By Joe Gorecki, Deputy Music Editor
'Natalie Prass dazzled the Fleece, presenting a funk-filled interpretation of her back catalogue', writes Deputy Music Editor Joe Gorecki
Natalie Prass’ self-titled album was one of 2015’s most interesting debuts through how it evoked the lost world of the early 1970s singer-songwriter LP, containing some gorgeous arrangements to boot. Her return this summer with The Future and the Past lost some of the ornate intricacies of the sound but picked up the groove and highlighted some slicker songwriting.
Similarly, her show at the Fleece may have been only been supported by a four-piece band but there is no argument that the sound was pared back. Instead she has chosen to move her material in a more jazz and funk-filled direction, bringing out some latent grooves in her back catalogue to great effect.
Right from the first song ‘Hot for the Mountain’ Prass mesmerises with her powerhouse vocal performance, exuding a sheer effortlessness. During the song her vocals were occasionally lost in the mix but no matter: just watching her you were still one hundred per cent involved in the performance she gave.
Then, the first glimpse you get that this will be no ordinary show is the intensity which ‘The Fire’ builds to in its heavily percussive chorus which builds and builds and then with utmost confidence ends, leaving the audience in its wake.
Much of the highlight of her show was her reinterpretation of older material with the band which also showed Prass has improved as a performer since. ‘Your Fool’ demonstrated the new precision of her phrasing which uses to devastating almost Ella Fitzgerald-level effect. She also manages to improve on her debut’s stand-out track ‘Bird of Prey’, raising the tempo and creating such an atmosphere that leaves you believing it was always such a solid funk track.
It was as much her band’s night as her own as they put in such a powerhouse performance. Much of the move in a funk-filled direction was contingent upon the rhythm section and they gave so much of a performance and then some. What is remarkable is the ability to make such dramatic changes but then present them so naturally, so convincingly that you wonder why the original versions weren’t like.
‘Why Don’t You Believe in Me’ built and built culminating in an unexpected drum solo by Eric Slick that generated such an electric atmosphere that it has all but ruined the studio version, a much straighter ballad. Also made stronger was the topical solidarity anthem ‘Sisters’ whose chorus rhythms were amplified, in turn amplifying the call to arms message.
The set closed with an unreleased track filled with slick afrobeat rhythms and, then after some negotiation with the crowd, she finished with album closer ‘It Is You’. While it makes for a good album ender on her self-titled release, it’s presented there a little too saccharine with a recollection of Disney that jars, spoiling the atmosphere.
Here however, supported just by Jacob Ungerleider on keys, the song becomes a terrific new jazz standard, bringing out Prass’ sheer vocal abilities in an enchanting atmosphere interspersed with pockets of gorgeous improvisation. This ends the gig on a perfect note with Natalie Prass highlighting the unexpected delight of the set. At the Fleece she proved you don’t need layers of instruments to make an excellent gig: less can be so much more.
Featured Image: Joe Gorecki/ Epigram
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