Review: Australia Tour 2015

John McBeath, The Advertiser, 18th June 2015

www.adelaidenow.com.au

Adelaide Cabaret Festival: A Bit of a Mouthful

London jazz singer, pianist, composer and witty raconteur Ian Shaw’s first Australian tour is bound to be a success.

In a talented mix of vocal send-ups, serious, as well as hilarious songs and patter, he quickly captured a capacity audience from his opening song of pretend scat.

Despite the comedy, Shaw is a competent pianist and a capable singer.

He played good accompaniments to songs by Joni Mitchell, Rodgers and Hart and others but his own numbers had very funny lyrics: one consisted of strings of teenage iPad acronyms, another sent up James Taylor’s nasality, holding a long, high note through his nose while his lips moved in a soundless monologue.

Unafraid to use bawdy language and while admitting to being gay, without camping it up, he told very funny stories, including one about a super-trendy pizzeria with an organic pizza free of gluten and every possible ingredient, called a “Quatro Miserere, dripped with remorse”.

One composition began with the line: “Another s**t singer is ruining my favourite song” and ended with “Tonight’s s**t singer is probably me”.

This was a great cabaret evening of solo music and comedy delivered by a true professional

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