Squeezed into the intimate cove of the Joogleberry Playhouse, Tony Lewis and band satisfied the half-appreciative, half-chatty crowd with a string of laid-back hits and swinging standards.

It wasn't exactly innovative, but the room had a good vibe and everybody clapped in the right places as Lewis, on guitar, crooned his way through favourites like Ain't No Sunshine and Just The Two Of Us.

His American-tinged vocals were backed by a sweetening mix of smooth sax, steady drum and keyboard - plus a funky bassist, who with wild-eyed enthusiasm injected a creative bounce to the sound.

A nice evening out but not an event although, with all the blissful eye-closing and grimacing going on, the band obviously thought otherwise.