’ had their sentiments reinforced by bursts on trombone and saxophone. On the catchy Freedom Chain, McFarlane showed her silky vocals in ways that had her two backing singers (including Paloma Faith favourite, Baby Soul) stopping to applaud.

Even with musicians the calibre of guitarist Shirley Tetteh and keyboardist Peter Edwards, a band this size takes some getting used to, and there were moments when McFarlane got a bit lost amid the razzmatazz. But when she let her voice soar and tumble, scatting here, sliding there, playing with phrasing on the likes of Pride and the slow burn Silhouette, she was magnificent.

The encore, a fierce rendition of Max Roach’s mighty civil- rights classic, All Africa, saw her grow in stature, become suitably diva-esque.

The EFG London Jazz Festival (efglondonjazz festival.org.uk) ends on Sunday

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