REVIEW: A slowly setting sun, a perfect autumn afternoon, lounging on a picnic blanket with a cold beer in hand taking in a stellar line-up of musical prowess.
It’s a little hard to believe that all this was attainable with a short 15 minute drive down the road to the Moody Cow Brewery in the Ferguson Valley.
Jazz in the Valley was the first full-scale concert to come to the valley on Saturday, raising the stakes for what has become a popular destination for wineries, breweries and accommodation.
And with international jazz superstar James Morrison set to headline this debut event, we expected a high-calibre evening of sensational entertainment.
We arrived to the welcoming sound of South West performer Paige Trantham on stage.
This amazing vocalist set the relaxed tone of the day with her casual sundress and cracker of a smile but as a three-time finalist in the WA Music Industry Song of the Year, she was not out of place in this prestigious line-up.
Trantham chatted to the crowd about falling in love with a boy in Margaret River because he reminded her of one of the Ninja Turtles and having a pair of jocks thrown at her when performing at a mine site.
She thanked Moody Cow owner Grant McClintock for hosting the event, referring to him as “Mr Cabbage” because she had known him since she was a kid and he called her and her siblings “brussel sprouts.”
Next to take the stage was seven-piece electro-swing band Ensemble Formidable from Fremantle – a colourful array of characters who made it clear that they would perform some “nice” songs as well as some “about chooks going mad and taking over the world.”
We were treated to a performance which could only be described as “joyous mayhem” as one member leapt from the stage and raced across the grass up to the brewery balcony before racing back and lying on the ground in front of the stage, singing throughout.
The excitement continued to build as the sun went down and finally James Morrison and his band spilled out onto the stage.
This well-seasoned performer had us laughing one minute and gasping in appreciation the next as he casually switched between instruments, proving he has a lot more in his repertoire than his trademark trumpet.
Morrison ended the night with a tip of the hat to the brewery for taking a risk in hosting the concert, hopefully encouraging other local venue owners to do the same and build on the region’s profile.
