Kathy Sanborn

Kathy Sanborn

Vocalist and composer Kathy Sanborn
Background information
Born January 16
Berkeley, California
Genres Jazz, Vocal Jazz, World Music
Occupation(s) Singer, music producer, composer, lyricist, and pianist
Instruments Vocals and Piano
Labels Pacific Coast Jazz
Website www.kathysanborn.com
Notable instruments
Piano and Vocals

Kathy Sanborn (born January 16) is an American world music and jazz vocalist, pianist, and composer based in California. Sanborn's notable recordings include the albums Fantasía, Sultry Night, Six Degrees of Cool, Blues for Breakfast, Small Galaxy, and Peaceful Sounds. Stylistically, Sanborn has been compared to 1950s cool jazz singers Anita O’Day, Chris Connor, and June Christy, due to her smooth, velvet vocals and clear diction. Her vocal tone has been compared to the 1970s singer/songwriter Laura Nyro for its depth and timbre. JazzTimes on Sanborn's work: "Romance is always in the air as far as Kathy Sanborn is concerned, and her songs are reflections of those emotions which take flight when overpowered by love." [1]

A native of Los Angeles, Sanborn graduated magna cum laude from the California State University, Sacramento. Sanborn combines sultry vocals with artistic originality, writing songs that span the Jazz and World genres. [2]

Spain’s NoSoloSmoothJazz.com says: “Kathy Sanborn is one of the most original vocalists in the American musical landscape.” [3]

A trained pianist, Sanborn creates both music and lyrics for her projects. Sanborn’s albums include both jazz vocal and instrumental songs. Her 2011 project, Blues for Breakfast, features a song dedicated to the jazz masters of old, such as innovative trumpeter Miles Davis. Adding musical contributions to Blues for Breakfast are renowned GRAMMY® nominee bassist Scott Petito, drummer Chris Carey, and trumpeter Wayne Ricci.

Sanborn is a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, and Broadcast Music, Inc.. Her biography is profiled in Who's Who in America.

Discography

Release Date Album Label
2008 Peaceful Sounds Self-released
2010 Small Galaxy Pacific Coast Jazz
2011 Blues for Breakfast Pacific Coast Jazz
2011 Magnetized (single) Pacific Coast Jazz
2011 Christmas Time (single) Pacific Coast Jazz
2012 Six Degrees of Cool Pacific Coast Jazz
2013 Sultry Night Pacific Coast Jazz
2014 Fantasía Pacific Coast Jazz
2014 Fantasy (single) Self-released

Debut Album: Peaceful Sounds

Self-released in 2008, Peaceful Sounds is Sanborn’s debut album. An organic blend of jazz and new age music, Peaceful Sounds is dedicated to those who take a stand for peace. The sometimes dark and philosophical project garnered almost immediate international radio attention. With the release of Peaceful Sounds, Eric Cohen of New York radio station WAER proclaimed that Sanborn’s voice “truly is a gift from the heavens.” [4]

Small Galaxy

Released in 2010 through the Pacific Coast Jazz label, Small Galaxy marks a major turnaround in style and emotion from Sanborn’s first work. Small Galaxy includes upbeat songs and infectious energy, and is minus the heaviness that colored the debut album, Peaceful Sounds.

Perhaps in large part due to its cheerful lyrics and bouncy songs, the Small Galaxy album climbed to No. 4 on radio station WSCA's Top Chart, and garnered critical acclaim for its silky, sensual vocals.

Blues for Breakfast

Sanborn’s third album, Blues for Breakfast, released March 2011. Besides Sanborn’s smooth vocals and keyboard work, the album features GRAMMY® nominee Scott Petito’s bass, Chris Carey’s drums, and Wayne Ricci’s trumpet. Blues for Breakfast reached Amazon's MP3 Vocal Jazz bestseller list.

The title track, "Blues For Breakfast," showcases Sanborn’s love of jazz history and her affection for the famed musicians of the 1930s-50s who performed on New York’s 52nd Street. Sanborn says: “I wrote the song, Blues for Breakfast, as a fond tribute to the jazz masters of days gone by. On New York’s 52nd Street, the greats would ‘walk the high wire’ and enthrall and inspire new generations of jazz players. As jazz continues to evolve in the modern era, I imagine the masters are looking down and nodding their approval.” [5]

Classic Film Dedication

In 2011, Sanborn released her single, "Magnetized," a song dedicated to film historian and TCM movie host Robert Osborne. A fan of classic movies, Sanborn composed the jazz love song as an homage to the power of attraction exhibited by film stars whose screen presence can virtually electrify an audience. [6]

Six Degrees of Cool

Released August 28, 2012, Six Degrees of Cool showcases Sanborn's cool jazz roots and influence. The album includes "Bitter Winter" and "Shanty Man," songs directly referring to societal effects of economic depressions, both past and present. "Drawing from renowned influences such as Cool Jazz giants Miles Davis, Chet Baker, and Anita O’Day, Sanborn’s new album brings Cool Jazz into today’s contemporary scene." [7] Six Degrees of Cool also reached Amazon's MP3 Vocal Jazz bestseller charts.

Jazz in the Modern Era

A strong believer in the natural and unobstructed evolution of jazz music, Sanborn strives to take her jazz songs into the modern era, appealing to all generations of jazz fans. She says, "The music needs to evolve, and this means letting new artists in on the airwaves—and not excluding a hot new player simply because he or she is an independent artist." [8]

Sultry Night

Sanborn's fifth album project, Sultry Night, released September 3, 2013. The artist's smoky-style album hearkens back to the glamour days of sizzling romance in classic movies, with a spotlight on the film noir era. Sultry Night includes songs honoring jazz legend Anita O'Day and screen star Cary Grant. In addition, Sanborn composed a song, "Angels Cry," honoring the memory of those lost in the Connecticut school tragedy. Besides producing, composing, and arranging the Sultry Night album, Sanborn provides the vocal and piano artistry. As an MP3 album, Sultry Night reached Amazon's Bestselling Vocal Jazz Charts. [9]

Fantasía

With Fantasía, released June 3, 2014, Kathy Sanborn pays homage to her Latin heritage. Composed primarily of Spanish vocal jazz songs, the new album includes “Madre Mundo” (Mother Earth), reflecting the current global concern over environmental issues, and “Viva El Sueño” (Live the Dream), which encourages people everywhere to follow their dreams. [10] Fantasía reached the iTunes bestselling Latin music charts. [11]

August 2014 marked the release of the extended version of the album's title track, "Fantasy." Produced by Billboard #1 New Age recording artist and 2015 GRAMMY® winner Ricky Kej, "Fantasy" reached the iTunes bestselling World charts. Sanborn is a 2014 Hollywood Music in Media Awards nominee for the single. [12]

References

  1. ↑ "Blues for Breakfast review". JazzTimes. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  2. ↑ "All About Jazz". All About Jazz. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "No Solo Smooth Jazz". No Solo Smooth Jazz. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  4. ↑ "WAER on Kathy Sanborn". Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "All Music". Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "Sacramento Talent Magazine". Sacramento Talent Magazine. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  7. ↑ "All About Jazz news". All About Jazz. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  8. ↑ "All About Jazz interview". All About Jazz. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  9. ↑ "Pacific Coast Jazz". Pacific Coast Jazz. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  10. ↑ "Fantasia on Top 40-Charts". Top 40-Charts.com. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  11. ↑ "Pacific Coast Jazz". Pacific Coast Jazz. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  12. ↑ "Hollywood Music in Media Awards". Retrieved 12 March 2015.

External links