Nancy Kelly

Nancy Kelly is a jazz singer known for blues, swing, and bebop music.

Biography

Kelly was born October 12, 1950 in Rochester, New York and began studying music at the age of four. She studied voice at the Eastman School of Music and studied piano, clarinet, drama and dance with private instructors. She gravitated to jazz because of the freedom to improvise and then formed her own group.

Career

Nancy has performed with:

• The Nelson Riddle Orchestra
• The Benny Goodman Orchestra
• Houston Person
• Harry Allen
• Joey Defrancesco
• Mark Murphy
• Clayton Cameron
• Eric Reed
• Tamir Hendelman
• Randy Brecker

Nancy has shared billing with:

• Dizzy Gillespie
• Chick Corea
• Little Jimmy Scott
• Dianne Reeves
• New York Voices
• George Benson
• World Saxophone Quartet
• Terry Gibbs
• Eddie Gomez
• Dave Brubeck
• McCoy Tyner
• Diane Schuur
• Roberta Flack
• Michael McDonald

In 2007 Kelly was honored to take part in the Visiting Songbirds Series along with Nancy King and Rebecca Parris at Bake's Place in Washington State.

Discography

• 1988 Live Jazz (Amherst)
• 1997 Singin’ & Swingin’ (Amherst)
• 2006 Born to Swing (Amherst)
• 2009 Well, Alright! (Saying It With Jazz)
• 2014 B That Way (Bluebay)
• 2019 Remembering Mark Murphy (SubCat)

Awards and honors

• 2018 Jazz N Caz Award
• Unsung Heroine Award ... for achievements in music National Organization of Women
• "Best Female Jazz Vocalist” in the Downbeat Reader's Poll in two separate years
• Syracuse Area Music (SAMMY) Awards - Syracuse, New York :