... Underrated and over here Shanklin, Isle of Wight An Evening with Bobby Crush Piano star Bobby Crush chose the Shanklin Theatre to debut his new one man show. He played for two hours and the audience still wanted more. Bobby took it all in his stride, aided by a trio of superb musicians David Carter on keyboards, Miles Seabrook on bass and drummer Cliff Longhurst. Right from the outset, with a ...

... Variety Spectacular Cardiff For the 11th successive year Chris Chambers' annual charity spectacular at the Rumney and St Mellons British Legion Club drew a capacity audience, who loved every minute of a fast moving show that contained something to please all tastes. Highspot of ented guitarist Roger Andrews' act was a selection of Shadows favourites, before music of an entirely different ...

... Music Hall, Variety and Me Jermyn Street Theatre It is right that we should be reminded from time to time that music hall and its successor variety was once a thriving industry, and Jack Seaton begins his one man show with a short history of how it came about, beginning with trie spit and sawdust halls attached to pubs in the middle of the last century and their slightly upmarket relatives, ...

... Shakin' Stevens Basingstoke There is something to be said for leaving your audience wanting more, but there must be a happy medium in not leaving them dis appointed. The hoards of fans at the Anvil, Basingstoke cried out for Green Door but Shaky's final exit was abrupt and the house lights came up swiftly, a peculiar finish to a concert which had built up the fans' enthusiasm and then let it ...

... Kathy Stobart 70th Birthday Celebration 100 Club So often, gatherings such as this are convened to raise funds for a needy musician or, more sadly, to help their dependents defray funeral expenses. Not this one, though, for Stobart is busy and well, so-much so that friends arranged this evening of varied and spirited music to mark not only an impor tant personal milestone but to provide a ...

... Buddy good but less noise Green Room, Cafe Royal Buddy Greco There are two things difficult to resist about Buddy Greco, his endless enthusiasm for 'the business' and his sense of humour. Now in his late sixties, it's hardly surprising his voice doesn't quite live up to those swingin' recordings of the past. But his relaxed and confident cabaret style makes him a perfect performer for the ...

... Ready, Steady, Go Show Cardiff Fond memories of the rock'n'roll era came flooding back to an ecstatic audience at Cardiffs Fairwater Conservative Club during a one-nighter from the lavish touring Ready, Steady, Go Show. Teddy boy suits and drain pipes were among authentic out fits worn by male members of the cast, with the girls rockin' the night away in glitzy costumes and mini skirts. Team ...

... Jerry Senfluk and His Capital Swing 100 Club Jerry Senfluk is a Londoner by adoption. Bom in Czechoslovakia, he became illicitly enamoured of jazz when it was still a forbidden music in his home country. As a jazz clarinettist, it was Benny Goodman's example which proved inspirational to him then and this influence still persists. True, there are overtones of Edmond Hall in his hotter pas ...

... Tommy Steele--What a Show '95! Bournemouth Most of us among the packed mid-week matinee audience were around in 1956 when Tommy Steele last appeared at Bourne-mouth Pavilion. We can doubtless recall our elders reluctantly acknowledging the cheerful, toothy youngster as the able face of rock. Steele has a rare generation- spanning appeal which has led him to star in musicals. Today it ...

... Billy Swan The Weavers The respectable looking, quietly spoken southern gentleman with his neatly trimmed grey beard, wearing a suit and hat, came on stage to herald the start of party time at one of London's premier roots music venues. Swan came to prominence just over 20 years ago with I Can Help. It topped the charts in his home country and reached No 6 in the UK best sellers. At 16, he ...

... Dianne Reeves Liverpool Appearances by top American jazz talent has been a rarity of late in the north west, but recently ZSL Promotions has succeeded in luring several big names up the M1 to Liverpool. Blue Note recording artist Dianne Reeves is the latest to squeeze in a date there between shows in London and Norway. Backed by a Latin flavoured rhythm section, she poured out 90 minutes of ...

... Crown Jools, sparkling night Preston Jools Holland There was a time when I thought the Jools Holland band only existed in the TV studio. That misconception has now been dispelled by the band's recent tour which brought it to the cavernous Preston Guild Hall for a concert of its explosive brand of R & B. It was a boogie-woogie num ber featunng the frock-coated leader on acoustic piano with just ...