"My manager doesn't like me doing this," chuckled Philadelphian singer Amos Lee.

He was four pints into the evening and had invited his support act back on stage to poke fun at sexy R 'n' B with his own comic masterpiece Caramelise Me Baby.

Cracking jokes and bantering between songs, he was sent into fits of laughter when a mumlike fan halts the gig to announce: "Now Amos, I want you to sign my CD before you get too drunk".

But this was a gig of two very distinct halves.

For the first hour Amos and his super-talented acoustic sidekick Nate Skiles strolled through his eponymous debut album performing Arms Of A Woman, Seen It All Before and Soul Suckers with a stripped-down beauty which was raw, unhurried and deeply soulful.

A former teacher and good buddy of Norah Jones (who features on the album playing piano and singing backing vocals), he was so mellow, we almost lost him within his own songs.

But a few beers and a generous 90 minutes later he was happily goofing around on stage and singing songs about Teddy Bears.

A warm and adventurous spirit, Amos Lee is a rare talent on a path to great things.