17-year old amazes me at jazz festival

[tsull1]

I'm at the Lionel Hampton jazz festival in north Idaho and this festival always brings in big names. Last night I heard who surely must be a rising start in 17-year old Nikki Yanofsky, a singer from Montreal. While she does mostly jazz, she brought down the house with a great version of Aretha's "Baby I Love You."

I'm skeptical of teens and hype, but this gal has the goods. A great, powerful voice and nice stage presence. She said Stevie Wonder was her idol in music, so I think she's on her way!

She's from Montreal.

http://www.nikkionline.ca/

[paul_nixon]

Just got her new album - it's terridic - what a voice

[MotownSteve]

I've been listening to some of her songs on YouTube and Groveshark. All I can say is wow!. In introducing 'At Last' she explains she is only 13 and then sings it like an adult.

[Kamasu_Jr]

She's ok kind of like MICHAEL BUBLE. She sings pleasant enough but I thought no better than some American Idol contestants.

[tsull1]

She's ok kind of like MICHAEL BUBLE. She sings pleasant enough but I thought no better than some American Idol contestants.

Sorry, that's an ignorant statement. I usually agree with your musical tastes, but what I saw on stage NONE and I mean none of the American Idol contestants -- and I'm talking former winners, too -- could've pulled off the songs she was singing. She also was receiving praise from some jazz greats who played with some serious jazz legends, and they weren't B.S.ing. I don't mind opinions, I can't take ignorance, sorry.

[Kamasu_Jr]

It's an informed or educated opinion. Nikki didn't move me emotionally. I wasn't knocked out or stunned. She sings PLEASANTLY ENOUGH, BUT I DIDN'T DETECT ANY EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT TO WHAT SHE'S DOING. SHE SINGS THE NOTES. But there was no one was home in soulsville for me. She's just ok, but not amazing. I mean she's no Patti Austin, no Nancy Wilson, no Dee Dee Bridgewater, no Sarah Vaughan...women consided to be real and unique jazz singers.

[splanky]

Nikki was discussed briefly here about 3 weeks ago and as I said I like her. I think she 's maturing as a vocalist and even at 13 she was a better singer than a lot of these 25-30 year olds running across stages with spandex outfits and half pink half blonde wigs and extensions. At least Nikki knows what a key is...

[Kamasu_Jr]

Nikki was discussed briefly here about 3 weeks ago and as I said I like her. I think she 's maturing as a vocalist and even at 13 she was a better singer than a lot of these 25-30 year olds running across stages with spandex outfits and half pink half blonde wigs and extensions. At least Nikki knows what a key is...

I can agree with some of this. Maturity - that's a good word. Maybe she'll impress me more once she's lived longer and can sing songs with some authority and inject them with more depth and feeling.

[splanky]

Kam, I understand your reservations completely but I look at Nikki like this; here is a young lady who obviously has great
taste in music but she's still a kid singing jazz in 2011 when the vast majority of her peers are listening to pop, hip-hop and
what this generation calls R&B. She still has a lot of greeness to her, so does Esperanza Spaulding which no matter how good she can play that upright bass, I still detect in her vocals. Jazz singers like Ella and Billie who also were around the same age [[17) at the start of their careers, were singing what was still America's popular music at the time which jazz hasn't been for many years. I suspect if she keeps at it she will grow better and I'll be watching...

[tsull1]

It's an informed or educated opinion. Nikki didn't move me emotionally. I wasn't knocked out or stunned. She sings PLEASANTLY ENOUGH, BUT I DIDN'T DETECT ANY EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT TO WHAT SHE'S DOING. SHE SINGS THE NOTES. But there was no one was home in soulsville for me. She's just ok, but not amazing. I mean she's no Patti Austin, no Nancy Wilson, no Dee Dee Bridgewater, no Sarah Vaughan...women consided to be real and unique jazz singers.

She's not claming to be those greats, she's 17. She put tons of emotion into her concert on Thursday. To say that any American Idol contestant could pull off what she did frankly is an ignorant -- not an informed nor educated -- statement.

She was brought to the festival and recommended to it by John Clayton, the artistic director of the festival. He's in his 2nd or 3rd year and has the charge of not letting it slip. Mr. Clayton is a world class bass player who has played with all the greats, including Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, Ray Brown, and others, the legends of the field. He would not stake his reputation or the festival's reputation in bringing in a no-talent hack.

Not one -- not a single one -- American Idol contestant or winner could've pulled off the fantastic show she did on Thursday. PERIOD! If you don't trust me, at least trust those like Mr. Clayton, who frankly, has more musical background than everyone on this board combined.

[Kamasu_Jr]

I won't call this girl amazing. I DON'T HEAR IT. Why is she amazing because she's a teenager singing jazz and R&B standards? She doesn't move me emotionally. I'VE HEARD 16 & 17 YEAR OLDS IN MY CHURCH CHOIR... AT THE STAX ACADEMY WHO WOULD EAT THIS KID ALIVE vocally.

[tsull1]

I won't call this girl amazing. I DON'T HEAR IT. Why is she amazing because she's a teenager singing jazz and R&B standards? She doesn't move me emotionally. I'VE HEARD 16 & 17 YEAR OLDS IN MY CHURCH CHOIR... AT THE STAX ACADEMY WHO WOULD EAT THIS KID ALIVE vocally.

Perhaps the kids in your choir or at the Stax Academy could eat her alive; the no talents at the American Idol could not.

[Kamasu_Jr]

Perhaps the kids in your choir or at the Stax Academy could eat her alive; the no talents at the American Idol could not.

I don't know about that. There's a 15 year old girl on AI this season who seems pretty promising. She's not a screamer, doesn't oversing and she has a good voice. She will probably do very well. Hell, as much as she screams Fantasia, who won Idol, can sing standards when she wants to.

[tsull1]

I thought Nikki had great timing and didn't scream, her phrasing was excellent and she played off her band very well. I think she could cross over into pop, but it appears she'll stick with jazz, which is fine. Jazz is only a fraction of album sales [[online and otherwise), but it would be nice if someone could overtake the over-singers of the world like Aguillera and Knowles.

[jboy88]

I got on the Nikki Yanofsky bandwagon not too long ago! I Recognized her talents after a Tammi Terrell song preceded "Cool My Heels" when my Ipod was on shuffle. Point being, Tammi's a tough act to follow and she kept the vibes going!

[destruction]

"I'VE HEARD 16 & 17 YEAR OLDS IN MY CHURCH CHOIR... AT THE STAX ACADEMY WHO WOULD EAT THIS KID ALIVE vocally."

Why don't you P.O.S.T. these Vocal Monsters you got going on......or Do the other Alphabet Thing.

Anybody that Dam good has GOT to be on YOUTUBE....or somebody's tube.

....and how Awesome are these Vocal Monsters.....Technically....teacher san?