Melody Gardot
From 1920s jazz queen to Lenka Dusilova and ZAZ. Yet don’t be fooled – the person singing throughout was the one and only Melody Gardot and the concert a stand-alone original. With an effortless ability to switch styles, virtuous a capella singing, personal comments thrown into the lyrics here and there, flawless mood changes and capacity to hold her own among a fantastic entourage of instrumentalists, Gardot injected incredible energy into the show right from the first song.
Well, let’s say shortly after the start which somewhat bewildered spectators with something more akin to a tuning up session. Her excellent rapport with such a discerning audience was noteworthy, leaving the vast majority begging for more with several ovations at the end.
The lovely and distinguished performance, not to mention autograph signing in the lobby afterwards all earned Melody extra points from listeners who went away filled with memories to cherish.
Who could have wished for a better end to the Prague Proms? Which just leaves us wondering how we can possible make next year just as appealing? I look forward to hearing your feedback about this year’s festival.
Text: Jan Hodoušek
