Review: Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra at ASB Theatre

Jools Holland. Photo / Supplied

Jools Holland is one very humble host. Hands chasing each other across the piano, knees bouncing, voice flying, he led his really big band - all 16 plus guest singers - into a mad night of rhythm, blues and some good ol' fashioned boogie woogie.

But while he and his feisty fingers were the stars of the show, not once did he bask in the spotlight, instead he stretched his arms to each of his extremely talented band members - five saxophonists, four trombone players, three trumpets, a guitarist, organist (his brother Christopher Holland), bassist and drummer - as they rotated solos.

It's hard to keep still when limbs and digits are flying all across the stage and the audience had their knees bouncing and hands clapping right from the start.

Early highlights included Holland's own Remember Me from his album Hop the Wag, featuring beautiful rich blues guitar by Mark Flanagan and Holland's tribute to Edith Piaf - a smoky 60s number with piano accordion.

Holland didn't have time for a lot for chit chat but he did tell his crowd he had visited Auckland's Motat earlier that day, where he saw a replica of a pioneer home with a lounge that reminded him of his grandma's, where he had learned to play boogie woogie.

With that he challenged the ebony and ivory to some knee snapping, incredible piano.

Rosie May, a charming wee singer in a white 60s dress, led the audience in a singalong to Muddy Waters' I Got My Mojo Working, prompting Holland to get out his tambourine and show off his orange dancing shoes.

Louise Marshall followed, throwing her Rhythm and Blues attitude through two Holland originals and then a roaring version of Tennessee Waltz.

Every jaw in the house dropped as Holland's long-time friend and musical partner Gilson Lavis (the pair go back to the days of Squeeze) began a roaring wave of astonishing, bone rattling, clashing, clambouring drumming.

Holland described him as the nuclear reactor that had kept the band together, and in fact his life together, a living legend "as fearsome as a Roman legion".

Hiding away in the brass section was ska and reggae legend Rico Rodriguez, who took the microphone to lead the audience in the orchestra's version of Frank Sinatra's L-O-V-E with a ska twist

And finally, in a glittering little number came the larger-than-life boogie woogie queen Ruby Turner who brought the house down with The Informer from the collaboration she and Holland released in 2008 and You are So Beautiful in the second encore.

It was a fabulous evening that had the audience, if not grooving, then clasping their hands in delight, from the tingling folk of local rising star Lisa Crawley who opened for Holland, to the band leader's last very brisk bow.