Had to leave the Blue Nile at midnight because we had another promise to keep. Saturday night was Danon Smith's birthday celebration at Sweet Lorraine's... and we were late. I started this with “At Last” because some of you may be habituated to think of Etta James when you here that name, and that is understandable if you haven't heard it sung by Danon. Once I heard Danon weave her way though that standard, in my heart, mind and soul the song became hers.

Danon Smith has complete mastery of her voice. I don't believe she could sing an off note even if she tried. Her long tenure and association with bandmaster Deacon John is all the testimony anyone who has not heard her should ever need and speaks to her choice of Julius Handy as her music director to provide the wall of sound to complement her talent . From belting the blues to finessing Nancy Wilson standards Danon never disappoints and never sings a song without all the passion due it, a truly talented and hard working professional, and her repertoire is so amazingly broad and deep.

Oh, yeah, and if that wasn't good enough, we had Sweet Lorraine's Gumbo for our midnight snack. Can't do that in Brooklyn!