Home » Jazz Articles » Take Five With... » Take Five With Lela Kaplowitz

2

Take Five With Lela Kaplowitz

By

View read count
Meet Lela Kaplowitz:

A vocalist/songwriter that experienced life and the jazz scene in New York, her decision to move back to Croatia came from the desire to raise her daughter in a more old fashion, familiar way.

Lela brings a New York vibe to her home country, where she continues to spread her love of music, jazz in particular. She continues to record, write new material and is gaining recognition globally.

Instrument(s):

Vocal, tap dancing.

Teachers and/or influences?

Sheila Jordan, Mark Murphy, Anita O'Day, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and so many more.

I knew I wanted to be a musician when...

I heard Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgeraldswinging it from my black and white TV set when I was about six.

Your sound and approach to music:

Truth, Truth and nothing but the Truth, so help me God!

Your teaching approach:

Open up and hold the space for them so they feel comfortable, loved and respected. Then they will be able to teach themselves.

The first Jazz album I bought was:

Sarah Vaughan's Crazy and Mixed Up

What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?

Channeling positive energy.

Did you know...

that I am a vegetarian and don't drink?

What are some of the essential requirements to keep jazz alive and growing?

Listen to the old records, feed your soul with videos of the masters of jazz, read the books about the this great artistry and share them in any shape or form.

What is in the near future?

Promoting my newest album, visiting New York in March 2013.

What's your greatest fear when you perform?

To forget the lyrics.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

"Arise and Shine," by Doug Carn.

What is your favorite song to whistle or sing in the shower?

"It's Raining Men" ... just kiddin'

If I weren't a jazz musician, I would be a:

Dancer.

Photo Credit

Deyan Baric

Tags

Comments


PREVIOUS / NEXT




Support All About Jazz

Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Jazz article: Take Five with Pianist Irving Flores
Jazz article: Take Five with Bassist Phil Ravita
Jazz article: Take Five with vocalist Diana Hamilton

Popular

Read Take Five with Pianist Irving Flores
Read Jazz em Agosto 2025
Read Bob Schlesinger at Dazzle
Read SFJAZZ Spring Concerts
Read Sunday Best: A Netflix Documentary
Read Vivian Buczek at Ladies' Jazz Festival

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.