Incredible singer Dame Cleo Laine performed a two week run this September at the Rrazz Room at Hotel Nikko. Wow! Can she dig in and deliver a song! Most nights it was sold out. I guess fans took to heart what Sir John said, that their last gig in SF was 10 or 15 years ago, don’t let it go another 15 years to come see them again (they’re 80). The Rrazz Room is intimate with great raised seating where I was able to position myself. With Cleo were her husband, saxophonist-arranger Sir John Dankworth, and their West Coast band, pianist Larry Dunlap, trombonist Ed Neumeister, bassist Seward McCain, and drummer Jim Zimmerman. More info on Cleo & John at http://www.quarternotes.com.
One Comment
Dame Cleo Laine and her husband Sir John Dankworth are Britain s reigning jazz royalty. Dame Cleo is the only woman to have earned Grammy nominations for singing classical jazz and popular music.