Music / Hollywood Songbook, Ali McGregor and Signum Saxophone Quartet. At Llewellyn Hall, May 3. Reviewed by IAN McLEAN.

The often stark and undressed Llewellyn Hall stage was bathed in colour, thanks to 12 reflective photographers’ umbrellas which provided a constantly changing and colourful backdrop to a ring of golden stage lights, the performance space for Ali McGregor and the Signum Saxophone Quartet as they presented an excellent concert.

Hollywood Songbook was much more than the name implied. A discerning and appreciative audience dispensed with election coverage to enjoy a show which explored music ranging from Igor Stravinsky through Kurt Weill and Prokofiev to Irving Berlin and Cole Porter. What a cross-section and an interesting mix!

The concert was structured around the Signum Saxophone Quartet, a group of virtuoso saxophonists who made their Carnegie Hall debut in 2013 after practicing together and perfecting their art since they were mere youths.

Their repertoire covered a multitude of styles and was highlighted by three particular pieces of excellence – an arrangement of the Alla Tarantella from Five Pieces for String Quartet by Erwin Schulhoff, the Dance of the Knights from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet and the Hoe Down from Aaron Copland’s Rodeo.

In addition to individual outstanding performances the mastery of dynamic contrast was exceptional and created a quite amazing sense of musical atmosphere. It was fascinating to hear how effectively four saxophones could replicate the sound of a complete orchestra in Hoe Down. A soprano saxophone can wonderfully imitate a blazing trumpet.

Highly accomplished and versatile soprano Ali McGregor may have appeared to play a secondary role to the quartet but her input was vital and perfectly complementary. A renowned jazz vocalist she has also been a principal soprano with Opera Australia performing some 26 roles with the company including Adele in Die Fledermaus, Yum Yum in The Mikado and Papagena in The Magic Flute.

Her training and experience shone through with totally accurate pitching, clear and clean diction and perfect phrasing evident in her vocal contribution which ranged from a soaring and emotive So in Love from Kiss Me Kate to a sultry Let’s Face the Music and Dance from Irving Berlin’s Follow the Fleet to an unusual, but fascinating, arrangement of Somewhere Over the Rainbow from Arlen’s Wizard of Oz.

The concert was not quite as anticipated but was completely satisfying and enjoyable. The audience was in the presence of musicians of quite special ability.