Live review - Harborough Blues Club for Blues In Britain Issue 280 April 2025
On a bitterly cold Wednesday night, festival favourites Zoe Schwarz and Rob Koral brought a welcome dose of warmth to the third sell-out gig from the recently founded Harborough Blues initiative [see Blues in Britain November 2024]. The intimate venue buzzed with anticipation, and the duo didn’t disappoint, delivering a set that balanced classic blues, unexpected twists, and their own distinctive material.
Their relaxed yet compelling performance featured beloved standards like Going Down Slow, The Blues are a Brewin’, and Every Day I Have the Blues, alongside their own compositions, including My Baby Told Me So and I’m Leaving You. But the real surprises came in their reinterpretations—most notably a slower, sultrier take on A Whiter Shade of Pale, which transformed the familiar tune into something spellbinding.
Zoe’s voice moved effortlessly from an intimate whisper, cool and fluid as a mountain stream, to the full-bodied roar of a blues powerhouse. Meanwhile, Rob’s guitar work was anything but predictable, weaving sinuous, expressive lines that took familiar songs in unexpected directions. His rendition of I Put a Spell on You was especially striking—sensual and deeply soulful, proving that a standard doesn’t have to follow a well-trodden path to be effective.
Between songs, Zoe was engaging and thoughtful, sharing insights into their songwriting and the significance of their chosen covers. She moved from playful anecdotes—like adding cheeky new verses to You Don’t Learn That at School, touching on Oscar Wilde’s sexuality and jazz legends Parker and Coltrane’s heroin habits—to more personal moments, including a tender story about their daughter and a wishing well that inspired a verse of My Baby Told Me So.
The crowd, clearly appreciative of musicianship and authenticity, responded warmly throughout, soaking in every note, and demanding an encore. This wasn’t just a gig—it was a masterclass in blues storytelling, delivered by two musicians who understand both the tradition and the art of reinvention.
words by: Jeff Ollerton
Gig: Louisa’s, Market Harborough 5th February 2025
