Album review - Diva

2:16pm Tuesday 26th August 2008

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Reader David Dix reviews Bexley band Diva's latest album

There seem to be a lot of divas around in today's popular culture. The word gets bandied around with little concern for its precise meaning. But once you've heard Diva! you'll realise for once the moniker is deserved. Singer Samantha Jean is a revelation. She doesn't so much carry a tune as wear it like the finest haute couture.

Tunes are what Diva! are about. In an age when rhythm has all but eclipsed its bedfellows - harmony and melody - Diva! put the song back where it belongs, centre stage.

And when it comes to songs, Diva! cover the waterfront, from jazz and pop to soul and funk and beyond.

But this is no eclectic hodgepodge. When Diva! cover a song, they make it their own. They're a grown-up band of proper musicians from Abbey Wood, Plumstead and Catford. Heck, they can even read the dots when duty calls.

And it's no exercise in nostalgia either. In Diva!'s capable hands - and Samantha Jean's exquisite voice - these songs come out fresher than the day they were written.

This is one class act, and if class is your bag, this CD is for you. Even better, catch them at a gig.

Diva will next perform live on September 20 at The Porcupine, 24 Mottingham Road, Mottingham. 8.30pm. Free.

To find out more about the band click here