ability when Jazzscape 1997 turns to the Royal Naval Dockyard for a second night this evening.

For New York Voices -- Darmon Mender, Lauren Kinhan, Peter Eldridge and Kim Nazarian -- the opportunity to share their talent on the Island with local music lovers was the prime motivating reason for coming to Bermuda.

"We are a jazz group that is known in the jazz community,''Ms Kinhan explained. "We travel abroad and when they called on us to be a part of this festival we were really thrilled.

"There is a wonderful roster of talent still to perform.'' Ms Kinhan said the allure of Bermuda made the decision even easier. She added.

"Anytime anyone calls from an island as beautiful as this, we're there.'' New York Voices perform later this morning. Their roots go back to their college days. Mender, Eldridge and Nazarian are the founding members with Kinhan joining in 1992 although the group itself began in 1988.

"We started performing in clubs in New York and kind of worked our way up from there,'' Mender said. "We signed our first record deal in 1989.'' Meanwhile, Nancy Wilson was a hit with the multitude that thronged to the Dockyard last night.

Ms Wilson promised to give them "classic Nancy Wilson'' and delivered. "I have never defined myself as a jazz singer,'' she told The Royal Gazette yesterday afternoon.

"I just listen to music and from three years old, sang songs I liked. Of my 60 albums I think there may be five that could be classified as jazz.

"The world changes around me. I haven't changed. I am still a song stylist.''