Dinner at the Bistro in the Dunstan Playhouse was tasty.  I had Lamb shanks, with the meat falling off the bone, a very drinkable McLaren Vale Merlot followed by some indulgence.  Well it is an early birthday treat for me.  The pavlova melted in my mouth, a few too many times I think.  I tried not leave any.

The pavlova to die for. I did leave a little though.The service was prompt and the setting warm and comfortable.  The cost; about $60 a head.

It is a handy restaurant to the Festival Theatre and it was a quick, but brisk walk across the Plaza to the venue.  What annoyed me was that Bass, the ticket agents, slug you $11.59 for the privilege of booking online and paying by Visa.  A dam rip-off.

The promo for the event calls it a night of jazz with three musical geniuses.  A little poetic license though, but two out of three is not all that bad.  James Morrison is brilliant.  I have seen and listened to him a number of times since the late 80s and he just keeps getting better.  His supporting jazz band was excellent.  The outstanding surprise for me was the pianist, Marian Petescu.  I had not heard of him previously and what a wonderful master of the keyboard he is. His fingers were a blur of movement and his ability to play any style of music (perfectly) from the classics to jazz was mesmurising.  What a talent.

James and Marian, earlier in the week, were at the UniSA Jazz Music Academy in Mt Gambier.  This is a unique learning environment for up and coming jazz musicians and makes me proud to be part of the UniSA teaching environment.  Of course I can not longer hold a tune or play a note on the trumpet.

However, the vocalist supporting the jazz band tonight was disappointing.  Megan Washington has a sweet, clear and captivating singing voice, one I could listen to time and again.  However, her stage presence was pathetic.  I had to either look away or close my eyes.  I could not work out her gyrations, maybe she was constipated, or the mic had a short in it and was giving her electric shocks.  Her voice was a delight, but her time on the stage spoilt the evening for me – and judging from other comments I heard, I was not the only one.

The promotional flyer for the night of jazz.