Nikki Yanofsky performing at TD Toronto Jazz Festival - July 3, 2011. All images by: Norm Johnstone © 2011

This year at the Toronto TD Jazz Festival, the great, Nikki Yanofsky closed the festival on Sunday July 3, 2011 with an all-star band backing her up and also the great, “Robi Botos,” trio as the opening act.

Nikki performed some of the great all-time jazz standards such as: “Sunny Side Of The Street,” “I Got Rhythm,” “Sweet Georgia Brown,” a brand-new chart for her, and her ballad, “I Believe,” that was performed at the summer olympics in Vancouver, 2010.

The rhythm section was her touring rhythm section and was made up of the following personnel. Andy Dacoulis – guitar, Rob Fahie (musical director/bass), Richard Irwin – drums, and John Sadowy – piano, Nikki’s back-up vocalists were: Heidi Jutras, Stacie Tabb, and Nancy Martinez.

The 5-piece horn-section was made up of some of the top Toronto horn players on the scene today. Alex Dean – tenor saxophone, Colleen Allen – alto saxophone, Kevin Turcotte – trumpet, William Carn – trombone, and Dave Neill – baritone saxophone.

The first time I saw Nikki was in Ottawa on Canada Day when she was only thirteen years old….she is now seventeen years old and is such an energetic, passionate, vocalist. If you ever get the chance to see Nikki Yanofsky perform, do it, as I know that you won’t regret it!!–she’s awesome, she’s Nikki!!

For more information on Nikki, visit her website at: http://www.nikkionline.ca/