★★★★★ There are Fringe evenings that feel pleasant, and then there are those that feel charmed. Andrea Carlson and the Love Police belongs firmly in the latter category. The Royal Scots Club’s Speakeasy room, with its warm wood and old‑world elegance, proves an ideal setting for a night steeped in vintage jazz. It’s the kind of space where you half‑expect a 1930s bartender to slide a cocktail across the counter.
The Love Police are, quite simply, superb. Dr Bruce Goldman’s double bass has that deep, velvety resonance that anchors the room; David “Bopdrummer” Yager’s percussion is crisp, playful, and beautifully controlled. Together they create a sound that feels both classic and alive, a proper jazz trio with real chemistry.
Andrea Carlson herself is a delight. Born in Memphis and trained in classical guitar at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, she brings a fingerstyle technique that instantly evokes the 1920s and 1930s. Her playing is elegant, intricate, and full of character. When she sings, the room softens. In English, her voice has a velvet warmth; in French Chanson, she is luminous. Her love for the Great American Songbook is evident, but her affection for French repertoire gives the evening a distinctive charm.
Her songwriting credentials are impressive, and she shares them with an easy humility. “Cryin’,” her award‑winning piece from the Philadelphia Songwriters Project, and “Mysterious Moon,” honoured at the Montgomery/Bucks Music Awards, both reveal her gift for melody and mood. She speaks openly about her catalogue of more than sixty songs, and when she performs “Let Me Cook for You”—featured in Jazz Bridges and the Philadelphia Real Book of Jazz—the audience responds with clear delight.
Carlson also offers glimpses of her upcoming performances in the United States, but these feel less like promotion and more like an artist sharing her journey. Her albums—Love Can Be So Nice, Driving Myself Wild, Aimez-vous bien, and Out of My Dreams—reflect the breadth of her musical world: jazz, blues, chanson, romance, and the unmistakable sound of her guitar.
The hour at The Speakeasy feels like stepping into a New Orleans jazz bar in its golden era. The musicianship is impeccable, the atmosphere warm, and Andrea’s presence—gracious, talented, and quietly magnetic—makes the evening unforgettable.
A gorgeous, nostalgic, and musically rich Fringe experience.
Reviewed by Jacqueline Sharp (Djmusicjac)
Additional photo credits: Flâneur Photographic
– Counter Culture UK
“Andrea Carlson delivers her beautiful tunes with her warm and coy voice. Carlsons’ words cater for the counterpoint: witty, funny and full of life. A delight to the ear in which they touch down. Guy Zinger, Station Manager, Adore Jazz on 1.FM / Writer All About Jazz” - Guy Zinger
Coming Soon:
Andrea visits the Roaring Twenties!
““'Andrea Carlson once told me that the first time she heard jazz, she was in love. Well, the first time I heard Andrea Carlson, I was in love. I don’t think anyone has ever hooked me with their music as quickly as Andrea did with hers. If you like music and songs that can whisk you away from all of your problems, away from your very era; songs that soothe and entertain; songs that tell a story, break your heart, then return you safely to the 21st century with your toe tapping and your fingers drumming on the table… Well, let’s just say, you’ll love Andrea Carlson too.' ”” - Charlie Silvestri
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“Recently I was introduced to vocalist ANDREA CARLSON at a social occasion. She took the occasion to give to me a copy of her recent CD, Love Can Be So Nice (Self-Produced). She was a pleasant young lady, but I had no idea of what to expect when I popped the disc into my player. Well the album proved to be a delight from start to finish. A group of musicians whom she has dubbed the Love Police are used in various combinations on the album. They include Dave Posmontier on piano, Larry McKenna on tenor sax, Stan Slotter on trumpet and flute, Kevin MacConnell on bass, David “Bopdrummer” Yager on percussion, Alfonso Ponticelli on guitar, Mac Given on clarinet, Rick Shryock on violin, Jacques Pellarin or Steve Rice on accordion, Ken Ulansey on alto sax, and Cecilia Zabala on guitar and vocal. On most tracks, Carlson plays acoustic guitar as well as singing. The program includes a variety of standards, French chanson, and well-crafted Carlson originals. Carlson has a distinct voice that adapts nicely to the jazz style standards and original songs, as well as the French material that she sings in a manner that is at once comfortable and appealing. Her sound is distinct, at times reflective of the influence of Billie Holiday, and with a timbre that occasionally is reminiscent of Wesla Whitfield. Love Can Be So Nice is nice indeed! (www.AndreaCarlsonMusic.com)” - Joe Lang