Holly Cole with those Happy Holly-Days red gloves. Photo/ Andrew MacNaughtan

By Jon Bream

Holly Cole always delivers.

The Canadian jazz thrush wasn't always in great voice Monday night at the Dakota but she still won over a near-capacity crowd with her personality, creativity and those bright red elbow-length gloves that screamed Happy Holly-Days!

Originally advertised as playing two sets, Cole condensed the evening into two sets for the price of one, with a brief intermission. Backed by her attentive quartet, she mixed seasonal songs (seasoned her way) with selections from her own jazz recordings.

Cole cast "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" with character and suspicion ("he sees you when you're sleeping-- that's weird," she sang). For the Pretenders' "2000 Miles," she alternated a girlish voice and a very adult voice."I'd Like You for Christmas" was delivered with slow, jazzy/bluesy aplomb.

Cole used a similar approach on a pair of Tom Waits' tunes, "Shiver Me Timbers" and "Train Song," one of the night's highlights with her theatrical presentation and artful vocal riffing combined with heavy breathing from her voice and Colleen Allen's saxophone. (Guess you had to be there.)

Cole has a terrific sense of theatricality, which often compensates for her occasional lack of vocal precision. Her instincts are to take chances with arrangements and her vocals, which led her to treat William Bell's "Everyday Is Like a Holiday" like a whispery New Orleans reverie.

And did I mention her satiny red gloves, partially hidden by the gauzy black sleeves on her fabulous outfit? Hope she reprises those gloves when she performs again at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Dakota.