Paula West at Yoshi's Oakland

About

With a particular dusky soulfulness, West has captured the hearts of critics and audiences alike from coast to coast. Known and respected for her creative and distinct repertoire, West adds her own depth and drama to whichever song she chooses for the moment, creating whole new frameworks of meaning for American favorites. Without fail, the songs come from a place of sincerity. "In the end," she explains, "it's just getting the story across. To me, the words are the most important thing." As New York Times' Margo Jefferson writes in her liner notes, "Ms. West never forces anything. She is rhythmically fluid and she knows just where to alter a melody but there are none of the embellishments that show off the voice, bury the song and leave the heart untouched."