Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival review: Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, Festival Theatre

Ranging in repertoire from Fats Domino to Bach, Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra brought plenty of party spirit to this Edinburgh Jazz Festival show, writes Fiona Shepherd

Edinburgh Jazz Festival: Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, Festival Theatre ****

Jools Holland has been an Edinburgh regular since his earliest days as a bandleader, recalling for the capacity Edinburgh Jazz and Blue Festival audience the first incarnation of his orchestra – just Holland and drummer Gilson Lavis rocking the Assembly Rooms at the invitation of late Fringe legend Malcolm Hardee.

These days, the Rhythm & Blues Orchestra has swelled to 17 members plus guests, including an 11-piece brass section, tag teaming as soloists.

Jools Holland PIC: Getty Images

In the present straitened climate, it is remarkable that anyone can afford to tour such a set-up but, boy, did Edinburgh respond to this slick, swinging machine – first with decorous appreciation and, eventually, with participatory party spirit.

Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra played standards from Fats Domino to…. Bach,as Holland served up a boogie woogie Air On a G String (much better than that sounds) as part of his witty homage to the piano as a key relationship in his life.

But the set was also peppered with Holland originals such as Please Forgive Me, previously performed by Tom Jones.

As a vocalist, Holland is no Jones but trumpeter Jason McDermott was top notch, as was saxophonist Anna Brooks on her groovy forays out front.

Vocalists Sumudu Jayatilaka and Louise Marshall fronted mini-sets with easy soul and gospel expression respectively, but it was Selecter frontwoman Pauline Black who brought the style and charisma to her guest ska spot, including the clipped bounce of On My Radio.

There was mounting excitement as orchestra regular Ruby Turner took it to church for the closing set of the evening, including a skanking Blueberry Hill, trilling Bye Bye Blackbird, with a Vince Guaraldi-like flow to Holland's playing, and the show-stopping Pentecostal fervour of Peace in the Valley.

The encore of Enjoy Yourself and Well Alright served as a commentary on the entire proceedings.