When local crooner Anthony Leppa starts delivering on stage it’s a kind of magic; surrounded by this excellent band of local musicians, which is fronted by the internationally renowned jazz violinist, Julian Ferraretto, another local, the spirit of Italian American trumpeter, composer, singer and songwriter Louis Prima fills the tightly packed Spiegel Zelt (the little Spiegel Tent) at The Garden of Unearthly Delights.
The chemistry produced is deliberately pure 1950s Las Vegas, delivered in a highly polished but comfortably relaxed style, it is both charming and invigorating post-depression swing jazz. It’s pitched to make you feel very welcome and happy and it hits the target square on. Classics like That Old Black Magic, Just a Gigolo, Buona Sera, Angelina, and I’ve Got You Under My Skin (even a Tarantella) were reinvented by the muse of this show, Louis Prima, and they’re excellently handled here with relish.
The comedic moments are as rapid as the pace of the songs, they take no prisoners – it’s non-stop, up-beat entertainment all the way.
This show is a reminder of the extraordinary talent we have in Adelaide. If you’ve caught Zooma Zooma at their gigs in the Botanic Gardens during Chihuly Nights you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about; if you’ve never had the pleasure, get in quick, they’ll either remind you or introduce you to some musical greatness that’s bound to last forever.
Zooma Zooma is playing in the Spiegel Zelt at The Garden of Unearthly Delights on 15 and 16 February, as well as from 24 February to 2 March.
Rating: Five stars!
For tickets and more information on Zooma Zooma, visit the Adelaide Fringe website or zoomazooma.com.au
