Live Review: PJ Morton

Entering Bird's Basement feels weirdly like descending into a dark submarine in a very deep, secluded part of the sea. As we delve downstairs into what kind of looks like a futuristic fish tank, any lingering sounds of trams or traffic are drowned out by a combo of clinking wine glasses and instrumental jazz tracks that don't crossfade but instead end rather abruptly, leaving relatively lengthy, awkward silences in between. Blue curtains, blue glasses, blue table cloths and neon blue lights reflect onto mirrors facing the stage, where the red drum kit sticks out like a sore thumb.

"The man, the myth, the legend!" one keen punter yells as PJ Morton's drummer heads over to the kit before Morton himself begins with a tasty flourish on the keys. No Ordinary Love kicks off featuring other-worldly harmonies that somehow only get better as the night progresses. The piano is like a toy in Morton's hands, as he effortlessly crafts the loveliest soul melodies with his band - swinging in and out of solos and tempos. Rather than ending every single song as expected, they flow from track to track with crazy transitions, coloured with plenty of instrumental interludes to spice things up and keep us on our toes.

Playing two shows per night for the past few evenings would undoubtedly take a toll on these guys, but they don't let it show even for a second. If anything, the energy is on a steady incline as the set flows on. Morton gives himself completely to the group of ecstatic punters glued to their seats, all wide-eyed and heads bobbing on the two and four. Sticking To My Guns takes it to the next level with pitch perfect backing vocals and a dizzying guitar shred. Next up, crowd fave Only One supplies us with more of Morton's delectable ad libs and unbelievably crisp vocal runs.

"You didn't know a song about a phone could be so soulful, did you?" he asks after finishing Go Thru Your Phone before winding it up with his take on Bee Gees' How Deep Is Your Love (as featured on his latest release, Gumbo). There's no doubt that covers can be risky, but this one is done beautifully thanks to a little sprinkle of his signature funk flair.

We take a few minutes to collect ourselves after Morton leaves the stage, as tracks off Gumbo play softly in the background. The music suddenly cuts out and a strange airport terminal-style announcement kills the vibe, notifying punters that the bar will stay open for another 30 minutes and finishing with the confusing statement: "on behalf of our management and servers... don't you go changin'!" No one's really sure what this refers to; maybe that Billy Joel track? But we let it wash over us as the sounds of Gumbo resume through the venue sound system.