Lights Out By Nine, Jazz Bar, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

Expectations need to be managed.  The JazzFest programme describes LOBN as "Powerhouse soul and r'n'b with real punch....funky grooves, a hot horn section and soulful vocals from one of the best known bands on the Scottish... scene".  From that I went expecting a high quality pub band entertaining but without the musicianship expected from festival acts from other countries.  My companion, not having read the above, perhaps expected more.  So it's to the band's credit that they'd won her over by the end of the hour.

A six piece line up of drums, bass, guitar, trombone and sax (apparently the usual keyboard player and trumpeter were missing), fronted by a singer with powerful bag o' nails voice.  A mix of soul classics and their own compositions, mostly songs but with a couple of instrumentals thrown in.  They're a good, solid band, well rehearsed and with the nouse to play within their limitations.   There's no fancy guitar work, boring drum or bass solos, or tricksy arrangements.  Just driving rhythms (the drummer was particularly good), gutsy vocals and a horn section that defines the overall sound.  The sax (and clarinet) player stood out as the best musician in the line up and delivered some excellent solos.

It might not be virtuoso level, but the band provide musical fun, get the feet tapping and the audience on their side.  And great to hear AWB's 'Pick Up the Pieces' again too.