Double bassist extraordinaire, member of successful pop / rock band Thirsty Merc and sometime jazz musician, Phil Stack presented an intimate Spiegeltent performance covering his own songs, some covers and a bit of jazz tossed in for good measure.

That he has much talent is beyond question, in this setting he had to call on his keyboard and vocal skills in addition to his beloved double bass as he opened the set in a solo context with a Dylan song and his own material.

Adding much to the show was the surprise appearance of one of Australia’s finest and grossly underrated guitarists, James Muller. His role was to play anything that was required to fill out Stack’s sound, and there’s no doubt that he proved that he has the chops cover all bases. Crucially, however, he played the sideman role, never too much but equally never too little. After all the show’s main man was Phil Stack.

Muller’s versatile skills were certainly called on as Stack wandered over several musical genres, a bit of rock, ballads and a really good rendition of Miles Davis’s classic, “All Blues”. Aside from demonstrating a continuing love of the genre, after all he has been in James Morrison’s band, it also gave him the opportunity to stretch out in an extended solo, ably supported by Muller and is own fine solo.

A solo gig is no easy thing, but with buckets of talent and James Muller’s invaluable assistance, Phil Stack delivered a thoroughly enjoyable show.