Simone Maybe she was too tired (she'd had only three hours sleep in Vancouver and this was her second show of the night). Maybe the sound system was not flattering (her voice often didn't cut through the four-man band). Or maybe it was because she was following the fabulous Patti Austin at the Dakota Jazz Club (on a 10-point scale, I'd give Patti's performance a 12). In any case, Thursday's late performance at the Dakota by Simone, daughter of the late, great Nina Simone, felt half-full. To be sure, Lisa Celeste Stroud a k a Simone, is a Broadway star, who has appeared in "Aida" and in the touring production of "Rent," among other shows. At the Dakota, she tried to make that transformation from Broadway to cabaret, and the results weren't always satisfying. She had the presence, patter and personality of a diva. She danced and bowed with the grace, sexiness and ego of a Broadway star. And she showed considerable vocal range, from purring to belting. But her voice wasn't consistently loud enough – or her band (reading sheet music) was too loud. And, at times, she seemed to have the right vocal instincts but not the consistent jazz chops. She could sell a song more with theatricality than with nuance. Prudently, Simone, 48, didn't try to imitate her famous mother, who had a deeper and duskier voice. A few of the tunes, including "I Hold No Grudge" and the signature/encore "Feeling Good," came from mom's repertoire. But the versatile Simone did her kind of songs, including the original "Dysfunction" (a 1970s-like lite-funk workout), a sing-along "Ain't No Sunshine" and a blissfully understated "Autumn Leaves," a standard she said she learned from an Eva Cassidy record. Here's hoping Simone comes back to the Dakota some time soon with enough rest, a thorough soundcheck and feeling good.