Natalie Cole to Play Ridgefield Playhouse, 10/22

For an unforgettable evening of R&B, jazz and pop music, Natalie Cole, the daughter of legendary crooner Nat King Cole ("Mona Lisa", "The Christmas Song", "Unforgettable"), will entertain with her best known hits, including the famous duet with her dad, at The Ridgefield Playhouse on Wednesday, October 22, at 8 p.m. Natalie won the first of her nine Grammy Awards as Best New Artist of 1975, the year she debuted with the hit "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)". Natalie Cole's vocal dexterity and interpretations appeal to a broad fan base that will hear her sing hits such as "Inseparable", "Our Love", "Pink Cadillac, "Miss You Like Crazy" and many more. An artist's reception with complimentary wine and cheese tastings by No. 109 Cheese & Wine and hors-d'oeuvre by Bernard's, an artist's reception with Lawrence McGarvey, courtesy of Rockwell Art and Framing, plus a silent auction will take place in the lobby at 7 p.m. This evening of jazz, wine and art is part of the Ridgefield Magazine Broadway & Cabaret Series and the No. 109 Cheese & Wine's "Art, Wine & Jazz" Series. Piccolo's Pizza & Pasta Jazzeria (24 Prospect St., Ridgefield) will pour a complimentary glass of wine with dinner the night of this show when ticket is presented. Bernard's (20 West Lane, Ridgefield) is offering a special $45 prix-fixe menu, or a free glass of wine with dinner the night of this event when tickets are presented; reservations suggested.

Taking a break from recording until 2009 to write an autobiography and focus on other projects, Natalie returned to the studio to make Still Unforgettable, which showcases her supple voice in 14 standards. This time she recorded "Walkin" My Baby Back Home" with Nat King Cole thanks to high-tech recording capabilities. Other classics on the album include "Nice 'N Easy", "The Best is Yet To Come" and "Come Rain or Come Shine". "Every single one of these songs was a challenge to sing because the original performances are so iconic," Cole says. So she and her co-producer enlisted the A-list of arrangers including John Clayton, Patrick Williams, Nan Schwartz and Vince Vanacore, all of whom paid homage to the originals while creating something fresh and new.

For tickets ($135 orchestra, $125 mezzanine/balcony), call the box office at (203) 438-5795, or order online at ridgefieldplayhouse.org. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a not-for-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT, ridgefieldplayhouse.org.