Damien Dempsey and NC Grey
Nell’s Jazz and Blues Club
London

THIS gig was part of Covered in Glory, an event celebrating 40 years of the Irish music magazine Hot Press, along with the launch of a book featuring the mag’s cover art over four decades.

It opens with Dublin-based British-Nigerian singer-songwriter NC Grey, whose penchant is for deep lyrics and catchy hooks. Her band furnish an underlay of soulful R & B, over which Grey’s sultry melodies glide, her voice invoking both the husky tones of Nina Simone and the breezy soulfulness of Erykah Badu.

Heartfelt tracks like Choose Me express a certain vulnerability that comes not from naivety but from a wellspring of deep self-knowledge and inner strength. At times tinged with melancholy, but always infused with an indomitable hope and infectious gratitude for the gift of life, Grey’s music has a healing quality that shines through.