Nicole Willis The sensational high-empress of contemporary soul, Brooklyn's eminent Nicole Willis has performed and recorded with Curtis Mayfield, The Brand New Heavies, Deee-Lite, The The, Jimi Tenor and Leftfield across an outstanding 20-year career. Following two widely-eulogised solo albums – 2000's Soul Makeover and 2004's Be It – Willis released her current classic soul-funk disquisition, Keep Reachin' Up (Timmion) last year to adulation; not least from global groove commander Gilles Peterson, who crowned 'Feeling Free' his track of the year at the Radio One Worldwide Awards '06. Keep Reachin' Up (which should be streaming as you read this) is an aural coalition with Helsinki's inimitable Soul Investigators – and it's with this groove-addled rabble that the roof-raising Willis makes these must-see Triptych appearances. Before then, however, Nicole popped in to Triptych to impart her wisdom on local audiences, Last Tango in Paris and, er, Lulu... Have you played in Scotland before? if so, when did you play - and with whom? "I played in Glasgow before, yeah. It was in 2001 and I was performing material from my first solo album, Soul Makeover. I was about five months pregnant and I remember an intimate show with a warm reception from some individuals that really wanted to welcome me. That was nice." When did you first perform in public? "I sang at Danceteria and did a cover of 'To Sir With Love' - you know, the song originally sang by Lulu. That was over twenty years ago..." A lot of your material is really evocative, filmic even: if you could soundtrack a celluloid classic, what would it be? "Maybe Last Tango in Paris or The Night of the Hunter because I'm a big Marlon Brando and Robert Mitchum fan. It's almost a tie but Last Tango is probably my choice. Brando is so genius in it not because of any of the sex - that isn't really sexy anyway - but his acting is incredible." In what ways do you feel your music's evolved since you started working with the Soul Investigators? "It's really a privilege to work with a band on a regular basis, people who have a long standing relationship with each other and have their own sound. It's been a good experience." What other artists do you hope to see while you're in Scotland for this year's Triptych? "Maybe James Chance and the Contortions, Bernie Worell (with The Funkmasters), Einsturzende Neubauten, Marley Marl and Gilles Peterson."