NIKKI YANOFSKY — Nikki (2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

With Norah Jones choosing to pursue a career as a Bohemian singer/songwriter (and Nellie McKay revealing herself to be too artfully camp to even consider the mainstream), the door was wide open for a singer like Nikki Yanofsky: a bright, cheerful jazz-pop traditionalist happy to sing those old songs once again. And so she does on here 2010 debut, Nikki, produced in tandem by the legendary Phil Ramone and Jesse Harris, the guitarist/songwriter who came to prominence via his work on Jones’ debut Come Away with Me, where he penned her breakthrough hit “Don’t Know Why.” Harris performs a similar function on Yanofsky’s debut, co-writing the bulk of the non-classics here with the assistance of Ron Sexsmith and Yanofsky herself, crafting smooth, assured soft rock that’s of a piece with the sultriness of Come Away with Me (with the notable exception of the cabaret swing of “Bienvenue Dans Ma Vie”). But Nikki Yanofsky is clearly not Norah Jones: she possesses a puppy-dog eagerness that jibes with her 16 years, happy to perform and please. Her status as a show biz kid can occasionally grate -- whenever she succumbs to scatting, or does a too-cute mashup of “On the Sunny Side of the Street” and Led Zeppelin’s “Fool in the Rain,” she gives the impression of that too-talented, over-coached kid who dominates drama club -- but there’s also an innate brightness to her persona that is beguiling, particularly when she’s singing those numbers written with Harris and Sexsmith, songs that feel timeless and contemporary and take full advantage of her sunny nature. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1.        Take The "A" Train  3:33
Alto Saxophone – Pat Vetter
Arranged By – Rob Fahie
Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Jean Frechette
Bass – Rob Fahie
Cello – Christine Giguère
Drums – Geoffrey Lang
Lyrics By [Additional] – Elyssa Yanofsky, Nikki Yanofsky, Sharada Banman
Piano – John Sadowy
Recorded By – Lawrence Manchester
Recorded By [Additional Recording By] – Dan Cinelli
Recorded By [Additional Recording, Assisted By] – Gabriel Rondeau, Patrick Goyette
Recorded By [Assisted By] – Manuel Marie
Tenor Saxophone – Richard Beaudet
Trombone, Baby Grand Piano, Bass Trombone – Dave Grott
Trumpet – Jocelyn Couture, Ron DiLauro
Viola – Véronique Potvin
Violin [I] – Nathalie Bonin
Violin [Ii] – Valérie Belzile
Written-By – Billy Strayhorn
2.        Never Make It On Time  2:28
Acoustic Guitar – Jesse Harris
Arranged By [Horns], Flugelhorn – Michael Leonhart
Bass – Zev Katz
Drums – Shawn Pelton
Electric Guitar – Jim Oblon
Electric Piano [Wurlitzer], Organ [B3] – Larry Goldings
Percussion – Mauro Refosco
Recorded By – Tom Schick
Recorded By [Assisted By] – Bob Mallory, Gabriel Rondeau, Rick Kwan
Tenor Saxophone – Chris Cheek
Written-By – Jesse Harris, Nikki Yanofsky, Ron Sexsmith
3.        I Got Rhythm  3:45
Alto Saxophone – Pat Vetter
Arranged By – Paul Shrofel, Sharada Banman
Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Jean Frechette
Bass – Rob Fahie
Drums – Geoffrey Lang
Piano – John Sadowy
Recorded By – Lawrence Manchester
Recorded By [Assisted By] – Manuel Marie
Recorded By [Vocals, Assisted By] – Patrick Goyette
Recorded By [Vocals] – Dan Cinelli
Tenor Saxophone – Richard Beaudet
Trombone, Bass Trombone – Dave Grott
Trumpet – Jocelyn Couture, Ron DiLauro
Written-By – George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin
4.        For Another Day  2:51
Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Jesse Harris
Bass – Zev Katz
Cello – Dave Eggar
Drums – Shawn Pelton
Electric Guitar – Jim Oblon
Electric Piano [Wurlitzer, Rhodes], Piano – Henry Hey
Percussion, Marimba – Mauro Refosco
Piano, Glockenspiel – Larry Goldings
Recorded By – Tom Schick
Recorded By [Assisted By] – Bob Mallory, Patrick Goyette, Rick Kwan
Written-By – Jesse Harris, Nikki Yanofsky, Ron Sexsmith
5.        God Bless The Child  5:03
Adapted By – Rob Fahie
Alto Saxophone – Pat Vetter
Arranged By – Rob Mounsey
Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Jean Frechette
Cello – Christine Giguère
Drums – Geoffrey Lang
Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass – Rob Fahie
Guitar – Richard White 
Organ [B3] – Robert Goldfarb
Piano – John Sadowy
Recorded By – Lawrence Manchester
Recorded By [Assisted By] – Manuel Marie
Recorded By [Vocals, Assisted By] – Patrick Goyette
Recorded By [Vocals] – Dan Cinelli*
Tenor Saxophone – Richard Beaudet
Trombone – Dave Grott
Trumpet – Jocelyn Couture, Ron DiLauro
Viola – Véronique Potvin
Violin [I] – Nathalie Bonin
Violin [Ii] – Valérie Belzile
Written-By – Arthur Herzog, Jr., Billie Holiday
6.        Cool My Heels  3:22
Acoustic Guitar – Jesse Harris
Arranged By [Horns], Trumpet – Michael Leonhart
Drums – Shawn Pelton
Electric Bass – Tim Luntzel
Electric Guitar – Jim Oblon
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Organ [B3] – Larry Goldings
Recorded By – Tom Schick
Recorded By [Assisted By] – Patrick Goyette, Rick Kwan
Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Chris Cheek
Trombone, Tuba – Clark Gayton
Written-By – Jesse Harris, Nikki Yanofsky, Ron Sexsmith
7.        You'll Have To Swing It (Mr. Paganini)  4:18
Bass – Rob Fahie
Drums – Richard Irwin
Piano – John Sadowy
Producer, Adapted By – Rob Fahie
Recorded By – Daniel Cinelli
Recorded By [Assisted By] – Patrick Goyette
Written-By – Sam Coslow
8.        Bienvenue Dans Ma Vie  3:48
Acoustic Guitar – Jesse Harris
Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Jim Oblon
Bass – Zev Katz
Drums – Shawn Pelton
Piano, Accordion – Larry Goldings
Recorded By – Tom Schick
Recorded By [Assisted By] – Rick Kwan
Written-By – Jesse Harris, Nikki Yanofsky, Ron Sexsmith
9.        First Lady  3:02
Bass – Rob Fahie
Drums – Geoffrey Lang
Piano – John Sadowy
Recorded By – Lawrence Manchester
Recorded By [Assisted By] – Manuel Marie
Recorded By [Vocals & Bass, Assisted By] – Patrick Goyette
Recorded By [Vocals & Bass] – Dan Cinelli
Written-By – Nikki Yanofsky, Robi Botos
10.        On The Sunny Side Of The Street / Fool In The Rain  2:43
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Pat Vetter
Arranged By – Geoff Lang, John Sadowy, Nikki Yanofsky, Rob Fahie, Robert Goldfarb
Baritone Saxophone – Jean Frechette
Bass – Rob Fahie
Drums – Richard Irwin
Guitar – Andy Dacoulis
Piano – John Sadowy
Producer, Adapted By – Rob Fahie
Recorded By – Daniel Cinelli
Recorded By [Assisted By] – Gabriel Rondeau, Patrick Goyette
Trombone – Serge Arsenault
Trumpet – Ron DiLauro
Written-By – Jimmy McHugh/Dorothy Fields, Jimmy Page, John Baldwin, Robert Plant
11.        Grey Skies  3:20
Arranged By – Paul Shrofel, Sharada Banman
Bass – Rob Fahie
Cello – Christine Giguère
Drums – Richard Irwin
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Andy Dacoulis
Piano, Organ [B3] – Paul Shrofel
Producer – Paul Shrofel, Rob Fahie, Sharada Banman
Recorded By – Daniel Cinelli
Recorded By [Assisted By] – Gabriel Rondeau, Patrick Goyette
Written-By – Nikki Yanofsky, Paul Shrofel, Sharada Banman
12.        Try Try Try  3:13
Acoustic Guitar – Jesse Harris
Arranged By [Horns], Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Mellophone [Mellophonium] – Michael Leonhart
Bass – Tim Luntzel
Drums – Shawn Pelton
Electric Guitar – Jim Oblon
Electric Piano [Wurlitzer], Organ [B3] – Larry Goldings
Recorded By – Tom Schick
Recorded By [Assisted By] – Gabriel Rondeau, Rick Kwan
Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba – Clark Gayton
Written-By – Feist
13.        Over The Rainbow  5:07
Piano – John Sadowy
Producer – Rob Fahie
Recorded By – Daniel Cinelli
Recorded By [Assisted By] – Patrick Goyette
Written-By – E.Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen
14.        I Believe  4:09
Choir – The Bach Children's Chorus
Directed By [Bach Children's Chorus] – Linda Beaupré
Guitar – Anthony Vanderburgh
Mixed By – Vic Florencia
Orchestrated By, Conductor – William Ross
Piano, Percussion, Programmed By – Stephan Moccio
Producer – Stephan Moccio
Producer [Vocals Produced By] – Jesse Harris, Phil Ramone, Stephan Moccio
Programmed By [Additional Programming] – Sven Heidinga
Recorded By – Armin Steiner, Christine Sirois, Larry Mah, Roy Hendrickson, Sven Heidinga
Written-By – Alan Frew, Stephan Moccio