Natalie Cole, Whitney Houston now Nicole Henry

Nicole Henry at Dizzy's Coca-Cola Club

I have a friend named Flo who has been raving about this jazz/R&B singer named Nicole Henry for the last few years. You know, you hear people talk about someone and you think to yourself, "yeah, yeah I'm sure she's good, but.." Finally I got the opportunity to hear for myself when Nicole played Dizzy's Coca-Cola Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center last night.

The venue was sold out, but Flo managed to finagle our way from the back sets to a table, which we shared with two very nice gentlemen, Fred, who has seen Nicole several times in New York and Miami, and his friend Chris, who has heard Nicole's CD but not seen her live yet.

Nicole took the stage and started singing and she has such a stage presence, along with the voice to match. She is a combination of Natalie Cole, Whitney Houston and a little Aretha Franklin. I was blown away by her, and a little shocked that she is not better known. I'm afraid that in this age of American Idol, good old fashioned singers like her get lost, and what a shame that is.

She and one of my all-time favorite songs, Since I Fell For You from her CD Embraceable, and I loved the arrangement. Her next CD, out in October, features songs from her show at the Metropolitan Club, where she performed '70s songs. How I wished I had seen that one, because her best song of the night was from that show, a Bill Withers tune Use Me that had everyone mesmerized.

After last night's performance I am officially in the Nicole Henry fan club, along with everyone else who was there last night. If anyone ever asks you to go see Nicole Henry, don't hesitate to enthusiastically say "yes!"

Nicole Henry's website is here.
She is also on Facebook here.