John Shand Posts

June 4, 2019 / Album Reviews - Archive

MOVE ON: A SONDHEIM ADVENTURE (Mack Avenue/Planet) 8/10 The wonder is that it has not been done more often. Precious few songwriters across the last 60 years hold a candle to Stephen Sondheim, yet jazz musicians have largely shied from engaging with his material. In 1995 came a worthy attempt…

June 2, 2019 / Theatre Reviews - Archive

Hayes Theatre, May 16 8.5/10 Were the dog-eat-dog world of Wall Street a mathematical series, its logical conclusion would be American Psycho. Bret Easton Ellis’s 1991 novel – among the most misunderstood in history – prophetically suggested that if greed, sexism, hedonism and narcissism go unchecked, they will spawn mutants…

May 30, 2019 / Concert Reviews - Archive

Concert Hall, May 13 8/10 One song can change a concert. While still more rousing and distinctive than most acts can dream of being, Goran Bregovic and his Wedding and Funeral Band spent a proportion of their two hours on stage turning in the least mesmerising performance of their four…