‘How Long Has This Been Going On?’: both the opening chart of The Jazz Repertory Company’s concert on the closing night of the EFG London Jazz Festival as well as a question on the audience’s mind. In reference to this year’s festival, the answer is 10 days; London’s annual multi-pack serving of jazz is reaching its climax and we’re all full on it. As for the orchestra’s appearances at Cadogan Hall, the answer is that this is their 50th outing, and they’re intent on making the most of the occasion.

Each half of the concert is essentially clustered around the four guest vocalists: Iain Mackenzie, Claire Martin, Vimala Rowe and Peter Savizon. One at a time, they take to the stage and deliver between two and four songs from the Great American Songbook with Pete Long offering a variety of musical hall-esque, comedic asides in between. Of the vocalists, Claire Martin is the only one who is not billed as playing a particular ‘part’ on the program (Peter, Vimala and Iain being assigned the roles of Nat King Cole, Dinah Washington and Frank Sinatra respectively). This absence of casting gives Claire room to interpret rather than impersonate the charts which leads to some pleasing and diverse renditions across her segments. In the first half, this includes her take on Billie Holiday’s ‘You’ve Changed’ in which she showcases refreshing vocal control, texture and tone. In ‘I Only Have Eyes For You’, we’re also treated to a vibraphone workout ably delivered by Anthony Kerr. Buoyed by an enthusiastic audience, Claire’s performance of Ella Fitzgerald’s ‘S’Wonderful’ culminates in her striking an Elvis-like pose, hip thrust and fully delivers on the promise of the repertoire.

Although it’s the vocalists who get to stand at the front of the stage—acting as a focal point for the audience’s warm appreciation—what becomes clear over the course of the evening is that the true stars of the show are the orchestra. Whether it’s trombonist Ian Bateman’s arrangements, Andy Flatman’s solo in ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’, the sweeping strings or the razor-sharp horn stabs, whenever the instrumentalists are given the chance to shine, they do that and then some more. If anything, it would be great to hear more from them as it’s only in the opening number that we get to enjoy the lush artistry of the orchestra by themselves. Could there be an opportunity to take a leaf out of the festival’s Opening Gala: Jazz Voice concert and start each half with pure, unfettered jazz orchestra?

What Swingin’ with Strings shares with Jazz Voice is that we’re headed for a finale in which all the singers return to the stage and collaborate on one last song which happens to be ‘Baby (You’ve Got What It Takes)’. As the foursome file back on stage, the question posed in the opening chart returns, and the answer is that the concert has been going on for 28 songs: ample to the point of being over-generous. Sometimes less is more although on the closing night of the festival, few would complain that they’ve had too much jazz.

Part of the EFG London Jazz Festival. The 2025 festival runs 14-23 November — explore full listings here.