LIZ KELLY

Liz Kelly began her career in jazz while attending the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas (1985-1989). During that time, Liz performed with various ensembles throughout the United States and Europe including the Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, Switzerland, and the North Sea Jazz Festival, Den Hääg Holland. She was a featured vocalist with the Richard Bray Big Band, winner of Washington D.C.'s Best Award (1986).

Liz was featured on the Greg Holloway album, The Commitment (1993) and the Lee Hudson Album, Faces in This Town (1994). While completing her graduate work at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, she was the featured vocalist with the University of Alaska Jazz Faculty Ensemble (1991-1994) as well as the Vocal Coach for University of Alaska Theatre productions Cabaret and The Death of Von Richtofen (1993). She has performed for University of Alaska Jazz Week with dancer, Thea Barnes (1992), and choreographer, jazz/tap dancer Katherine Kramer (1993). She was the featured vocalist for the jazz quintet Solar and jazz quartet Pyramid performing at Bernie's Bar and Grill and Elevation 92 in Anchorage, Alaska. She has been featured live on radio shows and has edited books and published articles on jazz, including Jazz as an American Art Form (Anchorage Daily News, 1993).

She continues her career in Nashville, Tennessee, teaching writing at Watkins Film Institute/Watkins School of Art and Design, and has been featured in A Nashville Night of Jazz (The Phoenix). Other local credits include Gospel Music Association Week at the Ryman Auditorium, The Broadway Dinner Train, The Stouffer, Jammin' Java, F. Scott's, Mere Bulles, 3rd and Lindsley, Manhattan's, The Sutler and Caffe Milano. She was selected to perform for Tin Pan South Jazz Writers Night at Caffe Milano and the Italian Street fair. Her debut album, It Seems to Me, was released summer of '96. She was the featured guest for the March of Dimes Gourmet Gala in Washington, D.C., which raised over $450,000 as well as the featured soloist for numerous Jazz Fighting Hunger concerts in Anchorage, AK. Her first video, Everything Must Change, has been featured on BET's Jazz Central and Jazz Discovery.

She produced her second album, Anima Christi, which featured such players as Rod McGaha and Kirk Whalum, in the summer of '97. She has also been featured with the legendary jazz organist, Kossie Gardner and his trio for the Tennessee Jazz and Blues Society.