Live Review: Paul Kelly Presents The Merri Soul Sessions, Hiatus Kaiyote

The members of Melbourne neo-soul quartet Hiatus Kaiyote are stretched out across the front of the stage, frontwoman Nai Palm drawing attention with her breathy, gymnastic vocals while the accomplished band lay down an elegant bed for her to work from.

Their arrangements are intricate and jazz-like, their air of easy sophistication suiting the classy Tivoli décor perfectly. Tracks like Mobius Streak and the Grammy-nominated Nakamarra go down well, and the relatively subdued By Fire showcases a different side to this inimitable outfit.

Even though this is a most unusual Paul Kelly set – featuring him in bandleader rather than frontman mode as he takes a vocal back seat to the incredible ensemble cast he assembled to help him bring his Merri Soul Sessions project to life – as he opens casually with his regular backing band it’s clear he’s still the darling of the packed house.

Soon the collaborators file on stage until we have the full contingent, Vika Bull opening proceedings with the beautiful What You Want – the mass harmonies gorgeous from the get-go – before ceding the mic to sister Linda Bull, who rises to the challenge with the equally pretty Smells Like Rain. It continues like this with both the new songs and the performances captivating – Kelly offering Righteous Woman (with glorious counterpoints from the Bulls), the “very righteous” Clairy Browne giving Where Were You When I Needed You, Dan Sultan absolutely smashing Don’t Let A Good Thing Go before Kelly returns with the heartwarming Thank You – before we delve back into the past for the first time with a rousing How To Make Gravy, the crowd singing along en masse. Kelly then leaves the stage altogether, dynamo Kira Puru offering I Don’t Know What I’d Do, Sultan covering Kelly’s lovely I Close My Eyes And Think Of You – with Kelly himself returning to offer backing vocals – before Browne rips through Isaac Hayes’ When Something Is Wrong With My Baby and they throw in Kelly originals Song From The Sixteenth Floor and Give In To My Love (courtesy of Puru again). All involved seem to be revelling in both their new creative partnership and the musical fruits of their labours, Browne tearing through Keep On Coming Back For More and Sultan powering through a rocking Look So Fine Feel So Low. Kelly’s howl ushers in the incredible version of Sweet Guy that Vika long ago made her own, before the full contingent return for new spiritual, Hasn’t It Rained, before filing into the darkness.

An encore is a given, with the vibrant final offering of Down On The Jetty, (Kelly’s) Love Letter, a triumphant Dumb Things and a spine-tingling a cappella version of Meet Me In The Middle Of The Air farewelling us with great panache. The great man does it again.