THE TIMELESS EXCELLENCE OF GEORGIE FAME by Eric Myers ______Georgie Fame & The Thrill Seekers The Basement Sydney Morning Herald, November 18, 1980 ______

n Sunday night at The Basement, 37-year-old Georgie Fame convincingly demonstrated why he is often considered the best rhythm- O and- singer to have come out of England. With superb intonation and -oriented phrasing, Mr Fame's voice resembles a finely honed musical instrument, rather than a conventional vocal sound. He has been singing like this for more than 20 years, yet his style is as timeless and contemporary as ever.

Georgie Fame: his style is as timeless and contemporary as ever… PHOTO CREDIT JANE MARCH

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He was backed by the Thrill Seekers, a group of top Sydney jazz musicians specially assembled for his Australian tour. They included Keith Stirling (trumpet), Col Loughnan (saxophones and flute), Herb Cannon (trombone), Steve Murphy (guitar), Greg Lyon (bass) and Willie Qua (drums).

The Australian backing group The Thrill Seekers included guitarist Steve Murphy (above) and electric bassist Greg Lyon (below)…

"Backed" is probably a misnomer, for these fine Australian musicians, given generous solo space throughout the evening, were as much part of the performance as Georgie Fame himself. The Thrill Seekers were, in my view, far

2 superior to Mr Fame's English band, The Blue Flames, whom I saw in London in 1978. Georgie Fame's approach to music is full of delightful subtleties and arcane references. He sang an exquisite version of a song which was never actually I'm In The Mood For Love, but a classic James Moody saxophone solo on the tune, to which words have been set. At the end of this song, with some wit, he quoted the short cadenza used by George Benson at the end of Moody's Mood For Love on Benson's current LP.

Georgie Fame sang the classic solo on “I’m In The Mood For Love” by James Moody (pictured above)… Needless to say, the cultured ease of George Fame's music was amplified by romps through versions of his great hits: Yeh-Yeh, Get Away, and The Ballad Of Bonnie and Clyde. Also his Hammond organ playing was as tasteful and brilliant as ever. For me, however, the highlight of the performance was his version of the lovely old ballad Everything Happens To Me, including a transcribed Chet Atkins solo to which lyrics have been added. This was marred only by the noisiest audience I have heard for some time in The Basement. Georgie Fame's other Basement performances are booked out, but he is scheduled to appear next Monday night at the Seymour Centre, along with Ricky May and his 19-piece band. ______

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