An Evening with Jazz Vocalist Sophie Milman October 1, 2009

Lakewood Cultural Center
presents

An Evening with Jazz Vocalist Sophie Milman

The Lakewood Cultural Center is pleased to announce the return engagement of Sophie Milman, for the opening of the 10th Anniversary Season. The performance at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 1 in the intimate 310-seat theater is the first on Ms. Milman’s national tour in support of her new CD “Take Love Easy.” Tickets are $28 for adults and are available by calling 303-987-7845, online at www.Lakewood.org/culturalcenter or at the Lakewood Cultural Center Box Office, 470 S. Allison Parkway (Wadsworth and Alameda). Senior, student and group discounts available. Free parking on-site.

Sophie Milman, the Toronto-based jazz singer whose unique style has captivated audiences worldwide, makes a significant leap on her third album, taking familiar songs into new territories and branching out by bringing pop songs into the jazz repertoire. “Take Love Easy” finds the 26-year-old singer using love as a prism for a new outlook on life with songs by Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen and Joni Mitchell on a program with tunes penned by Cole Porter, Johnny Mandel, Duke Ellington and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Her goal is to remain song driven while taking listeners on an emotional ride with varying styles and tempos.

Ms. Milman, a native of Russia who is fluent in Russian, Hebrew, French and English, was born in the Siberian town of Ufa and moved to the Israeli port city of Haifa when she was 7. At 16, her family moved to Canada, and as a teenager she absorbed pop, jazz and gospel, her favorites being Mahalia Jackson, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Nat "King" Cole and, at the top of the list, Stevie Wonder. Her self-titled debut was released in 2004 and was followed in 2007 by “Make Someone Happy” (Linus/Koch).

In 2008 she performed around the globe, hitting landmark venues like the Hollywood Bowl, the Kennedy Center and New York's Blue Note club, sharing stages with the likes of Chick Corea, Chris Botti and the Manhattan Transfer. She also appeared to a widely enthusiastic reception at Lakewood’s Sounds Exciting! summer concert in 2008, Her second album, “Make Someone Happy” won the 2008 Juno Award for Jazz Vocal Album of the Year after it topped the iTunes jazz chart in the United States and Canada for months and cracked the top 5 on Billboard's jazz chart.

Numerous accolades have followed. JazzTimes referred to her as Canada's hottest young jazz singer. NPR's Weekend Edition praised her "classic jazz voice that evokes smoky lounges, softly clinking glasses and the cool of the night." DownBeat simply said, "She captivates." The Los Angeles Times raved, "The sky's the limit for this exceptional young talent." More at www.sophiemilman.com.

The Lakewood Cultural Center 2009 - 2010 Performing Arts Season is generously supported by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) – with appreciation to the citizens of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District – Aura Spa and Wellness Center at the Sheraton Denver West and The Denver Post. Programs are made possible in part through funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.