It is over 20 years since I saw Stacey Kent in concert. Good, then, to be present for the first of her two evenings at The Cadogan Hall, London, as part of the Serious Summer Jazz Series 2026. With a seating capacity of around 950, the beautiful Cadogan Hall is just about on the right side of being a suitable venue for intimate jazz. The acoustics are wonderful, and with simple but effective stage lighting, Stacey Kent and her band were well-served by the venue.
After a gushing, slightly over-long introduction from the compere, which did draw some sighs of irritation from the audience, there was a warm welcome as Stacey Kent, Jim Tomlinson (saxes, flute), Art Hirahara (piano, keyboards) and Tom Hubbard (bass) took to the stage. This is what people had come for, and they were keen to let the music do the talking.
Over the years, Stacey Kent has recorded several successful albums, drawing initially on the Great American Songbook, but also developing new material, drawing on compositions by her husband Jim Tomlinson and Booker Prize winning author Kazuo Ishiguro. A new album – A Time For Love – was released earlier this year and the concert featured a number of songs from it, along with some old favourites from her back catalogue.
Kent’s voice continues to sound fresh, young and completely engaged by the stories contained in the songs she sings. Her enunciation is feathery yet beautifully precise, like a cross between the vocals of actress Fenella Fielding and, very occasionally in the lower registers, the purr-growl of Eartha Kitt. An irresistible combination that means, across material ranging from bossa nova to songs by Michel Legrand, Brian Wilson and Burt Bacharach & Hal David, you are hanging on to every word, every nuance.
Stacey Kent’s musical partner and husband of almost 35 years – Jim Tomlinson – has always acknowledged the influence of Stan Getz on his playing. Hearing him on some solos during the performance, it was almost like Getz’s spirit was in the room. From the breathy. fluttering top end of the tenor down to the guts of the low end of the instrument, Tomlinson was breathtakingly brilliant in these moments. He was also pretty impressive on flute, soprano sax and accompanying vocals during the evening.
The Tomlinson/Ishiguro compositions offered quirky takes on life, and again, the blend of clever lyrics and Stacey’s precise delivery made for an enchanting listen. Breakfast On The Morning Tram, featuring swirls of soprano from Tomlinson, was reminiscent of Sting’s Englishman In New York, whilst the observational lyrics could almost have been from the pen of Georges Simenon. A new composition by Tomlinson and Cliff Goldmacher – What Goodbye Is For (featured on A Time For Love) – offered another highlight of the evening with its achingly melancholy sentiments.
The concert closed with a delicate, soufflé-like rendition of Hushabye Mountain. Art Hirahara (outstanding throughout the evening) cushioned the song on keyboards as once more Kent showed just how good she is at delivering these fragile ballads full of depth and meaning. Small wonder, after the final notes faded and the lights dimmed, that the audience acknowledged a superb evening of entertainment with a standing ovation.
Stacey Kent at Cadogan Hall, London, 16 July 2026
