Everyone has a guilty pleasure or two. One of mine is Judith Owen, the amazing jazz, cabaret, and blues singer who hits town every so often from her home in New Orleans.

One of Owen’s astounding attributes is that she sounds like rum soaked in New Orleans music despite being raised in Wales and England. Her accent only emerges when she talks. Otherwise, you’d swear that gumbo is her favorite dish.

Last night at Django, a brilliant jazz spot located under the Roxy Hotel in Tribeca, Judith closed out her run of several performances with her swinging band a special guest on keyboards, Paul Shaffer of David Letterman fame.

(The band — not to be missed– includes David Torkanowsky on piano, Lex Warshawsky on Bass. Portugese drummer Pedro Segundo, guitarist Dave Blenkhorn, Ricardo Pascal on sax and Kevin Louis with his spectacular cornet.)

Django was packed, as usual, as Owen has built up a loyal following since her recording debut in 1996. Since then, she’s released 13 albums, all of them joyously crafted to show off her colorful, rich voice full of vivacious textures. Wearing her trademar fedora cocked on her head, Owen is also a supple dancer, who moves across the stage with a huge smile. What isn’t there to like?

Last night’s set included rave versions of Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer’s “Skylark,” Nina Simone’s “I Put a Spell on You,” Peggy Lee’s “Fever,” Louis Jordan’s jump and shout “Caldonia,” and Art Blakey’s classic “Moanin.” Owen has a rambunctious nature on stage that suits the uptempo songs. She has a lot of sass.

She can also get bluesy very quickly. Her band — almost all New Orleans players — are so top notch, every song is a success.On “Real Gone Guy,” Owen is all pep and snap. Her voice is full of colors on “Send Me Someone to Love,” and hilariously filthy– as she says — on Dinah Washington’s “Big Long Sliding Thing,” a song about, er, a trombone.

Besides Shaffer, other notables spotted in the audience were legendary concert promoter Ron Delsener, media maven Jill Brooke, and famed NY radio dj Jim Kerr of Q104.3.

The only question left is, When she will be back?

All of Judith’s albums are on Amazon and Spotify. Here’s a taste:

Paul Simon is obviously feeling good.

After his success Sunday on “SNL 50,” Paul, a young 83, is un-retiring from touring. Thank God!

Simon suffered from hearing issues, but now they are improved. (See below.)

The great singer songwriter will hit 20 cities between April and July with many long stands including New York and Los Angeles.

The shows will feature his “Seven Psalms,” but also his hits, of course, which the audience really wants to hear. Maybe just five psalms, Paul!

Simon’s appearance with Sabrina Carpenter opening “SNL 50” with “Homeward Bound” was lovely, and unexpected. Watching it, all I could think was, come back, Paul. Maybe we all manifested this tour!

Now we know who the real Boxer is, who refuses to give up. Bravo!

According to a release, “Simon chose to perform in intimate venues where the acoustics are optimal in consideration of the severe hearing loss that he incurred over the last few years.

“It was during the recording of Seven Psalms, as revealed in the acclaimed In Restless Dreams documentary, that Simon began to steadily lose the hearing in his left ear which initially made extended live performances impossible. Together with the Stanford Initiative to Cure Hearing Loss, and his own production team, Simon redesigned his entire stage set up to make performing viable. ”

Here are the dates:
TOUR DATES:

April 4 Saenger Theater, New Orleans, LA
April 5 Saenger Theater, New Orleans, LA

April 8 Bass Concert Hall, Austin, TX
April 10 Bass Concert Hall, Austin, TX
April 11 Bass Concert Hall, Austin, TX

April 14 Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO
April 16 Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO
April 17 Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO

April 20 Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
April 22 Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
April 23 Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, MN

April 26 Midland Theatre, Kansas City, MO

April 28 Stifel Theatre, St. Louis, MO
April 29 Stifel Theatre, St. Louis, MO

May 7 AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas TX
May 8 AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas TX

May 11 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
May 13 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
May 14 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN

May 17 Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, WI
May 18 Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, WI

May 21 Symphony Center, Chicago, IL
May 23 Symphony Center, Chicago, IL
May 24 Symphony Center, Chicago, IL

May 27 Massey Hall, Toronto, ON
May 29 Massey Hall, Toronto, ON
May 30 Massey Hall, Toronto, ON

June 6 Wolf Trap, Vienna, VA
June 7 Wolf Trap, Vienna, VA

June 10 Boch Center, Wang Theatre, Boston, MA
June 12 Boch Center, Wang Theatre, Boston, MA
June 13 Boch Center, Wang Theatre, Boston, MA

June 16 Beacon Theater, New York, NY
June 18 Beacon Theater, New York, NY
June 20 Beacon Theater, New York, NY
June 21 Beacon Theater, New York, NY
June 23 Beacon Theater, New York, NY

June 26 Academy of Music, Philadelphia, PA
June 28 Academy of Music, Philadelphia, PA
June 29 Academy of Music, Philadelphia, PA

July 7 Terrace Theater, Long Beach Performing Arts Center, Long Beach CA

July 9 Disney Hall, Los Angeles, CA
July 11 Disney Hall, Los Angeles, CA
July 12 Disney Hall, Los Angeles, CA
July 14 Disney Hall, Los Angeles, CA
July 16 Disney Hall, Los Angeles, CA

July 19 Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, CA
July 21 Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, CA
July 22 Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, CA

July 25 The Orpheum, Vancouver BC
July 26 The Orpheum, Vancouver BC
July 28 The Orpheum, Vancouver BC

July 31 Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA
August 2 Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA
August 3 Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA

Drake is back and he’s number 1 again.

After feuding with Kendrick Lamar forever, Drake has succeeded in toppling his foe on both the iTunes album and singles charts.

It was only last week that Kenny won two Grammys with his Drake hate single, “Not Like Us.” That sent all his records up the charts of every kind.

Now Drake has roared into gear as if he were The Empire striking back. His album, $ome $exy $ongs 4U, made with rapper PartyNextDoor, is number 1. The solo single, “Nokia” is number 1 as well. There’s another single, called “Gimme a Hug,” in the top 100.

Previously Drake (Aubrey Graham) sued UMG, his record label, for promoting “Not Like Us” — also on the same label — because Kendrick called him a pedophile. Then Kendrick sang the song uncensored on the Grammys, further provoking him..

Is Drake a pedo? Is Kendrick looking for trouble? Can’t we all just get along?

Congrats to Drake. He’s no R. Kelly as far as we know. And 17 is the age of consent in many places! I am definitely looking forward to jury trial for Drake’s lawsuit! Please, God!

Partynextdoor? His real name is Jahron Anthony Brathwaite. But it would be funnier if it were Bernie Schwartz.