Continental Drift

HERE COMES PAULA: After countless years of being blasted against the wall by rock bands, we have to confess that time has taught us to appreciate the more subtle nuances of a jazz singer in a soft, intimate setting. Alas, too many vocalists of that genre are lost in either cloying kitsch or inaccessibly obscure material. Just as we were about to forever head to rockville, we stumbled upon Paula West performing at the famed Oak Room of New York's Algonquin Hotel.

Working with a mere three-piece instrumental team, the San Francisco-rooted stylist filled the room with an hour of glorious jazz. Some songs provided comfort with familiarity, while others gently educated the less-informed ear.

West is currently playing clubs along the East and West Coasts in support of her third self-issued disc, Come What May, a set that conjures fond images of both Diana Krall and Sarah Vaughan. Among the 14-song album's numerous highlights are renditions of Johnny Mercer's "I Remember You," George and Ira Gershwin's "Looking for a Boy," Leonard Bernstein's "Big Stuff," and Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh's "You Fascinate Me So."

Unlike many of her contemporaries, West doesn't randomly scat or bend melodies but rather just sings the song with natural ease and unforced emotion. She lets the tune unfold as it was composed. She trusts the writer.

"I never sang in the choir," West says of her background. "I sang to myself, sang to the radio. I sang all the time."

West, soft-spoken, likeable, with a good sense of humor, is fueled by a determination to make a career for herself by finding the best music and communicating it in her own way. What way is that? Standard songs with the sass of jazz, a mix that has provided her with gigs at some of the finest cabaret rooms and kudos from the toughest jazz critics.

Born into a Marine Corps family, she grew up in San Diego, with an older brother and sister and a younger brother. They were all taught to play instruments; West's was the clarinet. But her musical growth came in stages, beginning with the radio and her family records.

"My parents didn't have a lot of jazz records. Some Dinah Washington. My father liked to listen to classical music. Then you know, when you're in high school, you listen to what your peers listen to, what's on the radio."

In college, West began listening more to classical music and delving into jazz.

"I just took it upon myself to learn more about jazz. Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee, Maxine Sullivan, Julie London. I remember thinking, 'Well, Duke Ellington. I should learn more about him.' "

After college, Paula moved to San Francisco. At that time, she was unsure about what she wanted to do with her life. She was certain that she needed a creative outlet and came to realize that she would find this outlet in singing. She was drawn to the standards with interesting harmonies and literate lyrics. Buying old records from thrift shops, she studied them and then began singing classes. As she grew more secure in her talent, she ventured into jam sessions, places where an open mic gave her a chance to perform before an audience. It was at one of these sessions that she met a pianist who would join her in the climb to her own musical identity and musical success. His name was Ken Muir, and he continues as her accompanist today.

West went on to study with Faith Winthrop, developing her unique tone and delivery. She learned how to sustain a note without a vibrato, which is now almost a West trademark. "I don't like the head voice too much. I wish I could hit certain notes, but if I can't do it naturally from the chest, I won't do it."

It was almost a decade of study, but on the way West found a musical voice—a voice that seems destined to win her a place among this generation's most-respected performers. "I'm a jazz singer, but I'm not an avant garde singer who doesn't sing the melody line. I like the standards, and that's what I sing."

For more information on West, contact 415-981-4761.