Ella Sophie Quartet at Sam First

Ella Sophie Quartet
Sam First
Los Angeles, CA
May 21, 2025

The future of jazz singing is bright. Ella Sophie (Ella Dunbar-Wilcox) is a New Zealander jazz vocalist and composer living in Los Angeles took audiences on a journey through the American Songbook, shedding new light on these well-loved tunes. She was joined by an all-star lineup: Matt Richards (tenor sax), Josh Nelson (piano), Alex Frank (bass), and Ryan Shaw (drums) at Los Angeles' Sam First.

The set opened with a lively rendition of the Cole Porter classic, "It's All Right with Me," featuring the first of several exciting solos from Richards, this time on the tenor sax. Right from the beginning, Ella Sophie embodied the modern jazz singer zeitgeist—her voice flexible, agile and effortlessly cool, with a clear connection to the lyric. She is a performer as well as a musician.

"Out of Nowhere" by Johnny Green was a highlight, the Afro-Cuban feel highlighting the incredible chemistry between Nelson, Frank and Shaw's rhythm section, as well as their improvisatory prowess. Frank's bass solo on this number was especially enjoyable.

"Dança da Solidão" by Marisa Monte featured Richards on clarinet. Beginning the arrangement with solo clarinet is a bold move, but the intimacy of the space at Sam First allows these musical moments. Ella Sophie demonstrated her vocal agility and captivating emotion in her lyric. One doesn't need to speak Portuguese, too feel the loneliness and sorrow of the lyric.

Another killer arrangement from Ella Sophie, this time of the Bob Dorough tune "Devil May Care," and featuring a duo of Richards (back on saxophone) and voice to begin the tune. It wasn't long until the band came in, and Nelson was setting the piano on fire, bringing the house down .

The only original in the set, 'Joie de vivre,' was an insight into Ella Sophie's musical brain. In her composing you could hear her deep love of the American Songbook, with her beautiful melody writing, with the challenging rhythmic figures bringing a fresh and unique edge as the band moved between five-and 13-beat rhythms. Shaw was immaculate on the drums, outlining grooves and elevating the feel.

The highlight of the set was "Something Cool" by Billy Barnes. Ella Sophie painted an incredibly vivid picture with this ballad. It was a superb arrangement, sung and played with such emotion. The whole audience was enraptured as the music transported us to a '60s New York bar.

The evening ended on a high, with "The Gentle Rain" à la Astrud Gilberto / Stan Getz, followed by "I Get a Kick Out of You," reimagined for the 21st century. We finally got to hear Shaw take an extended solo, bringing some heat. The whole band was burning and the night ended on a high.

Comments