It has been a while since we graced the main room at The Green Note, there's been a few changes, the stage has been upgraded with some new palletts, a ubiquitous AC Unit has been installed for our safety and most shockingly, the traditional Green Note ink stamp on your hand on entry is no more!
Tonight's headliner Abi Farrell will later provide a soul based set, a little outside of our remit, however the main reason we are here is for an appearance by Jenny Colquitt, who provided a couple of stunning solo singles last year, so naturally we were enticed out to see this bright prospect from Widnes.
Opening with "How Do You Feel?", the first thing that strikes you is the power and clarity of Jenny's voice which was matched by some expressive guitar playing. Occasionally taking a step back after a line of vocal, before then quickly resuming her position for the next line, she immediately dazzled and beguiled and instantly we knew that we were to be richly rewarded for our inquisitiveness ,with a 45 minute high quality set.
Jenny is hard to nail down genre wise which gives her total freedom in both musical style and subject matter, as she moved on to her next song, a tribute to "Captain Thomas Moore", its jaunty rhythm and clever lyrics could arguably easily sit in folk or Americana. It was a fitting tribute to someone who inspired and captured the heart of the nation at a time it needed someone to lift it during this "modern war".
Possessing a vocal ability of outstanding power, Jenny was equally adept at reigning it in, to be incredibly soft and tender as on "This Side", covering the other side of the music industry, the less glamourous side
"all these people hear me sing - do they even hear a thing?"
she had no worries on that score this evening with a highly attentive ( as ever ) Green Note crowd.
In a similar tender vein was a song about divorce "Lady Arronrowe", which found Jenny taking time out to turn and smile to the audience directly to her side just as the chorus reached the word "she smiled".
With a short harmonica intro accompanying the slow gently played guitar, "Little Blue Boy" gradually built up in both guitar and vocal volume to be a moving ballad.
"Soldier Of The Modern Day" was about war and really showed off Jenny's vocal prowess to the full, movingly plaintive and restrained at the start before developing into roof lifting mode as it progressed.
A quick switch to piano showed Jenny to be equally proficient at the keyboard, "Tell Me Where The Light Is" had a certain spiritual feel to it, which was apt for the subject matter of those having passed still being in our hearts.
A second song at the piano was her new single "God The Father" was a powerful piece with some exemplary vocals that were a joy to behold.
The final original song of the set was one of the songs that had first brought Jenny to our attention, "Dirty Town",
It saw Jenny able to capture the same power and intensity of the single, yet distilled down to just its rawest elements that allowed it to succeed in this acoustic format - gently picked guitar matched to at times explosive vocal stylings.
One final parting gesture was a cover of Sting's "Fields Of Gold", slowed down a la Eva Cassidy but imbued at times with a distinctly Jenny Colquitt vocal - which was a fine way to end her contribution to the evening.
The next time that Jenny Colquitt hits the Green Note stage it will be as a headliner at the same venue in November - an evening not to be missed.