Soul superstar Alicia Keys performs before a sold-out crowd at Casino Rama last night. (Photo: Veronica Henri, SUN)

RAMA, Ont. -- Neo-soul star Alicia Keys is a modern-day musical phenomenon, having just picked up four more Grammys last month for her second album, The Diary Of Alicia Keys. Yet, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter-pianist chose to take last night's sold-out audience at Casino Rama back to New York City's 1930's jazz era.

As her "Uptown Saturday Night" master of ceremonies explained off the top when he couldn't find Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne or Billie Holiday: "I found a girl in the back that can sing -- and she's pretty too."

Adding to the time-travel illusion was her stage, which was decorated in a vintage white ruffled curtain, a large chandelier and a starry-night backdrop. Her eight-piece band all wore wore white suits and played on bandstands.

There were props too, like large feathered fans, a black feather boa, a red chair, a burgundy, diamond-encrusted fedora, a candlelit and flower-festooned table, with a costume change into an eye-popping slinky black gown and elbow-length black gloves for covers of the Holiday classic, Good Morning Heartache and Screamin' Jay Hawkins' I Put A Spell On You.

Keys' white Yamaha piano even moved across the stage, and at one point spun slowly as it lifted into the air.

Sometimes the ideas worked. Other times they didn't.

But Keys, a musical prodigy, is bursting with so much soulful talent, has such a big, beautiful voice and enough movie star sex appeal and glamour that you forgave her any missteps.

She's only into the second album of her career, after all. Diary followed her stunning 2001 debut, Songs In A Minor, which also picked up an armful of Grammys.

And Keys has come such a long way from a few years ago, when she seemed to be trying way too hard to put on a choreographed show.

Last night, Keys -- initially decked out in a revealing black jumpsuit that would have made Emma Peel envious, with plenty of bling on her wrist, neck and ears -- came across as a much more polished and confident performer.

The girl has found her groove and will only improve with age.

Particularly vibrant were the four opening songs -- Karma, Jane Doe, Rock Wit U and Heartburn -- as Keys got off to a great, butt-shaking start. She barely stopped moving as she commanded the audience to clap or "soul clap" and get up off their seats.

Other songs that matched that same soulful energy in the hour-and-45-minute show included If I Was Your Woman, Woman's Worth, How Come You Don't Call Me, Diary -- this one featuring a dramatic duet with her male backup singer -- Girlfriend, Fallin' and If I Ain't Got You.

The one negative was when Keys repeatedly left the stage to let her admittedly talented band take over on covers like God Bless The Child, Minnie The Moocher (she joined in on this one) and an instrumental of Summertime.

Opener John Legend, a neo-soul protege of producer-turned-rapper Kanye West, didn't perform his set as planned "due to circumstances beyond the casino's control."

Legend was scheduled to play his own headline show at The Docks this past Tuesday night.