Kelly Ash: the new voice

New York City-based vocalist Kelly Ash has emerged as a new talent, seamlessly fusing the intimacy of singer/ songwriter stylings with the lush harmonies of jazz. Kellyʼs vocal sound evokes subtle emotion with sharp attitude; she is quietly seductive and unmistakably honest. Drawing on her diverse influences to express her own unique vision, Kelly filters her passion for rich harmony, poignant lyrics, and playful folk/ rock elements into a cohesive sound that explores and reflects her background.

Performing repertoire from the Great American Songbook as well as contemporary classics from songwriters such as Sting, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, James Taylor and Paul McCartney, Kelly proves herself a jazz singer steeped in tradition who is unafraid to embrace the music that moves her generation.

The Iowa-raised singer began her education at the Phil Mattson School for Music Vocations before moving to Seattle where she graduated from Cornish College of the Arts in 2008. Immersion in the highly creative and diverse Seattle music scene fueled her passion for jazz, soul, and indie folk/ rock alike, working with many talented songwriters and musicians. Kellyʼs wide range of talent includes performances with the acclaimed Nearly Dan (Steely Dan tribute band), cult favorite Discs of Fury (rock opera), and the Swinginʼ 60ʼs Jazz Orchestra. Kellyʼs run in the Seattle area included performances at venues such as the Triple Door, Jazz Alley, and Tulaʼs, as well as invitations to perform and clinic at Central Washington Universityʼs jazz program. In 2010 Kelly was invited as an honored performer for the I/O Jazz Awards held at Seattleʼs Benaroya Hall; that same year Kelly won second place in the Seattle-Kobe jazz vocalist competition.

Kelly currently travels between coasts to perform both in New York City and Seattle. She is a Masters degree candidate at New York University in Jazz Performance (voice/ piano). As a member of the NYU adjunct faculty, Kelly teaches jazz/ pop vocal and piano lessons, and also offers vocal workshops, songwriting lessons, and theory courses. Over the years Kelly has had the honor of studying and/ or performing with such notables as: Kenny Werner, Nancy Marano, Rebecca Parris, Greta Matassa, Randy Halberstadt, Eric Verlinde, Phil Mattson, Jean-Michel Pilc, Dawn Clement, Chuck Deardorf, Jovino Santos-Neto, James Knapp, Julian Priester, Roseanna Vitro, Janice Borla, Jay Clayton, and Don Friedman.

“Kelly is a remarkable jazz vocalist in many ways. She has a great ear, so she learns both melodies and lyrics very quickly and accurately. She is able to rephrase a set of lyrics to make it her own and to better convey the meaning of the song. She has a remarkably wide range, her intonation is impeccable, and the tone of her voice is very attractive. Sheʼs an accomplished scat singer, and her time feel is strong in all genres—including odd meters. She has a large repertoire, which includes a very wide range of styles, from blues to ballads to straight-ahead swing to Latin, to more contemporary to original tunes. She has good arranging ideas for her tunes, and sheʼs very effective at communicating to her band what she wants. ...her command of theoretical issues (chord voicings and scale construction, scale-to-chord relationships, harmony, etc.) is quite advanced.”
- Randy Halberstadt

"I heard Kelly Ash as a student of mine at Cornish College in Seattle a few years ago. I was very impressed by her tonal quality and by the creative control of her voice. I have no doubts that she will soon establish herself as a strong personality in the Musical Universe. I wish her all the best in her endeavors."
-Jovino Santos Neto