The Pheasantry

This venue is unique as it’s a sort of little mini commercial jazz club in the bottom of a pizza express. Yes, that means you are suck eating pizza express. That is the major draw back along with slog of a walk from Sloane square. However the acoustics are decent and it’s an intimate setting for newbies you have good material. I was not taken with who I saw, but that’s irrelevant as they are not regularly gigging there. It’s a decent place but coming from a New Orleanian I hate seeing jazz crammed into a chain place whose artwork looks like it was ordered from a catalogue. 3 stars is generous.

MUSIC TO MY EARS
Zeeteah Massiah
Ever read a music review and wished you’d been at that gig, well be prepared to get that feeling folks and don’t say I didn’t tell you because I yelled about it in my music mojo hashtag !
The eagle-​eyed among you may remember that the last time I did a proper music review was for Adele’s now legendary Royal Albert Hall gig. Since then aside from the mighty Snoop, no artist has really pushed me to want to blog about them, until now.
This must see gig took place Friday Night at The Pheasantry, Kings Road, Chelsea or as I like to call it an unexpected venue gem. Blessed with an intimate setting, pizza (yes, let’s not forget the pizza) and a willing waiting staff, I felt welcome from the moment I arrived.
There are few talents who can grab your attention, from the moment they come on stage in a intimate venue (particularly if you’re in the midst of your dinner) but glad to say Zeeteah Massiah is one of them.
She took to the stage, smiling charmingly at the full house of expectant blue jazz lovers. Dazzling in a gold dress, this sassy siren, captivated everyone with her tone, clarity, passionate emotion and some delightfully cheeky banter with the audience.
On the gloriously titled ‘Magic Mambo’ aka her take on a bond theme, she commanded the stage, with the fiery, intense energy that she injected into the song, which would have beautifully suited those famous bond titles — Barbara Broccoli please take note:0)
‘Wildkat’, a super cheeky, naughty but playful number had the audience swaying and foot tapping before they knew it.
So back to Adele, who I think is so distinctive in her tone, composition and arrangements, that I actually worry for people covering her song. No such fears with Massiah, who’s jazzy revamp of Adele’s ‘One and Only’ added a new flavour to it, but also heightened the song’s emotion and took it to the next level.
‘What’s Gone Away’ dedicated by Massiah to a friend who’s currently battling cancer, was a hopeful reminder of both the joy of life and the need to not waste a moment of it.
‘Fever’ that seminal jazz standard, that’s long been drowned by the long shadow of the Peggy Lee’s definitive version, in Massiah’s hands, has been deftly rearranged, sizzling anew and made us want to burn with her.
After the interval having built us up to a cheeky simmer in the first half Massiah, took the second half of gig by storm, with a succession of songs that heated up the room.
On ‘Whatever This Is’, the first track taken from her must have latest album ‘Juice’, she showed off her impressive range, shimmed with the band and invited the audience to kick back with her.
She then switched things up, dropping the tempo, pulling her audience into the intimacy of her world, as she briefly closed her eyes and just swayed on the beautiful ‘Guinness and Black’.
Securing and judging audience participation at a gig, is a gift many artists would kill for. Massiah’s instinctive connection with hers, lead to a barnstorming trio of crowd pleasers that had them pleading for more.
Duffy’s ‘Mercy’ was a lively affair, not just for Massiah’s vocals, but for the audience’s participation on the ‘yeah’, ‘yeahs’ smile emoticon
The follow up ‘I Am A Woman’ was equally fun with one male audience member attempting to challenge Massiah’s on her multi-​tasking skills as she sung a checklist of all the wonderful things women can do.
Her cheeky retort to him after one particularly long lyric «Can you do all of that?» was met with a red face from the man and the laughter of both his wife and the audience.
Anyone who knows me knows that Pharrell Williams ‘Happy’ is one of my all time favourite songs, which should deem it untouchable, but Massiah, took it to jazz .
She rocking the Pheasantry with her vibrant, energetic delivery, backed by her band The Disciples: Rick Laughlin — piano, musical director, Sophie Alloway — drums, Matt Holland — trumpet/​flugelhorn, Rob Hughes — tenor/​flute and Gavin Scott — double bass/​electric bass: who all looked like they were having a blast.
By the time Massiah launched into ‘I Feel Good’ you got the distinct impression that both she and her audience were here to stay and party. She returned to the stage for an encore of ‘Honky Tonk Woman’, which was truly the perfect end to this fabulous gig.
The next time you see my #DivasdeliteMusicMojo hashtag with Zeeteah Massiah’s name attached to it, RT it and then make sure you go along to her gig, so you can be part of the Blue Jazz crew too !
Discover the magic of Zeeteah Massiah at