Ali Milner is poised to become the next break-out star, ala Sara Bareilles and Diane Birch, maybe even a modern-day Ella. She has a distinctive voice that conjures up jazz sophistication, a scary mature worldly appeal, mixed with the fresh sassiness of youth, where anything goes.
A Whistler staple – having gigged at Four Seasons Resort’s swanky Fifty Two 80 Bistro & Bar, the 2010 Winter Olympics, and for several charitable benefits, corporate functions and private events – hometown heroine Milner dived into music for public consumption at the tender age of 14. Around the time she would graduate from high school in 2008, she spoke of staying in her musical comfort zone, that sweet spot between covers and jazz standards, making each and every attempt her own… before forging ahead fairly recently with her own unique, charming sound.
Her abilities on vocals, keys (Berklee-honed), and stage go deep, as evidenced by her superb, one-hour-25-minute opening act for the inaugural Jazz on the Mountain at Whistler festival, September 2. As the first ticketed show at Whistler’s Olympic Plaza, Milner traversed a wide, impressive musical landscape, from a little reggae-Jawaiian funk, to shades of ‘70s Motown-pop, crazy calliope, and a lot of emo-oriented, indie blues. Much of the set list came straight from her 2009 breakthrough album, “I Dare You,” where she collaborated on all but one of the songs (“The Portrait Of Dorian Gray” by her uncle John Howard, from the hit 1970s Canadian Zephyr band).
She exhibited a maturity and confidence onstage usually found in more seasoned vocalists, at turns flirty, fun, and outrageous – her stream-of-conscious rambling about “I Lost My Diamond” went from detailing a break-up with her BFF to her mom saying she sounded like a lesbian, prompting her bassist Eric to ask, “What are you talking about?!” to her replying, “I never know what I’m talking about!” – then somber, contemplative, and, well, jazz-worthy, taking each note of each lyric into her soulful process and putting out volumes.
R&B-gospel and originals are her strengths.
This up-and-coming vocalist proves she’s the real thing, nobody’s copy, when performing her original compositions – the light, lively, clever, and melodically catchy romantic “Crystal Clear” could hit Top 40 in the U.S. right now – or goes retro, her way, with Marvin Gaye’s “I Heart It Through The Grapevine” and Ray Charles’ “Hallelujah I Love Her So” (made current by Norah Jones).
Here’s the exciting news: She’s on Cover Me Canada, a hot reality TV singing competition with a twist, eight undiscovered artists try to win a record contract and boatloads of coin by doing covers. Viewers vote on social networks – Facebook, YouTube, Twitter – to gain their favorites enough buzz and immunity.
Milner premiered on the show with Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated” this past Sunday (September 18), 9 p.m., on CBC-TV. Her rendition hit folk, grunge, and jazz notes, accentuating hard-to-hit harmonies, especially through the dramatic repeats at the end. Voting continues for Canada residents all this week until Friday, September 23, 11:59 p.m., ET. The more YouTube hits an artist receives, the better for immunity, too.
Well what are you waiting for? Starting voting!
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