Concert Review
Charlie Jeer - A Night With Charlie Jeer
Having picked up the saxophone at the age of 11, Charlie Jeer has spent years developing his musical identity, long before his name started circulating on social media. After gaining wider attention through his appearance on reality TV show Too Hot to Handle, the British musician found his way into the music scene with his independent release ‘Her Eyes’, a debut single that blends his saxophone background with smooth vocals and electronic production. Since then, Jeer has been carving out a space of his own at the intersection of jazz, soul and house music. Last night, he brought that distinctive sound to the stage in Berlin. The night promises a unique blend of music. Charlie takes to the stage with his saxophone, backed by a DJ behind the decks. An unexpected duo, ready to show the crowd how to bring all these elements together. The tone for the evening is set with ‘Nobody’ from his debut EP Everything Is Temporary. It’s the perfect introduction to the world he has built. The house-leaning track is heavy on electronic production, allowing him to move comfortably between his newly found passion for singing and his saxophone playing. We’re not going to lie, the music that first caught our attention has been the more disco-pop and funky releases on his latest EP, Take Away My Problems. It’s on these songs that we feel his pop-star potential shines the brightest. They give him a chance to step away from the more straightforward, slightly cheesy club sound that marked the beginning of his career in commercial music. Songs such as ‘Mona Lisa’, ‘Sun Is Gone’ and the viral TikTok hit ‘Her Eyes’ feel somewhat shallow compared to what he is showing us on his latest EP. Obviously, this is great news, as it shows he is exploring a new sound and moving in a direction that suits him. We love getting a breather from feeling like we’re dancing in a club in Ibiza to hear the brilliant Cat Burns collaboration ‘Small Talk’. Instead of the female vocals on the track, we get Charlie’s saxophone stepping in to play a major role, making sure he still has something to duet with. While we might not be massive fans of some of his older work, we’re open to being proven wrong about this more house-forward sound working for him. The performance of ‘Molecules’ from his latest EP does exactly that! The almost haunting production shows us how it’s done. The electronic elements remain dominant, but in a way that leaves space for Charlie to deliver his best vocal moment of the night before smoothly leading into the saxophone part of the song. Another moment where this sound translates perfectly to the stage is his cover of Calvin Harris’ ‘How Deep Is Your Love’. The highlights of the show come when Charlie leans into the funky, soulful sound of ‘Jennifer’ and ‘SO GOOD’. At times, his incredible saxophone playing overshadows his potential to become your next favorite pop star. It’s on songs like these, however, that his talent as an instrumentalist matches his pop-star potential. Charlie is incredibly talented, and with his saxophone as his secret weapon and a sound that is continuing to evolve, his future looks incredibly bright. We can’t wait to see what’s next for him.
