Hand to Mouth – review

Hand to Mouth, livestream 8 November 2020
Review by Lance Liddle, Bebop Spoken Here

Lindsay Hannon (vocal); Bradley Johnston (guitar).

No doubt about it, Hand to Mouth are a class act, in fact they don’t come much classier. Bradley can turn his hand to just about anything from Django to Pat Metheny or, as was the case last night, Joe Pass. Likewise, Lindsay’s mouth can encompass the world between old-time Mississippi blues singers to Joni Mitchell and beyond or, as was the case last night, Ella Fitzgerald and Carmen McRae.

Sound and camera work were perfect – the duo deserved nothing less – and when Bradley, tuxedoed and looking every inch the consummate professional that he is, opened up with a beautifully melodic When You Wish Upon a Star the die was cast. The Disney classic segued seamlessly into The Very Thought of You and Lindsay, looking fantastic and sounding as though she were singing for me alone (me and everyone else who had logged in that is) confirmed that this was going to be a night to remember.

The guitar solos were imaginative, the vocals sublime, the material pure magic. What I would have given to be sitting at a front row table, a bottle of Wainwright’s and this. It would certainly beat a book of verse and a jug of wine, maybe even with a thou thrown in! As it was, a can of Hobgoblin and a live stream such as this made up for it.

All Too Soon – immortalised by Ivie Anderson with Duke and Peggy Lee with George Shearing – achieved further immortality with Lindsay and Brad. I Ain’t Got Nothin’ But the Blues; Take Love Easy; Down With Love; ‘Tis Autumn (what a gorgeous tune!); I Can’t Give You Anything But Love; I Can’t Escape From You; Dindi; Some Other Time and, finally, Gee Baby Ain’t I Good to You.

Marks out of ten? – Eleven!