There is a common held belief that Perth turns off the lights at sunset, dons its flannelette pyjamas and heads off to bed with a mug of warm milk and a Danielle Steele novel, but The Ellington Jazz Club and its late night groove sessions have been more than happy to put those rumours well and truly to rest.

On Friday night, they invited 9 piece funk outfit, Dr F along to get the party started, and get the party started they certainly did. Just before midnight, under the light of an incredibly warm moon, they cranked it up with some amazing original funk numbers and some truly wonderful covers.

Fronted by Riyaana Harman and Solomon Pitt, this is a band of contrasts. With the laid back cool of Matt Branton on bass and Wayne Strong on Guitar and the wonderfully effervescent passion of Harman and mix that in with the spine tingling voice of Pitt and you have a group that makes even the most uncoordinated white man want to get up and boogie.

Keeping the crowd happy with a mixture of funk, soul and reggae, Dr F showed that passion beats polish every single time. Having not played together for a while, there were a couple of cobwebs to be blown out, but music shouldn’t be about perfect timing and choreographed dancers, it should be about emotion and desire and a love of what you do, and Dr F showed they had that in abundance.

I entered The Ellington that night wondering if I would come out to find my car resting on bricks, but left having experienced some of the most engaging and entertaining music I have heard in a long time.

If you find yourself wondering what to do one Friday night around midnight, you could either head out to Fast Eddy’s for an overpriced burger, or you could do yourself a favour and check out Dr F at The Ellington, because they way they played last Friday…….. they are sure to be back.