EVA – THE MUSIC OF EVA CASSIDY’S WORLD Nexus Arts Until 03 Mar 2019 Review by Kylie Pedler Presented at the 2019 Adelaide Fringe Festival ‘Heaven. I’m in Heaven …’ The opening song lines from Kim Spargo were just that! Accolades go to an affectionate tribute to Eva Cassidy; a singer gone too early, and a showcase of Spargo’s vocal talents. When Cassidy died from cancer aged 33, she was on the brink of stardom. What remains of her work is an array of stunning covers with syncopated rhythms and cross-genre interpretations on many well know tunes. This cross-pollination of jazz, folk, blues, contemporary, rock and gospel were what limited Cassidy’s initial career while also being what she became renowned for. And Spargo’s voice is the perfect gift to bring them to life. Following the standard Cabaret tributes theme, there is a collection of songs intermingled with a short history of the singer. In this case, a very short history. But as the music was what Cassidy was about, this can be overlooked. Spargo’s powerful voice fills the room with soaring round tones in highlights such as Cassidy’s signature track, ‘Over the Rainbow’, her final live performance ‘What a Wonderful World’, the toe-tapping ‘Blue Skies’ and a heart-rendering ‘I Know Him So Well’. The five-piece band, all exceptionally talented musicians, bring true passion to each number. There is a strong sense of camaraderie amongst all on stage. A great respect shown for the music and the instrumental solos with everyone having a moment to shine. Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)