Vocalist Patti Littlefield has crisscrossed the country following her muse—touring in theatrical productions, performing as a singer/songwriter in San Francisco’s Ghirardelli Square, working in a puppet theater in Chicago, singing with Luther Vandross in LA, hanging with Joni Mitchell, and making demos in New York City for legendary songwriter Doc Pomus. Fate deposited her in Albuquerque, where she has made a name for herself as a vocalist comfortable in an array of genres, from blues to new music. This coming Tuesday at Kosmos, as part of the New Mexico Jazz Workshop’s Jazz Stories 3.0 series, she’ll be paying homage to Carmen McRae, a vocalist close to her heart, with help from Sid Fendley (piano) and Rob “Milo” Jaramillo (bass). Rumor has it that a well-loved reed man by the name of Arlen Asher could also make an appearance.

Patti and I recently had a chat about her connection to McRae, and the upcoming concert.

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