Opening with ‘Stop Time’ on the final night of his Piccadilly club residency Jon Regen managed to “crack this code like a scientist,” to draw on the lyrics from the title track of his latest album.

A persuasive Billy Joel and Randy Newman-inspired singer, as a jazz pianist he made his name accompanying Jimmy Scott and played this club gig ostensibly as a duo, the American at the piano facing bass guitarist PJ Phillips, a rocker whose stellar credits include gigging with Rod Stewart. 

Concentrating on Stop Time material in the first set, Lydia Baylis, joining the duo, blended well in the harmonies of stuck-in-the-middle song ‘Borderline.’

In a switch of emphasis later in the second set there was more of a Doc Pomus and Elton John-inspired direction, a version of Rodgers and Hart standard ‘My Funny Valentine’ sung meltingly by another guest, Judith Owen, altering the mood – Regen returning tantalisingly to his jazz roots. Stephen Graham

Jon Regen above at the piano, PJ Phillips and Judith Owen