When I first heard Lula LaFever I had no idea it was her burning up the fret board and was blown away by her tight riffs and red hot solos.  A versatile artist, LaFever effortlessly bounces between light to jump jazz, sizzling blues, and rock and roll. No stranger to the music biz, she has been a key member of the booming Portland jazz scene for 26 years and has opened for Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Willie Nelson. Her sultry vocals are complimented by her tight arrangements and masterful guitar work.  LaFever’s 2001 self-titled debut was praised by CD Baby reviewers, as it was comprised of all-original material and showcased her incredible talent and originality as she transitioned from one genre to another.  Her latest, 2006’s A Little Night Music, is chock full of smoother-than-black velvet jazz with an old school vibe.   Songs such as “That Lonesome Feeling” and “I Can Feel the Love” are sweet and warm, whereas “A Chill Through Me” and “Miss Honey” are jumpin’ with a rock edge.  — Tony Engelhart



[Minnaert Center, Friday, April 13, 7 p.m., $5-$10, South Puget Sound Community College, 2011 Mottman Road S.W., Olympia, 360.596.5214]