I am using my time away from the Rat Pack lounge to expand my set list.  Among the songs I am mastering:  Lush Life, Isn’t It Romantic, The Very Thought of You, East of the Sun, and You Don’t Know What Love Is. 

   Now, there’s nothing especially magical about these songs.  They are actually the standards every well-rounded jazz vocalist should have in his or her tool box.  I love the lyrics and the various key changes. I feel comfortable learning them.

   Here’s the thing: I’ve also added a song that is moving me way past my comfort zone.  It’s a song that’s going to require me to hold on to some notes and take them to a low down kind of place… and linger there for awhile.. and ad-lib myself on back to where I started.

    The song is At Last.  You know the one that goes: At last, my love has come along.  My lonely days are over, and life is like a song.  Oooooh Yeaaahhhh….

    It’s there.. right there, when all the Oooooh Yeaahhh’s start that I began to feel challenged as I effort to channel the legendary blues singer who made At Last a timeless classic.  Of course I am talking about the legendary Etta James.

    Other singers have done the song– Ella, Celine, and Christina just to name a few.  There’s no argument, though, that nobody does it like Miss Etta.  Her style challenges even the most competent vocalist.  So, where in the world does that leave me?

    Honestly I am up for the challenge.  Now that the Rat Pack has become a regular gig with a semi-loyal group of customers, I like to surprise them every now and then when I am performing… give them something unexpected.

   Surely At Last will get their attention.. if I do it right.

That being said I took a walk around the park yesterday instead of going to the gym. It was such a beautiful day. At Last is downloaded onto my I-pod, so I decided to multi–task and sing while power walking.

    Mercy.  I laughed out loud at myself when it got to those ooooohhhh yeahhhhh parts.  No worries. I’m going to get it.  I’m determined, and most folks know there ain’t nothing like a woman with a made up mind!

   For the next few weeks then, I’ll be working on At Last.  It’s a beautiful bluesy number, and I need to feel it.  At the moment, though all I feel when I sing it is, funny.