For those who have never crossed its threshold before, Jazz Café Posk has the imposing façade of public library or a government building. When you pass through its heavy double doors it is with the feeling that you will be on the end of a stern rebuke for overdue library books or a cruel smile as you visa is revoked. Hold your nerve and ascend the basement stairs and you will be rewarded with a tardis moment as you step into a well appointed front line music venue. Jazz Café Posk has just had a remake and a refit and tonight Clement Regert & company have been invited to turn on the musical lights.

Clement Regret, raconteur & guitarissimo makes his introductions and the band soon establish the Saturday night mood with a volley of strong opening tunes. You Are Amazing has Living Colour afro and ska shadings. Jim Knight's solo is fiery and his warm bluesy sound is dressed up with somewhere to go. Midnight Blue is a driven Brooker T tight composition, with Andy Noble's keyboard skills being flaunted to great effect. Graeme Flowers trumpet is punchy and urgent with Regret's guitar every present but not overpowering his cohorts.

Funky chops are served with Song For Difang & Best the Beast. The Brecker Bros. used to call what they did skunk funk and there is a strong smell of it on stage when brass and keyboards punch together.  Al the lights have been turned on.

Set two was a little deeper. The titles certainly were. Asparagus Moment a fast afro beat number featured those soulful brass salvos again and Clement ripped up with a great solo.

The Saga of Harisson Crabfeathers was a smooth sailing pop tune with Noble nearly stealing the limelight with brio. The curtain fell with another high wattage workout, Buster Brown.

Wild Card can pass the shoe from blues, to funk, to samba and more again with engaging ease and Clement is an avuncular leader who know how to draw an audience in. At KindOfJazz we say Banco.

Line up:  Clement Regert - guitar, Andy Noble - Organ, Davide Giovani - drums, Jim Knight - sax, Graeme Flowers -trumpet

Review: Simon Cooney

Photos: Courtesy of Paul Ottavio www.kodakline.com