NIKKI

Last night, after a couple of cocktail, I was cruising the tube and stopped on PBS. I first heard a voice that was sultry, smooth but had massive range and power. What I saw was a complete surprise......young (very young), beautiful, "white", Canadian Nikki Yanofsky--Live from Montreal. She was Ella Fitzgerald re-born with all the power of voice and grace of the great jazz female vocalist--Ella, Aretha, Billie (Holiday), Sarah (Vaughn).

Her rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow first reminds you of Judy Garland until she transitions to to a smokey blues house finish--almost touching on a Janice Joplin like finish. She leads the orchestra behind her through a multitude of classics and some of her own stuff.....all with slight changes in her face, body and ultimately soul. Her performance on O-O Child was the highlight.

Check her out on PBS, buy her CD/DVD's, shut your eyes and listen......then remember.....she's only 16 years old. ENJOY!!! She has played Carnegie Hall, Montreal Jazz Festival and will be playing at Anthology in San Diego sometime in August--date TBD. Catch her while you can.