The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra is going to get jazzed up.

Canadian jazz vocalist Holly Cole will lend her talents to the CPO for a special concert tonight at the Jack Singer Concert Hall.

"I'm used to me and two other people onstage. This is me and 82 people. It's pretty different. It's exciting and invigorating to have that many people onstage," says Cole, who performed with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra last year.

Being backed by such a large, sophisticated group of musicians might be daunting to some, but not to this Juno Award winner.

She jokes that she's going to make them all wear the same thing so she'll stand out.

On a more serious note, she explains performing live is what she lives for.

"I'm the most comfortable on stage. I reach the most extremes of my life onstage. I'm at my sexiest; my least inhibited. I'm at my most creative. I reach emotions that are incredibly intense," explains Cole.

"Most artist tour to support their recording.

"I make recordings so I can tour."

It's not surprising that Cole's latest CD, It Happened One Night, contains live versions of her favorite songs.

Even as a child, Cole enjoyed the spotlight.

"I learned to do six cartwheels in a row so people would watch me."

While her fellow Canadians turn out in decent numbers to watch Cole, the Japanese turn out in droves to hear Cole's unique musical flair.

"Japan is wild. It's our biggest market in the world," Cole says.

"In Japan I'm an overnight sensation. I had a No. 1 hit single and I hadn't been there or released a single."

An influential Japanese discjockey fell in love with Cole's song Calling You after listening to her 1991 album, Blame It On My Youth.

He was flooded with calls after he played the import CD on air.

"The success there is refreshing, it's not just the hype machine selling CDs," Cole says.

As for Cole's next CD, which she'll start in January, she promises it will be upbeat.

"I'm in a positive mode these days."