Darling Ms. Yarling

Ever since arriving in Miami from her native Brooklyn in the 1980s, Nicole Yarling has been gracing the local music scene with an abundance of talent. Whether performing solo at Chick Singer Nights, or sitting in with blues bands such as Iko-Iko or her own group Little Nicky and the Slicks,Yarling always captivates audiences with her musical mastery and glowing presence.

Be prepared to go on a soul-stirring and whimsical journey when she takes the stage tonight with her All-Star Quartet. Yarling plays a mean fiddle, and her vocal skills are deep and playful. What's more, no matter what she's performing she always gets a thrill by improvising and experimenting with tunes.

Much of Yarling's style was developed by her mentor, the late, great Joe Williams. Williams discovered Yarling's gifts when she was gigging around in New York. The two worked closely together and even recorded the CD Joe Williams Presents Nicole Yarling. Unfortunately Williams died before the CD was released.

True to her jazz roots, Yarling, who was able to improvise on the violin as early as age eight, emulates Etta Jones, Regina Carter, and Count Basie. But her earliest musical memories are those of jamming with her father, who was a jazz pianist and organist. Professionally, Yarling has toured extensively with Jimmy Buffett and even shared the stage with another one of her heroes, Dizzy Gillespie.

Yarling and her band will be playing at least two sets of standards and original compositions. The concert is part of the Jazz at the Shores monthly series, hosted by local jazz legend China "The Mahj" Valles.