Toronto's Sophie Milman has that rare ability to appeal to two often deeply separated worlds: those who like their jazz light and those purists who want their jazz heavy and nothing short of it. By having a more-than-capable traditional jazz band and challenging herself vocally to bring the swing, she has commanded respect from both camps. Milman's delivery is silky smooth, a gorgeous voice with a low register reminiscent of Fiona Apple and an upper register that brings Ella Fitzgerald's bounce and playfulness to mind. Like many jazz vocal discs, her sophomore release Make Someone Happy contains an abundance of covers, but some rather surprising in style. The often-done "Fever"'s arrangement is nothing like the original, containing more of an unnerving musical undercurrent than the traditional sultry one. Milman--who recorded this disc in her early 20s--covers a number of underdone melodies, from Stevie Wonder's "Rocket Love" to the Guess Who's "Undun" with composer/original band guitarist Randy Bachman offering his sonic inflections to the song. Disc high points include the smokin' jam "It Might As Well Be Spring," the sexy bossa nova of original track "Something in the Air Between Us" and the beautiful cover of "Eli, Eli" by Second World War Holocaust hero and poet Hannah Senesh. It is a brave and haunting number that Milman does great justice to. --Denise Sheppard
