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There is something ever so captivating about a singer who takes control of a stage not only with great artistry but also with an aura of calm. Julie O’Hara, a name known well to the Melbourne jazz scene, does just this, most recently leading the Julie O’Hara Quintet in the show All In The One Room.

The show is a varied collection of her original works that make for a greatly entertaining hour at the Melbourne Festival’s Spiegeltent. Most endearing is O’Hara’s knack for making the audience feel that she is performing quite simply for her friends. She’s also one hell of a singer.

While this is clearly O’Hara’s show the other five artists on stage are equally as impressive. The lovely Kelsy James supports O’Hara on vocals, injecting a little bit of cheek and edginess, as well as a sweet voice that complements O’Hara’s. Leigh Barker on the double bass is called on frequently and gives an understated but classy performance. The very first song, All In The One Room displays Barker’s ability to produce a sound that seems to melt across the stage and into the room. Ben Winkelman on piano is just as fabulous and Edward York on drums comes out in the big swing number at the end of the performance. On trumpet is Eamon McNelis who comes alive with Scatterbox as he engages in a type of play-off with O’Hara. He does however have a hint of sulkiness about him, something that is accentuated as he stands next to the joyous James. Listen out though for his haunting piece in So Soon.

O’Hara’s music deserves to be left to linger in the air, to be swayed to and to be absorbed. While many of the songs in All In The One Room are on the more light-hearted side, A Night Like This, a song that O’Hara suggests is inspired by her own nostalgia, really has the qualities to carry its audience to another place and time. It is a slight shame that the in-and-out nature of the Spiegeltent and its lack of room in which the audience can move doesn’t foster this as well as other venues might. O’Hara also personalises each song with an introduction but when the music so eloquently speaks for itself and when there is such a brief time to perform, there is perhaps no harm in leaving the audience to just listen.

This is a show best treated as a tempter because you will leave wanting more. More of the charm of the Julie O’Hara Quintet, more of the celebration of technique that is so often forgotten, and more of, well, just more! Get to the Spiegeltent early to grab a good seat or if you want to make the most of the evening, to reserve yourself a decent amount of arm-swinging space in the standing area and let the music move you at its will.


Melbourne International Arts Festival and The Spiegeltent presents
All in the One Room
Julie O’Hara Quintet

Venue: The Spiegeltent, the Arts Centre Forecourt
When: Sun 19 & Mon 20 Oct at 7pm
Duration: 1hr no interval
Prices: Full $30 / Group $27 / Conc $22.50 / MF-Y $25
Bookings: Ticketmaster 1300 136 166 / www.melbournefestival.com.au