THE finest songs from the iconic singer-songwriter, Jacques Brel, return to the Phoenix Theatre in Ross-on-Wye when a trio of singers perform their cabaret revue, ‘Alive and Brel’.

Featuring well-known classics such as ‘Ne me quitte pas/If You Go Away’, ‘Amsterdam’ and ‘Jacky’, Brel’s songs, famed for their emotional power and ironic wit, have been recorded by international stars ranging from Frank Sinatra and Dusty Springfield to David Bowie and Scott Walker.

The songs have been likened to miniature films, laced with dark and passionate observations which paint a tableau of imperfect humanity.

Jacques Brel was a Belgian singer and actor who composed and performed theatrical songs. He generated a large, devoted following throughout the world.

He is considered a master of the modern chanson - lyric driven French songs.

Although he recorded most of his songs in French and occasionally in Dutch, he became an influence on English-speaking songwriters and performers, such as Scott Walker, David Bowie, Alex Harvey, Marc Almond and Neil Harrison.

English translations of his songs were recorded by many performers, including Bowie, Walker, Anderson, Ray Charles, Judy Collins, John Denver, Nina Simone along with Frank Sinatra and Andy Williams.

Having sold over 25 million records worldwide, Brel is the third-best selling Belgian recording artist of all time.

The music of Jacques Brel is guaranteed to bring a smile to your lips or a tear to your eye.

The ‘Alive and Brel’ concert is being performed at the Phoenix Theatre in Ross on Saturday, October 4 at 7.30pm. Tickets are priced at £15 via the box office phoenix-theatre.org.uk or from Rossiter Books on the town’s High Street.

The blending of the three voices is particularly pleasing and gave the performance originality, one reviewer said.