Shawn Colvin By Jon Bream

Shawn Colvin can get chatty at her concerts. Especially during the first 45 minutes.

She's accustomed to going to the therapist and yakking for 45 minutes, she explained Wednesday at the Dakota Jazz Club. Then, she said, she tends to stop talking for the rest of her set. Frankly, her talking was the best part of Wednesday's 90-minute performance (the second gig in her three-night engagement that ends Thursday). Colvin chatted about touring as Sting's opening act, buying candy in Canada where she lived after her early years in South Dakota and going to therapy ("I'll be in therapy my whole life. Me and Woody Allen"). Her best stuff was about this weekend's Grammy festivities. On Sunday, she'll attend the awards with her 11-year-old daughter. Colvin's "Live" is vying for best contemporary folk album. "The Grammy I'm nominated for is presented in the non-televised part. But I bought a new dress anyway. I don't think I'll win. I have stiff competition: Steve Earle, Neko Case, Tracy Chapman and Elvis Costello."

On Friday, she will perform at the Grammys gala tribute to Neil Young for its MusiCares charity organization. She'll sing a duet with Jason Mraz on "Lotta Love." She tried a version of it at the Dakota and, let's just say she needs more rehearsal. Her prediction for that evening: "Jason will be moonwalking, his horn section will be blaring, I'll play acoustic guitar and Neil Young will be taking a bathroom break." Covers actually added to Colvin's Dakota performance – specifically Earle's "Fearless Heart" and the Police's "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" – because she seemed a little tired and uninspired on much of her own material. And she waited too long to play "Sunny Came Home," her Grammy-winning signature song. Don't save it for the encore.

Here is what Colvin played on Wednesday: Twilight/ Another Long One/ You and the Mona Lisa/ I Don't Know Why/ Polaroids/ Shotgun Down the Avalanche/ Wichita Skyline/ Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (the Police)/ These Four Walls/ That Don't Worry Me Now/ Steady On/ Ricochet in Time/ Round of Blues ENCORE Lotta Love (Neil Young)/ Fearless Heart (Steve Earle)/ Sunny Came Home/ If These Walls Could Speak (Jimmy Webb)