French Caribbean singer/bass player Adi Oasis was billed with Lola Young for a co-headline show on Sunday May 1st at Henry Weston’s Big Top at Cheltenham Jazz Festival. Performing after Young, Adi’s band took to the stage first with her guitarist warming up the crowd and being somewhat perplexed with how relaxed of an environment the venue was.

Adi skipped on stage and performed Stay Up. The sounds from the band blended with Adi’s vocals were sheer perfection.

Things started to sound a bit more funky with the song Middle next and Twilight gave us a more ballad to mid tempo song which was very Jazz infused.

Adi too felt like the crowd were a bit quiet and her guitarist said that they just weren’t used to it. They didn’t seem to mind though.

I always feel like I have to shout “It isn’t you, we are just an attentive crowd who enjoy really listening to the music”.

That being said, once warmed up a bit, during Mystic Lover, more and more people stood up and were starting to move around. Adi and her guitarist were overjoyed and cheered and said how “it’s ok, you can be free, get loud, get ugly”.

It was a shame that they weren’t on for very long because had it been a longer set I think the majority of the crowd would have soon been up on their feet having fun. Adi closed with Maintain which had elements of her nu disco days in the song and even more people were getting up to groove at this point. Sometimes it does takes us a little time and confidence plays a part too.

I would love to catch a full show one day and be part of an up beat crowd because I think their full shows will be completely different.

The show was flawless and the musicianship was on fire. Going to festivals such as Cheltenham Jazz Festival, you know you are going to get exceptional multi instrumentalists playing and it’s great to get the opportunity to experience that and Adi’s band were just sublime. Adi herself was so slick on the bass and her voice was stunning and sweet.

Adi Oasis and her band gave us such an incredible, funky, bass heavy show that was thoroughly enjoyable and we look forward to more UK shows in the future.