Sir Willard White's sonorous bass-baritone voice, presenting and singing Paul Robeson's legendary achievements, ensures that this tribute is unmissable.

Paul Robeson's achievements were not always appreciated in his own time. The voice of Old Man River in Showboat was more than that of a powerful and popular entertainer who had consistently battled against race discrimination.

His father, born into slavery, encouraged him to go forward, and he travelled the world singing in support of the dispossessed and uncounted. He worked tirelessly for peace and civil rights. In pre-war Russia, where he was given the warmest of welcomes, he said that he felt at home in a country, where for the first time in his life, he walked in full human dignity.

This inevitably led to troubles with the McCarthy Committee on Un-American Activities which was unable to comprehend that a man of such ability could feel compassion for his fellowmen. He said of himself that he was "an artist who comes to sing, but as a citizen, I will always speak for peace, and no one can silence me in this". This didn't stop them taking away his passport in 1950 and trying to destroy his reputation.

Willard White came to Paul Robeson's work after leaving Jamaica to study in New York in the late 1960s. Drawn to discover more of the integrity of this great singer, he explained something of his personal admiration for the man and his music.

Adopting Paul's words from his speeches, mixed with humorous anecdotes, he spoke with passion on the difficulties facing black Americans endeavouring to make their way in an unjust society. This was all supported by Willard's richly magnificent rendition of traditional Negro spirituals, Russian and English folk songs and songs by Gershwin and Jerome Kern, which kept the audience spellbound.

Pianist Neal Thornton and guitarist Richard Bolton backed this moving and inspiring concert, played to a packed house which demanded several encores. Unlike Paul Robeson, Sir Willard has the honour of recognition both here and in Jamaica, where his outstanding genius has become legendary. His performance will not readily be forgotten by those lucky to have heard him.