It’s so good to be back seeing live music. This was the first event I’d been to since February 2020, and it was a special occasion too: the opportunity to see the debut of a fine singer – who has become a good friend – on the main stage at Ronnie Scott’s.
Back in the day, Catherine Lima somehow always seemed too assured and too professional to inhabit the open mic scene where I first got to know her. She had and has an appealing stage manner, she finds the mood of a song, looks into a character. And her Peggy Lee show ‘The Allure of Miss Lee’ is a very fine piece of work. It is manifestly a labour of love – but only in the positive sense. She has packed the set with insights and great performances. In the show Catherine Lima eloquently describes Peggy Lee’s drive and determination and what she has described as the “consummate professional ….with a very vulnerable side to her that she wasn’t afraid to have exposed on stage”. These are attributes not dissimilar to Catherine’s own.
Lima is a confident bandleader, and in Paul Higgs as arranger MD and pianist/ trumpeter, she has a great foil onstage. I also enjoyed the contributions of Alex Field on guitar, bassist José Canha and drummer Jason Campbell (pictured below).
The last item of her programme, “I’ll be seeing you”, was incredibly moving; I am sure I wasn’t the only one with a tear welling up in my eye. And the encore “Some Cats Know” sent us all away happy.
Congratulations Catherine. I hope Ronnie’s invite you back – and very soon!
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It was an amazing way to spend a sunny lunchtime! The whole band were fabulous and Catherine Lima has such a superb tone to her voice and the ability to really bring such texture to her sound. She has both the strength to hit the big notes and yet the control to draw you in when singing so, so softly. I could listen to her for hours!!
It was lovely to hear Paul Higgs on piano, I am more used to seeing him on trumpet and I had forgotten what an incredible pianist he is.
Ronnie’s – booking them again soon please!!! 🙂