KELLY McMENIMEN
SINGER

Kelly McMenimen came out of the womb singing, and she never stopped. She grew up listening to bluegrass and rock and roll, but when she was in college she began to hear a lot of jazz. She loved the music so much she began to fantasize about an alternate life as a jazz singer. After years listening to jazz but working at other things (as an actress, raft guide, performance artist, teacher, and social worker), she moved to California where she met a jazz saxophonist who became her boyfriend. She knew all the songs he played, and when he heard her singing along, he was determined to help her realize her jazz fantasy. He taught her everything he knew about jazz and bossa nova and set up a band of high-caliber musicians for her to play with in his homeland of Brazil. She was becoming quite successful as a jazz singer in Brazil until she and her boyfriend split up and she moved back to the states. In the Bay Area she has had several bands, one with pianist Jason Martineau, and another quartet called Evolution. She has studied with David Stroud and Madeline Eastman, as well as Patti Cathcart (of Tuck and Patti fame) and others. She dropped music for a while to go to graduate school and concentrate on mothering her beloved son, but music wouldn't drop her. So now she's back, and nothing is going to stop her this time! Come check out Jazzmatazz and watch her blossoming again.

EQUIPMENT:
AUDIX OM5 VOCAL MIC

OCCUPATION:
PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR

MAJOR INFLUENCES:
DIANA KRALL, ELLA FITZGERALD, SARA VAUGHAN, NINA SIMONE, PATRICIA BARBER, KITTY MARGOLIS