EVERYMAN THEATRE, CHELTENHAM (2009)
Echo and Citizen (6 March, 2009)
It started as a scream, mutated into a note, soared higher and higher, and carried on longer than I’ve ever heard anyone hold a note. Elkie Brooks’ trademark gritty voice has a power and longevity that is quite astonishing. Not content to rest on her laurels after four decades in the music business, she believes in constant training and development of her voice; the result is astonishing.
The most successful British female album seller of the last 30 years, Elkie performed some of her great rock ballads such as Pearl's A Singer and Don’t Cry Out Loud before moving on to a range of other jazz and blues classics; her powerful voice making it all look effortless.
Elkie appeared to take genuine pleasure in the performance of her band, shimmying around interacting with them. After a particularly powerful delivery from her saxophonist Steve Jones, Elkie asked the audience “Have you ever heard a saxophone solo like that?” The applause said it all.
Encoring with Powerless and We’ve Got Tonight, Elkie received rapturous applause, soon turning into a standing ovation from the capacity crowd at the Everyman.
The fact that she can still sell out concerts and bring audiences to their feet in standing ovations is testament to the skill, artistry and sheer hard work Elkie Brooks devotes to her music. “I’m still learning” she modestly claims. In her sixties, she can put many younger performers to shame with the power and energy of her performances.
(George Brown Stewart)
