A vintage voice

Some music critics compare Paula West to such great blues and jazz singers as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. “Some voices are astringent like gin, some sweet like sherry. West has a red wine voice—a deep, mellow Cabernet voice. And she’s blessed with Ella-mentary precision and pitch control, too,” writes the San Francisco Chronicle. The contralto is known for her ability to sustain a note without vibrato, and her interpretations of jazz standards, as well as her willingness to take on more unconventional songs, have won her many fans in the United States and abroad. Her latest album is Come What May. The San Francisco-based singer appears in Reno as part of the Cabaret Concert Series this weekend. West performs at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Magic Underground at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, 100 S. Virginia St. Tickets are $30. Call 851-1638.