Kari Kirkland
Palm Springs, California, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2016
Music
Press
Hollywood, CA, January 2017 – Jazz recording artist Kari Kirkland has teamed up with four-time Grammy nominee Shelly Berg and multi-Grammy winner and 2010 “Producer of the Year” Gregg Field to cut a new EP at the iconic United Recording in Hollywood. Kirkland, Field and Berg were joined by guitarist Dean Parks and bassist Kevin Axt for the new album, which will be released early summer.
“Kari is a very unique singer coming from a ‘jazz’ background,” explained Field. “She is embracing very contemporary material from artists such as Ludacris and is bringing the material into the Adult Contemporary world. The musicians on the album are Phil Ramone’s rhythm section and it’s always great to come together on a really unique project like this!”
In early 2016, Kirkland met Shelly Berg, world-renowned pianist, composer, arranger and Dean of the University of Miami's Frost School of Music. “Like a scene in a movie, a fateful, midnight meeting brought us together in Shelly's living room in Miami,” she recalls. “On the spot, with him accompanying, I sang for him and after we played together for about an hour, he said ‘You're really, really talented. Let's do something great together!’”
In Shelly Berg, Kirkland found a musical confidant whose understanding of her as an artist gave her the inspiration and freedom to further express her own distinctive style. The result is a sultry, sensual, lush, and richly textured sound that melds jazz, cabaret, blues and pop into its own authentic genre.
Gregg Field is one of the most versatile and highly sought-after producers, drummers and educators in music and has been voted into Modern Drummer magazine readers’ poll five times. He commented on working on Kirkland’s project in United Recording’s venerable Studio A: “I love studio A at United, especially the drum booth. Hate to pick favorites in town but the best drum sound I get is in that killer space. Also, there is a uniquely organic feel about A and I’ve really grown to love the Focusrite console. It was the perfect room for Kari’s album.” - United Recording
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
Contemporary Song-Stylist, Kari Kirkland has a straightforward and honest approach to her performances, with moments hinting to the influence of Eva Cassidy, Julie London, and Joni Mitchell. Performing traditional jazz pieces as well as sultry, sleek translations of popular, modern songs, Kari's sound is full-bodied and lush, sincere, and emotional. As a Professional Circus Coach and Theatrical Circus Producer, Kari spent the past 8 years in Seattle, WA, but she is currently based out of Palm Springs, CA.
A Canadian-born child of professional musicians, Kari grew up in recording studios, green rooms, and on tour buses. Music was always an integral part of her world. Kari began writing and performing pop, rock, and folk at a young age, but she was always drawn back to the style of contemporary jazz.
Her debut album, Wild is the Wind, features contemporary jazz arrangements of songs made popular by Sting, Tears for Fears, Maroon 5, Steely Dan, Taio Cruz, and David Bowie. Drawing on the American Songbook, the music of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland and others is also lovingly showcased. The album is beautifully crafted with renowned jazz musicians Shelly Berg, Gregg Field, Kevin Axt, and Dean Parks, with guest performances by Roy Hargrove, John DaVersa, and Brian Kilgore.
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