| Something I Said - Charmin Michelle Dwight | | | | Imagination (with guitarist Joel Shapira), Hot (with |
| Hobbes - Twin Cites Daily Planet archives October | | | | Doug Haining and the Twin Cities Seven) and her |
| 08, 2008 | | | | auspicious debut Destination Moon. |
| Jazz chanteuse Charmin Michelle must live on roller | | | | You have to be about the hardest-working |
| skates. The Twin-Cities-based veteran is either | | | | woman in Twin Cities show business. How did you |
| working, just finished working, or gearing to go to | | | | come to be in such demand? |
| work. Consistently booked solid, week to week, | | | | I think just taking on as much work as I could |
| month after month at local nightclubs and on tour, | | | | handle and being "out there"—more people |
| whatever the lady's doing, she is doing it right. For | | | | have been able to see me. Having weekly |
| instance, during September, she sang Mondays | | | | performances helps. |
| and Wednesdays at Fireside Pizza in Richfield and | | | | You don't do bad internationally, either. How do |
| Sunday mornings at Kozy's in Edina. In addition to | | | | those gigs get put together? |
| appearances at Bella Sera, Cue (at the Guthrie) | | | | I have a promoter who sets up my international |
| and, with the Charmin Michelle Trio, Crave in Edina. | | | | tours. I'll get a phone call or e-mail for some |
| This month, she's even more all-over-the-place, | | | | dates, then my flights, hotel, and transportation |
| playing Midtown Global Market (with Joel Shapira), | | | | are all taken care of. |
| Hopkins Center for the Arts, White Horse Tavern | | | | Your technique is second to none. How did you |
| (with the Twin Cities Jazz Imports) in St. Cloud, | | | | come by it? |
| twice at Cue, Bella Sera again, Crave, and on the | | | | Thank you! I take from many of the greats I |
| 24th she'll do a Tribute to Billie Holiday at Jax | | | | enjoy listening to—Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, |
| Café in Minneapolis with the Twin Cities Seven. | | | | Nancy Wilson, Dinah Washington, Anita |
| Since a 1993 Minnesota Music Award nomination | | | | O'Day—but deliver in my own voice. I love |
| as Best Female Jazz Vocalist, Charmin Michelle has | | | | great lyrics and try to give the feel of a |
| staked an undeniable claim to prominence. | | | | storyteller when I sing. |
| Specializing in classic fare—memorable songs | | | | How do you like singing in the Twin Cities? |
| such as "Them There Eyes" and "My Heart | | | | It's great to be able to make a living singing in a |
| Belongs To Daddy"—and applying her signature | | | | town with such a wealth of great talent. |
| style, it isn't hard to see how she's come to be in | | | | What moved you to sing jazz for a living? |
| ever-increasing demand here and abroad. The | | | | It was a happy accident. What was supposed to |
| indefatigable Charmin Michelle has toured | | | | be "just for fun" ended up being my calling...so I |
| Germany, Egypt, Israel, Sicily, Italy, Turkey, and | | | | ran with it. |
| Greece—and, on her last trip through Spain, | | | | What's next? |
| recorded with such heavyweights as saxmen | | | | I'm working on the concept for a new CD, and |
| Henry Allen, Grant Stewart, and Scott Hamilton, | | | | hopefully more international tours. |
| guitarist Peter Bernstein, pianist Ignasi Terraza, | | | | Dwight Hobbes is a journalist based in the Twin |
| and the Toni Sola Quartet. | | | | Cities. He contributes regularly to the Daily Planet. |
| She's got four albums: Your Eyes, Pure | | | | |