Vocalist and pianist Nicky Allan is a great entertainer! Influenced by all the great women in Jazz, especially women musicians such as Diana Krall, Shirley Horn, Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin to name a few, her vocal style is a blend of wholesome Blues combined with soulful Jazz and more than a hint of R & B. She is a formidable scat vocalist and loves to improvise both on vocals and on the piano. Musically, Nicki is influenced by the great rhythmic funksters; Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Oscar Peterson and Thelonious Monk to name but a few, though add a touch of Red Garland and Jeff Lorber and you get the idea. Accompanied by a northern troup-de-force band of stella musicians, the band perform with gusto and finesse a magnitude of stylishly written arrangements mostly from the American Songbook with a scattering of original jazz tunes honed by Nicki herself. Together they play a lively and varied set of uptempo music with a surprisingly fresh, modern sound interwoven with bold improvisation, Scat and a deliciously driving feel. Nicki went on to record their first Christmas album in 2021 which is available on spotify and all digital music platforms – you can see more live videos on the Nicki Allan YouTube Channel. Come along if you’ve finished your Christmas packing -or even if you haven’t started (too late now..) enjoy this music instead! In the Seven Arts Bar- 1.30-4pm payf. Nicki will be accompanied by the JazzLeeds trio