The smoldering singing of Holly Cole and the beautiful arrangements of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra combined last night for a very special evening at the Jack Singer Concert Hall.

Whether Cole was doing a rendition of a jazz standard like Blame It On My Youth, or a version of the Tom Waits song Jersey Girl, she put her own unique signature on the songs.

She drew a large part of her repertoire from her Waits tribute album, Temptation.

Admittedly, it is hard at first to get used to, but you come to love her interpretations of songs like The Heart of Saturday Night.

Standing centre stage like a jazz chanteuse -- wearing a low-cut, slinky outfit -- she delivered her collection of pop-jazz fusion with warmth and passion.

Cole brings a certain modern sensibility to standard jazz songs, as well as the other way around.

Her gorgeous looks and sultry voice would probably fit as well in a smoky 1920s jazz lounge as it does in a concert hall. Cole and her trio also played some music from their upcoming CD. One of those selections was an old Beatles tune, which was a highlight.