Love Songs with Kate Ceberano and Paul Grabowsky

Paul Grabowsky and Kate Ceberano in Love Songs. Image credit: Adelaide Cabaret Festival
Paul Grabowsky and Kate Ceberano in Love Songs. Image credit: Adelaide Cabaret Festival

Both Kate Ceberano and Paul Grabowsky are some of the most respected musicians in Australia.

Kate Ceberano has to be one of Australia’s best with an award winning career spanning 24 albums and a term as previous Artistic Director of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Her silky smooth vocals and charming personality make audiences feel warm, happy and as if she is talking directly to them. Cabaret is a conversation and Cebrano always manages to make it appear unscripted and genuine.

Paul Grabowsky is also a national treasure with his extensive and valuable contribution to the Australian jazz industry. The pair have worked together previously and the respect and appreciation for each other was clearly visible in their interactions.

After opening their show Love Songs with Love and Affection, I could already feel the simplicity of this performance would be so enchanting.

Ceberano explained this show came together with the idea that love songs send us to a place. The artists who created these pieces just love, love. The songs featured in the show were about people, places, connections, stories and history. Grabowsky’s fingers so gracefully dance across the piano in their cover of Leonard Cohen’s song Suzanne and Cebrano showed so much control and emotion.

It’s hard to believe Ceberano will reach the age of fifty this year for she always seems to be ageing backwards.

After a beautiful french medley, the pair dedicated another medley to the late Cilla Black, performing Alfie and What the World Needs Now is Love. 

Love songs aren’t written like they used to and this trip down memory lane had me swooning and smiling from ear to ear.

The personal and intimate journey through some of the greatest love songs of the last fifty years reaffirmed Kate Ceberano’s rightful place as queen of Australian cabaret.

Their stripped back and raw renditions included music by the artists which had inspired the pair during their lives, allowing for an authentic emotion and personal connection.

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