There's something to be said for "blind" listening; when I first played the advance tracks for this album – bereft of artwork or even a track list – I was only conscious that here was a marvelous collection of ten brilliantly-chosen songs, exceedingly well sung, arranged, and played. It wasn't until sometime later that I realized the songs were very specifically chosen for a distinct program. Still later, when I spoke again to Kathy, she emphasized repeatedly that this wasn't a "tribute" album (and, even less, a set of imitations).
She needn't have worried – Kathy is such a distinct stylist that no one could possibly accuse her of imitating anyone. A "tribute" collection to Chris Connor, Anita O'Day, June Christy, and Julie London would, by definition, be expected to include their signature songs and hits (respectively, that's "All About Ronnie,""Let Me Off Uptown," "Something Cool," and "Cry Me a River"). But Kathy has done nothing of the sort. She chose her words well when she described the album as a "toast" – it's an acknowledgement of the skills that these four ladies showed in picking songs, a tip of the hat, a bouquet of roses sent by messenger. (In fact, she's probably the only contemporary singer to do "Learnin' the Blues" in reference to Julie London – rather than Frank Sinatra – even though it's a rare song that was recorded both by London and her husband-producer Bobby Troup. Where London's version was silky and breathy, Kathy's is more directly blue – she sings as if she's already learned, to quote a London album title, about the blues. Read More
Kathy Kosins "Hershey's Kisses"
Kathy Kosins "Nightbird"
"The Ladies of Cool™" is a multimedia concert featuring a live stage show, musical shorts, featuring the ladies of cool, a backscreen power point presentaion containg vintage and rarley seen photographs, and historical facts about each of the ladies plus stories of the songs themselves and photographs of the songwriters who created them and musical shorts by Anita O'Day and June Christy.
Noted Jazz Critic Will Friedwald speaks:
"Kathy Kosins grabbed me and fairly quickly...What she does with these tunes... tells me that she knows where the deal-breaker point of demar- cation is between respectful homage and radical re-interpretation. June Christy's 'Look Out Up There' remains in Kathy's treatment, swinging and danceable,she completely updates and personalizes the song. Read More
ASCAP award-winning vocalist Kathy Kosins has won the hearts of critics and fans around the globe with her eclectic musical palette that expands the rich history of jazz.
Born and bred during the Motown era of Detroit, she began singing and arranging background vocals for producer Don Was in the early eighties, which led to her becoming one of the most sought after session singers. As a lead vocalist she recorded for both Carrere (Sony) and Quality Records and later toured with Was/Not Was.
In the early "90s, Kosins, a ferocious writer and arranger, fell in love with the freedom of the jazz art form and her writing naturally evolved into a more traditional approach. Stints with the JC Heard and Nelson Riddle Orchestras followed and led to a 1996 release of "All In A Dreams Work" (Schoolkids Records), an impressive debut featuring a first rate collection of nine originals and a cover of the Miles Davis composition" Four." Reported by over 250 Jazz stations, she reached the top 20 in the Gavin. Read More
Kathy Kosins "Learning the Blues"
Kathy Kosins concert excerpts
"...Kosins, like the women she pays homage to, possesses a warm, sensuous voice with an easy sense of time. Her words flow as effortlessly as maple syrup over hot pancakes. Her choice of material is surprisingly fresh. With "Learnin'the Blues," a tune attributed as much to Frank Sinatra as to Julie London, Kosins shows a deft sense of time and an inherent sense of swing. A smoking piano solo by the under appreciated Hendelman adds icing to this delicious cake. If this one doesn't immediately convert you to a Kosins fan nothing will." - Ralph A. Miriello, Huffington Post Read Full Review
"On jazz singers Kathy Kosins's new album " the Ladies of Cool," her lovely, soft, and soothing voice made me want to curl up in her lap, and listen to her sing every song on the album over and over. "to the Ladies of Cool" is her first album for Resonance Records, and it's due out March 13th." - Charles L. Latimer, I Dig Jazz Read Full Review
"Here is no-nonsense jazz pulled like taffy from the sticky pot of 1960's classic jazz celebrity. This production reminds me of Coltrane, early Miles, Eric Dolphy, Yusef Lateef and all the great straight- ahead masters who had that driving, powerful music that encouraged action." - Dee Dee, LaJazz.com Read Full Review
Kathy Kosins "November Twilight"