DEE DANIELS, Sheraton City Center, 150 W. 500 South, Nov. 2

The surprise of the night came when jazz vocalist Dee Daniels introduced the song "My Prayer" to the audience.

Daniels had written the music to one of her mother's poems. And the singer wanted to sing it toward the end of the final set.

Then came the whammy.

"I lost my mother a week ago today," Daniels said. "But it's OK. She said she wanted to see her parents and siblings again, and I believe that's what she did."

Then without a stutter, Daniels launched into a soulful, corner-church gospel rendition of the song, accompanying herself with the piano. And many eyes in the audience were wet.

Still, she had two more songs she wanted to sing. A swinging version of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and a moving remake of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly."

Backed by her trio — bassist Russ Botten, drummer Greg Williamson and pianist Tony Forster — Daniels dazzled the audience with her incredible range, her charming demeanor and her confidence and ease on the stage.

She raised goose bumps with her take on Irving Mills' and Duke Ellington's "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing," Aretha Franklin's "Respect," Ray Charles' "Georgia On My Mind" and Earth Wind & Fire's "Can't Hide Love."

"Deed I Do," "(I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over," "Makin' Whoopee" and a jazzy version of James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" were other highlights of the night.

Daniels' vocal control shone with "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good," a song which Duke Ellington wrote while in Salt Lake City, and she let her humor fly with "Midlife Crisis," a song she wrote for her friend.

Daniels, a favorite of Salt Lake City jazz fans, delivered the goods and the audience couldn't help but give her a standing ovation.

e-mail: scott@desnews.com