The Bulleit Originals: Marlena Shaw @ The Caves, 30 Jan

“If y'all had a great time, tell ‘em you seen Marlena Shaw. If you didn’t? You tell ‘em you saw Tina Turner!” Parting shots aren’t often fired as fiercely funny as that, and as worldly wise soul diva Marlena Shaw wades her way through an adoring crowd at The Caves one can’t help but think the words ‘Tina’ and ‘Turner’ won’t be hot conversation in Edinburgh tonight. That she has to sit down for a glass of (something that could be) water between each song only adds to the character and charisma of her performance, and after taking a track or two to hush a restless crowd hell-bent on nattering their way through early numbers, she belts out the classics; California Soul and Woman Of The Ghetto are calls to arms that Winehouse et al can only dream of mustering by the time the last sax blast rolls out, the philistines have swapped idle chit chat for generous applause. But why did it take so long? [Finbarr Bermingham]