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Ken Ard

Ballads. Blues & Cocktails marks Broadway performer Ken Ard's first venture into the world of jazz

About Me

And though a newcomer to the jazz scene Ken is no novice when it comes to being a stage performer. With over 20 years of Broadway under his belt he has performed leading roles in the Broadway companies of Smokey Joe's Cafe, Cats, Starlight Express, and Jelly's Last Jam to name a few. Having recorded two Grammy winning musical soundtrack albums (Smokey Joe's Cafe of which he was nominated for an NAACP award and Cats), he is a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (The Grammys). As an artist, he was the lead voice and co-writer for Wet Dreams, on Universal's cutting edge label, Twisted records. In reviewing their debut release, “Rain” Larry Flick of Billboard Magazine raved, “Soulful star-powered vocals! The subsequent single “Sunrise” was received with international critical acclaim and, by the end of its first week in the stores, and was among the Top 40 selling records in America (Billboard Maxi Singles). In 1999 Ken image became as recognizable as his voice, after modeling underwear for the national print ad campaign, LET EM KNOW YOU'RE JOCKEY; In a thirty by seventy foot billboard perched high above Times Square in New York City. Ken's celebrated charisma has been intensified over the years by playing principle parts opposite notably accomplished entertainment icons, such as: Anthony Quinn, Patti Labelle, Gregory Hines, Tony Orlando, Rick Springfield, Pam Tillis, Gloria Gaynor,Lou Rawls, Gladys Knight, , The legendary Jon Hendricks & folk singer Odetta to name a few. For anyone with a quick eye Ken can also be seen dancing as the character “Wilbur” in the 2002 Best Picture Oscar winning cinematic version of Chicago for Miramax Pictures, staring Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere and Queen Latifa.