Sophie Milman@The Bakery 01.29.08
By George W. Harris

Nothing like a young lady born in Russian, raised in Israel, and currently living in Toronto to aptly deliver selections from the Great American Songbook, but there she is, the lovely blond Ms. Milman, leading a stellar quintet at the Bakery. Fronting a snappy band, and featuring arrangements from saxist Cameron Wellis, Ms. Milman used her husky, warm and sultry voice to its maximum benefit as she enchanted the audience with tunes like “It Might As Well Be Spring” and “People Will Say We’re In Love.” Her legato treatment of lyrics, combined with her Eastern European accent of rounding off certain words, was enhanced by her fearless use of making vocal leaps without the slightest hint of effort. Supported by George Koller’s haunting bowed bass, Milman soared and dove through “It’s Not Easy Being Green” like a pelican swooping to grab it’s meal. Together with pianist Paul Shrofel and drummer John Fraboni, the rhythm section was able to go from American to Asia in seconds flat, with Milman seeming right at home aggressively rocking through tunes like “Matchmaker, Matchmaker”. Most erudite of all was her choice of “Ochi Chernye (Dark Eyes)” in which East met West without any need of détente. After listening to her closing with a swinging version of the Everly Brothers’ “Bye Bye Love”, the audience left the Bakery knowing that this evening Milman delivered on time.