JAZZ REVIEW : ABBEY LINCOLN SHARES SECRETS, SONGS

Abbey Lincoln’s career has taken many turns. As an actress in movies (“For Love of Ivy”), in television and as a drama teacher at Cal State Northridge she has earned countless credits, yet her primary image has always been that of a singer.

Now based in New York, she returned Tuesday for a six-day booking at the Vine St. Bar & Grill. Any evaluation of Lincoln after a long absence must involve a special question: How does she look? For throughout her long career she has been a woman of exceptional beauty.

She is still striking, with a smile guaranteed to win over the most reluctant auditor. Vocally, she remains an enigma. If you’re looking for a five-octave range or a luxuriant Vaughan-like timbre, you may wish to turn elsewhere; but Lincoln does have other qualities.

Along with her radiant presence comes a self-confidence, an almost mystic air of sharing half-hidden secrets with the audience. She uses very little vibrato--the notes come out unadorned, with occasional intonation lapses--but more often she achieves credibility through her belief in the lyrics. This is true of her own song “People in Me,” with its simple message claiming descent from every race and nation in the world.

Her repertoire is exceptional and she sets the songs up well, reminiscing about Billie Holiday for “God Bless the Child,” Duke Ellington for “Sophisticated Lady” and about her own family background. Such ballads as “I Should Care” and “You Must Believe in Spring” are in her most comfortable metier. Substantial credit goes to pianist Phil Wright’s trio, with Larry Gales on bass and Mark Johnson on drums.

If you recall Billie Holiday, now and then you may catch a glimpse of her; not so much vocally as visually--a slight toss of the head, a jutting of the jaw that brings Lady Day to mind. As Lincoln said, “We all stand on the shoulders of those who preceded us.” Consciously or not, she has chosen strong shoulders to stand on. She closes Sunday.