“Sassy, sensual, soulful and spectacular Nina Simone with a little bit of Della and Ella tossed in for color,” is how Jazz DJ Carmen Brown of 98.3 WDLT-FM [Mobile, AL] describes the vocals of Sharon Rae North on her new smooth jazz CD “The Way You Make Me Feel”.

Producer/Arranger, Vic Smiley’s familiarity with North’s voice and style resulted in pinpoint accuracy in accommodating what reviewer Nina Goodrich of Jazzreview.com describes as a smooth delivery punctuated with impeccable timing and firm control over the flowing notes.”

For this project Ohio-born, now Atlanta-based, Sharon Rae North recruited a group of stellar musicians to create a CD that Goodrich predicts “will rate high on the charts, crossing jazz, pop, Soul, R&B and find a home with hip listeners everywhere.” Her accompanists include Vic Smiley on guitar; Niles McKinney, keyboardist for the late Gerald Levert; background vocals by Melvin Sephus of The Rude Boys and Jon Roberts on bass.

North executive produced the project and wrote or co-wrote all but two of the songs. She delivers a slow, haunting rendition of Three Dog Nights “One”, and a jazzy-bluesy, very memorable cover of Donny Hathaway’s “We’re Still Friends”.

Singing is North’s passion. Perhaps that’s why years ago her mother told her, “No matter what you do on the outside you’re a singer on the inside.