Sonny Rollins won a standing ovation for the storm of sound he unleashed on the London Jazz festival a week ago. In the event's last days, Sir John Dankworth played just one tender tune on the alto saxophone, and the Royal Festival Hall, to a man, woman and child, rose to give the same accolade. Dankworth's recent hospitalisation had threatened to rule him out of this long-planned concert with his wife Cleo Laine, daughter Jacqui and son Alec, plus a big band, choir and string quartet. When he emerged in a wheelchair, his family and a good many listeners looked to be holding their breath as he hesitantly brought the sax to his mouth. Then Dankworth's long-honed alto tone, coolly romantic with a woody, clarinet-like edge, filled the hall with Duke Ellington's Tonight I Shall Sleep.
But this was by no means a gig that hinged only on respect for the fortitude of what Laine called "two old codgers", despite the pair's immense contribution to music. It was an entertaining, varied and accomplished show celebrating traditional songwriting, notably Johnny Mercer's. Laine, making a walking stick look like a natural accessory to an evening gown, was astonishing on the ethereal It Amazes Me and a stingingly propulsive It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing – as much in control of her organ-pipe low tones, piccolo upper range and actor's timing as she ever was in almost 60 years on the road. But her daughter Jacqui's mellow, soulful voice, and the craft of violinist Chris Garrick (improvising on a Bach medley), bassist Alec Dankworth and trombonist/MD Mark Nightingale kept her admirable company.
Elsewhere during the closing LJF weekend, Italian pianist Stefano Bollani proved how irresistibly improv, lyricism and knockabout comedy could combine at Kings Place, demonically grinning guitar virtuoso Charlie Hunter funked Ronnie Scott's into a noisy trance, and the Scottish jazz scene further raised its high credit rating with a free South Bank showcase including a punchy trio featuring pianist Dave Milligan and drummer Tom Bancroft.
