Tomorrow’s Zoe Francis appearance at the Vortex is a timely opportunity to catch an old-fashioned kind of jazz singer here in the company of mainstream and soul-jazz Scottish jazz guitar icon Jim Mullen.

The Glaswegian features on Francis’ new album The Very Thought of You and the gig helps underline the strength of the Vortex’s welcome mainstream jazz strand a pet project among the big softies in the club’s proudly battle-scarred avant-garde community.

The gig is the first night of this week's club-curated festival of voice season featuring Christine Tobin, Sarah Moule, and Estelle Kokot that culminates with Ian Shaw’s popular New Year’s Eve show. Shaw was in good form recently with his excellent take on Randy Newman’s ‘Guilty’ at Ronnie’s 55th. 

Francis, still something of a well kept secret, got her jazz education like something from a jazz fable on the bandstand in New York sitting-in down in the Village, and jamming up in Harlem. The Very Thought of You was recorded at the Vortex’s west London equivalent the 606 and has an easy-going, yep, Rubie-esque atmosphere to it in keeping with the club style. Francis has a gently reflective sometimes whispery slightly husky voice in the June Christy tradition as she negotiates soft subtle hidden spaces, fragility balanced with inner strength. Worth the trek to Dalston with sleigh or without.