Later with Jools - Bettye Lavette

I'm warming to Jools. He seems to have stopped playing his boogie woogie piano which always added a little too much to his guests' performances. And even better, Jools' heavy handed big band haven't yet made an appearance in this series. And now we've stopped watching it as it is broadcast, we can fast forward through all the crap and pick out the artists we really want to see.

The series hasn't been bad so far. Arctic Monkeys, Editors, and this week's must-see Sigur Ros who must have felt like babies amongst all the pensioners on the show.

Then, of course, there's always the chance we might find something we've never heard before which makes us go out and spend some money.

Jools' pensioners are usually past their best if they ever had a best to begin with (e.g. Weller and Santana this week). But Bettye Lavette is something else. She is bloody good now at nearly 60. Just imagine what she was like 30 odd years ago. She is raw. And you can't beat raw.

So when this album is released tomorrow in Britain I can add it to my collection alongside Bettye Swann.

I know of only two Bettyes. And they're both absolute stars.


Geoff's Thumb Rating: Up for Bettye, Up for Sigur Ros, Up for Sky Plus.