Tina May, Nikki Iles

Tina May is one of the UK's finest jazz singers. Recognised as a musician as much as she is for being a naturally outstanding interpreter of lyrics, she is completely in command of her material in whatever setting she finds herself, be it with a big band, a trio or a string quartet. Her relationship with pianist Nikki Iles is particularly special, however: they're a team who respond to each spontaneously and create magic in the moment.

The songs they present range widely from afterhours intimacy to uptempo swingers, from the Great American Songbook to the chanson of Edith Piaf (May is a fluent French speaker) to blues and bossa nova and into the pop-rock-soul canon of Earth Wind & Fire and Steely Dan's Donald Fagen. Add to their musicianship a natural and completely engaging onstage personality and May's knowledgeable and witty between song chat, and you have an evening of jazz that's superbly satisfying and thoroughly entertaining.