And the reviewers said...

"...Her words flow as effortlessly as maple syrup over hot pancakes..."Ralph A Miriello
Huffingotn Post

"Kathy Kosins is a joy to hear. Her lyrics on Hershey's Kisses melt in her mouth." Johnny Mandel

"...the CD is already hot on the jazz radio charts and as fiery as her red hair!"Arturo Gomez
KUVO Music Director

"If you have not heard of vocalist Kathy Kosins before that's too bad, because she is the real deal."Pierre Giroux
Audiophile Audition

"She thinks like a musician' is one of the finest compliments you can give a jazz vocalist, and Detroit native Kathy Kosins is often at the receiving end of that comment"Jon Norton
WGLT Music Director

"Instead of rehashing Julie London's "Cry Me a River," she unearths a relative rarity: the melancholy "November Twilight," which Kosins invests with her own sense of autumnal ruefulness."George Bulanda
Hour Detroit

"One thing I've always enjoyed about Kathy Kosins is her ability to "sell the song". Kosins is a melodic storyteller. Her voice is rich and warm as she interprets and vocally explores each song on this tribute CD."
Lajazz.com

"To The Ladies Of Cool" CD

CD Cover
"…she authentically recreates a lost genre of female jazz singing…" - Ralph A. Miriello, Jazz Journalist, Huffington Post

"To The Ladies of Cool"™ is a contemporary exploration of the West Coast School of Cool that celebrates the artistry of Anita O'Day, June Christy, Julie London and Chris Connor and the relationships they had with the composers and arrangers that defined West Coast Cool.

Kathy Kosins – "To The Ladies of Cool" Liner Notes - by Will Friedwald:

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).

Johhny Mandel Kathy Kosins
Jazz Master Johnny Mandel & Kathy Kosins

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

"Simply put....Kathy Kosins is a singer's singer. With the backing of a wonderful group....she has taken these songs and transformed them into compelling new musical short stories. From an uptempo swinger to a slow sultry ballad...Kathy's tribute to these legendary ladies is tasteful, sophisticated and as good as it gets from the first note to the last. You want a great listening experience....look no further than Kathy Kosins...." Eric Cohen, WAER

Montage from "To The Ladies Of Cool"™ concert, presented by the Tucson Jazz Society - Tucson, AZ, Nov, 2011

This is a montage featuring excepts from the "To The Ladies Of Cool"™ CD and concert powerpoint presentation."

"...take the prolific talents of Kathy Kosins and the commitment to the finest recordings available from Resonance Records and the end result is a winner!"
Critical Jazz
"To the Ladies of Cool" is just the sort of CD that inspires you as you enjoy it. This collection of great songs, performed by Kathy in her own unique style, will keep the musical memories fresh for a new generation of jazz lovers."
Malvin Massey
WUMR, Memphis, TN
""This CD is perhaps one of her best, and one of the best of any contemporary jazz singer singing homage to four immortal women of jazz and pop.""
Danny R. Johnson
San Diego News

Stage Show

Show Poster"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

Kathy Kosins

Kathy KosinsASCAP 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

In the live multimedia presentation of Kathy's "Ladies of Cool" concert, each song has it's own back screen movie presentation.

In the live multimedia presentation of Kathy's "Ladies of Cool" concert, each song has it's own back screen movie presentation.

Reviews

"...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 Concert Montage, Los Angeles, CA, Summer, 2012