Thirty-one years ago, Brisbane-born singer Alison Jiear, who studied at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, headed for London with The Fabulous Singlettes to perform in the West End. She has lived in London ever since, where her numerous credits include Jerry Springer: The Opera at the National Theatre (as well as the Sydney Opera House), and On the Town for English National Opera.

Alison Jiear and jazz quartet at the Sydney Cabaret Festival. Photograph © John McRae

Jiear is back in Australia to appear at the Sydney Cabaret Festival with A Centenary Celebration of Ella Fitzgerald, created in 2017; a beguiling show which proves that not only is Jiear a versatile musical theatre performer, she is a stunning jazz vocalist too.

Appearing with a jazz quartet led by Musical Director Kevin Hunt, Jiear began the evening with How High the Moon and Forget Your Troubles, showing from the get-go that she has what it takes to honour the “First Lady of Song”, revealing a similar mix of pure, shining, melodic tone, ineffable phrasing, an intimate connection with the lyric, and an ability to scat with the best.

From there she performed a wonderful mix of...