IT takes someone very special to roll back the years to the days, and nights, when talent alone could mesmerise a packed auditorium and captivate a knowledgable audience. Stacey Kent does that in spades.

It's only in the last five or six years that this extraordinarily-gifted singer has soared to international recognition, but such is the quality of her musical offerings that she has been favourable compared to such jazz greats as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday and the Divine Sarah Vaughan.

Fans of pop divas like Kylie Minogue, Madonna, et al might be interested to learn that at this show there were no theatrical effects, no explosions, no dry ice even, certainly no battalions of high-energy, robotic dancers. Just Ms Kent and her excellent backing quartet led by her husband, tenor saxophonist Jim Tomlinson. In other words, just pure talent.

New Yorker Stacey, now domiciled in London, is a self-confessed devotee of composers like George and Ira Gershwin, Rodgers and Hammerstein and Rodgers and Hart. She glided effortlessly through a repertoire of wonderful old standards, displaying superb phrasing and clear diction.

She is also a warm, friendly young woman whose on-stage verbal jousting with her English hubby, and off-stage banter with the fans, only served to emphasise that she is clearly enjoying the success and recognition her voice has deservedly brought.

The packed Bury Met, a great venue for this type of superior, classy presentation, gave her a rapturous send-off at the finale. Like me the audience were grateful that there are singers of this quality still around.

In a world packed to the rafters with musical pygmies, this is indeed something to savour.

BY Fred Shawcross