Updated: November 24, 2021
Unique jazz vocalist, composer, and arranger, Kaylé Brecher (Kay-La BrecKer) is a singer who is at once completely distinctive and an amalgamation of her great musical influences. Showcase Magazine described her sound as "a supple voice that suggests the pairing of Sheila Jordan and Sarah Vaughan." One could accurately add Morgana King and Ella Fitzgerald to that description. Hers is a versatile and flexible instrument with wide range, which can move from silky, smooth and subtle to bold and bluesy; refined to brash and raw. Her instrumental and compositional approach to singing leads to explorations of the mood, texture and style in each individual tune, which results in exciting variety. Imaginative, versatile and eclectic, she has performed in settings ranging from traditional jazz through bop, free jazz and experimental music.
Kaylé is a native New Yorker who began her career as a very young teen, singing blues and standards in the clubs of Greenwich Village. She has opened for Maynard Ferguson, Freddie Hubbard, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and Doc Severinsen, and has shared the stage with Mel Lewis, Lee Konitz, Red Rodney and others.
Her varied and active career has included concerts, festivals, live radio performances, a TV documentary soundtrack, clubs and other fine venues, studio production work and seven acclaimed recordings. 'Kayleidoscope', Kaylé's eighth CD was released in January 2020 and 'Bredux: collected edges' is her ninth recording, released in early June 2021.
After graduating Summa Cum Laude from Temple University with a double major in performance and composition/arranging, Kaylé was a long time member of the BMI Jazz Composers' Workshop in New York City, as well as pursuing private studies in composition and arranging with both Jim McNeely and Michael Abene. Three of her original compositions and two of her versions of Freddie Hubbard tunes have been published by Freddie Hubbard's publishing company Hubtones and two of her versions of Herbie Hancock tunes have been published by Hancock Music. Her compositional skills have also garnered several awards in the jazz category of the Billboard Song Contest, including one major prize.
Originally from New York City, Kaylé is now based in the Philadelphia area. Her regional work has included performances at many current and past well known area venues, such as Cornelia St Cafe, Chris' Jazz Cafe, The Painted Bride Art Center, World Café Live, The Rotunda at U. of PA, the old Zanzibar Blue, The Academy of Music, Rutgers University, Philadelphia University and Temple University, as well as festivals, clubs and a live radio broadcast on WRTI FM of one of her performances at the old Blue Moon Jazz Cafe.
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Album Review
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- This is Life by Jerome Wilson
- Kayleidoscope by Geannine Reid
- Bredux: Collected Edges by Geannine Reid
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Matchless Vocalist Kaylé Brecher Treads New Ground On Her Fifth Album,...
November 25, 2005
"Brecher's skills are many and varied, but her greatest stregnth may be her ability to balance the offbeat with the accessible." -Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz
"A serious jazz triple threat with mad creative skills and the ability to take her creative energy anywhere she wants to go. The real deal. -Brent Black, Critical Jazz
"Aptly titled, 'This is Life', offers the listener a deeper journey, but don't expect the cutely packaged standards album that is most associated with vocal jazz. Brecher is poetic to the core and not afraid to take chances and challenge your ear with jazz tensions and releases, challenging your senses and bending your ear with each twist and turn." H. Allen Williams -JazzTimes
Primary Instrument
Voice / vocals
Location
Philadelphia
Willing to teach
Beginner to advanced
Credentials/Background
Conservatory of Musical Arts, Audubon, NJ 215-850-4162 accepting intermediate through advanced, beginners by audition only Online teaching available as well
Sony Holland
voice / vocalsAmanda Carr
voice / vocalsRobert Sabin
bassGreg Tardy
saxophoneJuliet Kelly
voice / vocalsDiane Hubka
voice / vocalsKerry Politzer
piano and vocalsSheila Jordan
voice / vocalsSathima Bea Benjamin
voice / vocalsTerry Plumeri
bass, acousticMatthew Von Doran
guitarAndrea Wolper
voice / vocalsThe Moutin Reunion Quartet
band / orchestraPaul Bollenback
guitarNancy Kelly
voice / vocalsJoy Bellis
voice / vocalsArtists who share similar musical characteristics to Kaylé Brecher.