Soul man to give diners a taste of nat cole and ray charles

Soul veteran Howard McCrary has been doing his thing at the IFC restaurant Lumiere over the past year, but he says tomorrow night will be extra special because it'll be a tribute to Nat King Cole and Ray Charles. Beyond the fact that they're both legends, the musical styles of these two late greats are quite different. Nevertheless, McCrary (right) argues there is a good reason for pairing Mr Unforgettable and Mr Mess Around.

'There were very few famous artists that played an instrument and sang,' McCrary said. 'I play piano and sing so I really looked up to them. I never met Nat Cole but I did meet Ray Charles about three or four years ago. I was introduced to him by his voice coach. I got a chance to thank him for his contribution to music and shake his hand. The voice coach then said 'Ray, this guy sounds just like you' and he replied 'keep up the good work'.'

McCrary's show starts at 8.30pm. There's no cover charge.