A command performance that draws all the singers

Grammy winner Patti Austin's performances at the Dakota last week attracted the Twin Cities jazz chanteuses.

"She sang her butt off," said Connie Evingson, who's reuniting Sunday night at the Nicollet Mall venue with her ensemble mates from Moore By Four as part of the jazz club's 25th anniversary celebration. "Her voice was in really good shape. Pitch, everything was there. With the law of averages, you're going to miss a couple of pitches in a couple hours," said Evingson. But Austin -- whose singing is a religious experience for a certain gossip columnist -- did not. "At one point, one of her longer stories, she seemed like she was talking for about 10 minutes and then she launched into the song and was all there, so seamless," Evingson said. "She really has command of her instrument."

Jearlyn Steele wanted to have a fit when Austin announced she was mainly doing songs from her "For Ella" album.

"I wanted to hear 'Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,' and 'I Can Cook, Too!'" Steele told me.

A singer since age 4 and a songwriter, Austin is best known for the chart-topping R&B love songs "Baby, Come to Me" and "How Do You Keep the Music Playing," duets with James Ingram. But Austin's heart is in the standards, the songbooks. She finds the music produced by those who lived through world wars and the Great Depression timeless and hot.

Those old songs are never more haunting than when caressed by the vocal cords of Austin, whose supple interpretations add depth to any tune. Austin's final show encore was a leisurely, lissome take of Frank Sinatra's "My Way," which is on her upcoming CD, "Sound Advice." While she is one of those personalities who thinks she is always right, Austin told the audience, she also recognizes the collateral damage that comes from that mindset. Her intentionally vulnerable interpretation of the Sinatra song was exceedingly moving and appeared to leave the artist, as well as the audience, all but wrung out.

Debbie Duncan staked out Austin for a long time to get her autograph on a copy of "Havana Candy," even though "I actually have something else to do," said Duncan. "I feel like a groupie. I usually am a little quicker [when I know fans are waiting]."

Duncan, who admits to borrowing copiously from Austin arrangements, was disappointed in the Austin turnout, which was pretty good but not packed. Duncan said Austin should have also been on radio stations KBEM, KFAI, and KMOJ.

"It's really a shame that she [had] half a room," said Malcolm Samuels, KMOJ promo director. "Look at Debbie, she can fill the room. Alexander O'Neal can fill the whole room."

Not that AngelaEarlier in the week, a decidedly low-maintenance Austin arrived at WCCO-TV ready to play with anchor Angela Davis.

"She had a bag full of makeup, which surprised me," said Davis, who was excited and nervous after watching Austin performances posted on YouTube.com. "She came in and immediately opened up her makeup bag and started working on her own makeup, which was kind of cool. I was expecting an entourage, but it was her and one other person."

Another Austin surprise was coming. "Typically we try to prepare [guests] so they are comfortable and relaxed. I started talking about which videos we were going to use and what questions I was planning to ask her," said Davis. "She quickly interrupted me and said I don't want to know, I want to be spontaneous. That never happens. Never happens. Usually people want to know every thought you've had ahead of time."

Off camera, Austin teased Davis relentlessly about her famous name. In her excitement, Angela couldn't remember everything Austin said, so the newswoman referred me to someone else present, Pete Rhodes, producer of the Minnesota Black Music Awards. "You know, Patti grew up in the era of Angela Davis the Black Panther, the militant, afro-centric personality. So she was joking No, you're not Angela Davis. Angela Davis has a huge afro," said Rhodes, who also told me that Austin was mentoring Esperanza Spalding. Spalding shocked many -- but not anybody who's ever seen the bassist perform -- by beating Justin Bieber to win the Best New Artist Grammy.

Davis' interview with Austin -- viewable at startribune.com/a242, where you'll hear off-camera laughing over the answers -- captures the charming, comedic essence that is a huge part of her show. It's part history lesson, part commentary on the music world and part live concert etiquette class.

Like mother? NoSimone didn't get that sunny disposition from her mom, the brilliant late Nina Simone.

The daughter, who has been on Broadway in "Rent" and played the title role in "Aida," was at the Dakota for two shows Thursday, the first of which filled the whole room.

Simone's mother famously came off as being very angry, and many believe it's because she was frustrated at the way the music industry treated women and the way blacks were mistreated by America, which she left in 1973; she died in France in 2003.

C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or cj@startribune.com. E-mailers, please state a subject -- not just "hello." More of this attitude can be seen on Fox 9 Thursday mornings.