Nikki Yanofsky, At the Blue Note

WOW,WOW,WOW..............WOW. I can't believe what I saw at the Blue Note in New York City tonight! I have covered Super Bowls, the World Series, Heavyweight Title fights and the Kentucky Derby

and somehow I feel inadequate to put in words what Nikki Yanofsky did to her audience last night.

As I was leaving the bar I heard the manager calling the local roofing company to come and repair the ceiling that Nikki had just blown off. She'll be seventeen next month and she announced last night that she was teaming up with Quincy (I worked with Sinatra, Basie and Michael Jackson) Jones. I can not imagine how good this naturally talented young lady will be in his hands. The sky is the limit! She also announced that this set was being broadcast live all over her country, Canada.

She opened with Duke Ellington's Take the A Train, followed with one of her favorites...Mr. Paganini. About the forth song in she stopped the show with the classic, You've Changed, well at least I though that was the show stopper, until a few tunes later she did a song for the first time, and the entire room came to a focused silence, the cocktail girls, the bartenders and the food servers all focused on her as she did, with full intro I might add, Someone To Watch Over Me. I really was amazed how her phasing and breathing have improved. Her "scatting" is so clean and sharp now and it will only get better, and her range has no bounds. As I was watching I had one constant thought, how good will she be in years to come.
I can't write anymore about the show last night, there are no words, but if you have the chance to see her live do it!
                                                            ***
Nikki worked with Quincy Jones and Herbie Hancock at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2010.
For 2011 she will be part of a concert series titled Three Generations of Divas, featuring Nikki with Dianne Reves and Jane Monheit. In addition to all this Nikki will graduate from high school this year with her A average.

One last thing I would like to mention about this young talent and her family (mom was there last night) that is, she has already raised over 10 Million Dollars for charity, and is now associated with the Montreal Childrens Hospital and the Children's Wish Foundation.

What a great show! What a great young lady who was introduced as "The Pride of Canada" a well deserved title.
                                                                    ***
You can listen to Nikki Yanofsky, on this blog, click on "Listen to our friends", on the right margin.