Nikki Yanofsky at Koerner Hall

So, as long as I have this blog about music I might as well review the concerts I go to.  Depending on who's in town, and where, and how much tickets cost, I seem to get to four or five shows in an average year.  Usually one or two at the General Motors Centre in Oshawa.  Now that's a great place for concerts--it's big enough for the big shows, and far enough away from Toronto so that many artists can play there as well as Toronto.  Yet it's small enough to be way more intimate than the Air Canada Centre or the SkyDome (sorry, Rogers Centre).  Massey Hall in TO is great, as is Roy Thompson Hall.  And the one I just went to for the first time, Koerner Hall on Bloor Street, right next door to the Royal Ontario Museum, is a fantastic place for a concert.

As part of the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, Nikki Yanofsky played at Koerner Hall on Tuesday, June 25th, 2013.  As you may know, if you know me or if you follow my blog, Nikki is one of my favourite singers.  Thank goodness the concert was on a Tuesday night so it was no problem attending (no show for me on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesdays).  And, even though I've seen her three times before, I would have hated to miss this one.  This is Nikki's "Little Secret" tour, previewing her upcoming, long-awaited album.

Previously Nikki sang from the "Great American Songbook", songs that Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald would have done in their day.  She had a few original songs, and did some newer songs as well, but that was secondary to "Take the 'A' Train", "I've Got Rhythm", and "On the Sunny Side of the Street", for example.  Well, things have turned around now.

She has a new, eight piece, funky band behind her--guitar, bass, drums, two keyboardists, trumpet, trombone and saxophone.  A very young band, though very good, professional musicians.  They sound like they could be backing up Stevie Wonder.

That seems to be Nikki's new direction, based on the album preview.  She is now being co-managed by Quincy Jones, and her style seems to be leaning more towards bluesy, funky jazz instead of the traditional vocal jazz we are used to hearing from her.

Because Nikki is only nineteen, I think it will work.  I hope she has a big hit or two from this album and gets a whole new audience.  It would be nice to see more young people at her shows, instead of all the grey heads she usually sees when looking out.  And if it's not a big hit, again she is only nineteen, and has plenty of time to fine-tune and change.

She performed twenty songs, plus one encore.  Although we stayed and cheered for more she just came out and waved, then the lights came up.  I assume she and her band had nothing else rehearsed.  Personally I would have loved her to sing "Ain't No Way" again, a standout track from (I hope) the upcoming album.  It was so good that the audience spontaneously began to applaud half-way through the song.

If I had gone to see the Rolling Stones and they did seventy percent new material I would be very upset.  But it's been three years since her last album ("Nikki") came out and I was very happy to hear her new material.  I'm not sure I would feel the same way though, if I hadn't seen her sing live three times before.  I did hear a few (just a few) grumbles from the older members of the audience.  She did do some old songs--"Airmail Special", "Let the Good Times Roll" (the Louis Jordan/Ray Charles song), "Jeepers Creepers" (a little funkified), "Relax Max", "Witchcraft", her own song from her last album "Bienvenue dans ma vie", and her best-known  song, the 2010 Olympic anthem, "I Believe".

Nikki is also quite proficient as a songwriter.  Some of the best material from her last album were co-written by her, including the aforementioned "Bienvenue dans ma vie", and "Cool My Heels".  She didn't specify which, if any, of her new songs were written by her, but I would assume many, if not all, were.  I guess we'll find out when the album comes out,  possibly in October.

At the end of the show she came out to the lobby and met anyone who wanted to meet her.  She autographed the photo of us from last summer's show in Huntsville, and posed for a new photo that she'll autograph next time I see her.  Soon, I hope.

We had fantastic seats for the concert, practically sitting on the stage.  Unfortunately though, right near a stack of speakers, and this show was LOUD.  Usually we bring ear protection for rock concerts, but never find it necessary for jazz shows.  But because of the funky, eight-piece band, and our proximity to the speakers, my wife and daughter found the sound level very uncomfortable.  I didn't have as much of a problem, probably because I am older and have some hearing loss to begin with.  And I'll admit, I didn't hear anyone else complaining so it was probably just us.

I have a feeling that there is a lost Nikki Yanofsky album out there.  In the three years since her last album she has done a lot of recording, in London, New York, and at home.  And, since her association with Quincy Jones, in Los Angeles.  I suspect that she recorded a bunch of tracks for an album more similar to her previous album, "Nikki".  These tracks may never be released to the public, now that her direction has changed.  I have no real idea, I'm just guessing.  But if there are any tracks that they are not going to use, it would be nice to find them for free on her website, or for a price on iTunes.  Just a suggestion to Nikki and her management team...

Anyway, if Nikki comes to your area, try to see her.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.  She is a terrific young talent, with a long career ahead of her.  She deserves every bit of fame and fortune she receives, and I'm sure will be considered the equal of Gordon Lightfoot or Joni Mitchell someday.  I hope I'll be around to see a lot of it.

Michael