An evening at Jimmy Mak's with Jacqui Naylor

It was great to escape from the house last night - after a week of dealing with a flu bug while finalizing the manuscript of my new book - to spend an evening with friends at the "new and improved" Jimmy Mak's club listening to San Francisco based jazz vocalist Jacqui Naylor. My partner, Ed, and I first met Jacqui at the Sayulita, Mexico wedding of our mutual friends Shawn and Greg. When Jacqui was a child, Shawn was one of her babysitters. Jacqui sang at the wedding, with partner-in-crime Art Khu on guitar, and I fell in love with her music. I mentioned to Ed that I had to get a copy of her CD Shelter as soon as we got back to Portland. Later, at the wedding reception, I felt someone trying to put something in my pocket and turned around to find Jacqui attempting to put a copy of the CD in my pants. She smiled and said "A little bird told me you might like this." I was hooked on Jacqui. I often work on design projects with her incredible voice in the background.

When Jacqui comes to Portland, Shawn and Greg always get a group together to attend the show. Last night - the first time in the new "big city" venue - we joined them, along with Greg's mother Marcia, Shawn's sister Karen, and our friends Scott and Erika, for a wonderful evening of friends, food, music and a drink or two. Jacqui performed some old favorites and selections from her new CD, The Color Five. She was better than ever. It was also great to get the chance to visit with her for a bit, and say "hi" to Art. Unfortunately, the night ended way too early for us.

Jacqui has upcoming tour dates at several Blue Note jazz clubs in Japan, and at locations around the U.S. If you can't catch Jacqui in person, get yourself one of her CDs - or touch base with her on MySpace (where she and I bumped into each other a few months ago).

© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives