Soul singer Terri Walker kept apologising throughout this gig.

She had a bad cold which had affected her voice. She needn't have bothered saying sorry - the audience barely noticed.

The huskiness might have made it hard to understand what she was saying between songs but her powerful voice means she can perform brilliantly even when not at her best.

Terri says she doesn't "get" modern R'n'B like Beyonce. Her live show makes that obvious.

In true Motown style - at times slipping into snippets of classics such as Uptight (Everything Is Alright) watching her is like watching one of the greats like Aretha or The Supremes.

Despite not feeling well, she clearly had fun and was vivacious and expressive, interacting with those on and off the stage.

With the help of three female backing singers and a band, Terri worked her way through songs from her first Mercury Music Prize-nominated album Untitled, such as Love Fool and Drawing Board.

She also played tracks from her second album, L.O.V.E, including The One That Got Away and Ain't No Love, which incorporated Motown extracts.

And she sang from the new album I Am, out on May 15, including new single Alright With Me. She calls this her version of My Funny Valentine, about falling in love with someone you know isn't perfect.

Terri sings of good, ugly and painful relationships, performing with the smiles and exhilaration of playing great music to people who love it.

For a finale, the band came back to play Mary Mary's Shackles (Praise You), inviting members of the audience to get up and sing. One woman and two men took up the offer and were surprisingly good.

Terri has as much talent and presence as any American soul star, but none of the diva behaviour.

She came into the hallway afterwards for her fans to have their pictures taken with her.

As I left, Charita of Momma Cherri's Soul Food Shack was trying to persuade Terri to eat in her Little East Street restaurant next time she comes to Brighton.

Terri is such an approachable performer, she might just do that.