Concert Review: Rubita – Wine Cellar October 3, 2020

Rubita is Spanish for Blondie. Tonight, the Hamilton band whip their Jazz Pop debut album Distinctive Thrill into shape with some inspirational energy. Not cowering at home but being bold and brave. Thanks for the courage to come out Auckland say Rubita.

Gretel start the evening for us. Gretel Donnelly is from Wellington. She has a background in Jazz. A multi-instrumentalist and a sustained higher register singing style. Tonight, she is on stage with three band-members playing guitar, electric bass and drums. Gretel does not play any instrument besides voice tonight. Apparently, a keyboard player has jumped ship to Benee recently.

Which is ironic and a little prescient. She has a stage presence similar to what I first noticed watching Bene the band perform as a support act two years ago at the Tuning Fork.

Catch Me If You Can shows all of this. A well-crafted Jazz Pop song. The band play hook-laden rhythm riffs. The singer starts quiet and then stretches out her vocals. The high slightly delicate voice is not unlike the early Kate Bush. Tonight, it is handicapped a little by being buried in the mix.

Gone, the second single is a fine torch song, but doesn’t reach its full potential tonight. Again, the mix dampens the vocals.

 Fink leads with a fast bass guitar riff. Faster than Chic and swings into a racy revved-up Disco Pop song. The vocal mix has improved and we can hear Gretel now as she can stay at that top range and fly along with the funky beat.

Bad Mood brings the bass player Nat to the fore with James Brown hard Funk opening rhythm. Jazz chops shown to good effect from the singer.

Big Boys Don’t Cry is also an extended Soul Funk workout. Guitar plays short rhythm jabs, then gets to wah-wah like the psychedelic Temptations. Around all this Gretel weaves a fine Soul Jazz vocal again sustaining well on the high notes.

A lot of charm and confidence on stage. Will be keen to see them again.

Fronting Robita is Rachel Kibblewhite, the Blondie of the band. Had another earlier band Cinco and put this one together about five years ago. Seth Clement drums, Alex Sipahioglu electric five-string bass and Luke Kibblewhite on saxophone are the core. Guesting tonight Emily Mackie keyboards and Theo on flute and percussion.

Feel Alive opens the set and the album. Nice café Jazz saxophone. The engine room rhythm section sparks up immediately and power the show for the rest of the night. Melodic Jazz Pop singing which sounds natural and effortless. Rachel has a trained voice with a Bachelor of Music in performance. Also, a BA in Spanish. Coming from time living in Argentina and a love of Hispanic culture. She plays rhythm guitar and plays a nice riff to end the song. The only one for the night so keeps the flash restrained.

Sober Kisses is a well-crafted song with Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick in spirit and sound. Great arrangement with saxophone accents and scratch percussion. Keyboards give a smooth texture and Rachel shows considerable chops as a cool Jazz Lounge singer.

Lethargic Tides is newer and possibly a future single. The flute comes out and leads this one which is more folky. Been listening to the Fairports and Sandy Denny too.

I Can Do Better is also new. A slow burn with a heavier Funk bottom. The band get a chance to stretch out and build momentum into an energetic workout.

Black Underwear is sultry and teasing from the singer. Don’t you want to see what you’re missing out on/Maybe you’re too shy. Smooth Disco Funk rhythm and tough Soul. The flute player gets a deserved cheer.

Distinctive Thrill has a Reggae chicken scratch to open. A great marriage of Skatalites jazzy licks with an uplifting Pop song full of hooks and switches in tempo. The audience get worked up and cheer, especially when Theo picks up an accordion. A bit of Klezmer and Gypsy Jazz. A stand-out.

The energy doesn’t let up with Sexy. Clever lyrics, bouncy reggae rhythm, soulful singing. The saxophone swings everything along.

The set really cooks and peaks with the triple blast. They keep it up with Told you So. Drums open with a gallop. The engine fires up again. Klezmer meets Pop in a Jazz café in Paris.

Live and in a cellar with great sound (thanks Soundman), Rubita take their excellent debut album and invest it with great bravado and spirit. Get some as they travel down the country.

Rev Orange Peel