Issue date: 4/21/06 Section: Entertainment

The World Caf Live will play host to a treat tonight as Quincy Coleman takes the stage. This unsigned artist could surely be listed among some of the great female singer-songwriters of our generation. Her silky voice and expressive singing style have endeared her to audiences from her Native Los Angeles to New York City. She will be playing an intimate duet tonight with Adam Levy, who is most famous for accompanying Nora Jones.

Quincy Coleman has been playing music for as long as she can remember. Her eclectic style of music is rooted in some of her earliest influences. When asked to describe her music, she chooses "throwback" to describe her own unique style. Initially, influences such as Billy Holiday, Shirley Temple, and John Denver may not seem like they have much in common. However, Quincy manages to tie all of these into her warm, rustic style. Her voice seems to come from a different time, with its depth, and bite she is reminiscent of singer in a swing band. She also ties in a few rock and country elements, with pangs of Lyle Lovett creeping into her faster paced numbers.

Her latest album, Come Closer will be released on May 9. It's a well constructed showcase of her great talent. The album explores all of Quincy's versatility. From tracks like "Want Me Back" which seem to bear resemblance to some sort of French folk song to "Indeed In Love" which has (I might be stretching it) a Spanish guitar feel.

Quincy takes her performance tonight in stride. "A show is a show, whether its three or three thousand people. I just hope I can make people leave feeling satisfied. I just want to have a good time." Her attitude speaks of an artist who is truly committed to her music, and who will let her material speak for itself.

Though she remains unsigned, Quincy says that she is "100 percent" interested in joining a record label. She recognizes that she will have to deal with the pressures and artistic conflicts that come with signing to a label, but she remains optimistic. "If that does happen I'll just have to deal with it and make the right decisions."

According to her Myspace profile, Coleman has already gained notoriety in the industry. She has garnered praise from industry greats such as Dolly Parton, who describes Quincy as having "...all the goods, a beautiful voice, such sweet emotion and tenderness... beautiful CD...very talented." Perhaps she will turn more heads when she arrives in Nashville in the next few months.

The performance at the World Caf Live will be an intimate one, a special opportunity to see the artist at her roots. Her and her accompanying guitarist will presumably play stripped down versions of her songs, as many in the audience experience them for the first time. Quincy Coleman is on her way up for sure, so this performance will transform into bragging rights later on for those who find themselves at the venue at 7:00 tonight. If you're looking for something different to do tonight, you might just be able to catch a rising star.